Broadcasting

CommuniquÃ© from Africast Emphasizes Digitisation Imperative

Published

16 years ago

November 13, 2008

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With the theme “Digitisation and the Challenges of Broadcasting,” the 2008 Africast Conference and Exhibitions featured the presentation of scholarly papers by eminent personalities, professionals, veterans and captains of the broadcast industry from Africa and beyond.
Communiqué issued by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) stated the resolutions of the participants to include: that digitisation of broadcasting is not only necessary but also imperative in Africa. This is because it has the potentials of revolutionizing the media and communication activities within the continent, creating better business opportunities, redefining national values and generally placing the continent on the map of the digitally compliant world; that African countries must strive towards meeting the ITU deadline of June 17, 2015 for broadcasting to transit from analogue to digital. Otherwise, they stand the risk of paying the painful penalty of being isolated from the world’s broadcasting community.
That policy makers and investors should take into consideration the peculiarity of the African environment, in terms of poor infrastructure and low personal income in planning for the inevitable transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. Thus, although some progress have been made towards digitisation on the continent, as exemplified by Mauritius, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria, a lot remains, to be done; that African governments should, as a matter of urgency, enact and enforce laws banning the importation of analogue television sets into their countries. Also, they should, through effective legislation and policy implementation, fast-track the transition process in their countries. Both measures would help protect the continent from being turned into a dumping ground for obsolete analogue broadcast equipment.
That African countries must adopt a deliberate policy of carrying their peoples along in the campaign for a successful transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. Accordingly, they should immediately embark on aggressive public enlightenment campaign to mobilize and sensitize the public on the process, benefits and implications of digitisation; that the success and sustenance of digitisation in Africa will also require that
Governments on the continent lay emphasis on manpower development, encourage a sustainable maintenance culture, and energize their broadcast regulatory bodies through adequate funding and less political interference.
“The digitisation of broadcasting has far-reaching implications and daunting challenges for governments, broadcasters, broadcast regulators and the people. The success of the transition will depend, to a great extent, on the co-operation of these parties and their willingness and readiness to play effectively their expected roles; African countries should realize that, no matter what effort they make to achieve total digitisation, some of the challenges associated with the transition would still remain due to the peculiarities of the African environment. Therefore, there is the need to set up appropriate mechanism to absorb the inevitable challenges, in order to make any meaningful progress towards digitisation.”
“The use of converter boxes or set-top boxes on the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting should be seen only as a stop-gap measure. Therefore, African countries should strive for local production of digital broadcasting facilities, if they must save costs, achieve technological development and enjoy the full benefits of digitisation; operators of the broadcast industry must be prepared to re-equip their stations with appropriate digital equipment, recruit and train their personnel and produce adequate local content to service the increasing number of available channels resulting from digitisation.”
“Digitised broadcasting emphasizes content production and distribution. African broadcasters should plan towards feeding their viewers and listeners with adequate and quality African programmes.” That Advisory Committee on Digitisation in African countries should research into the needs and implications of the transition project, so that they can offer useful advice to the government for a hitch free transition.
Digitisation implies more than its technological dimensions. Governments should formulate comprehensive policies on digitization, and enact enabling legislations, based on the realities of their local environments; that planning for digitisation should include the procurement of spare parts along with the digital equipment. The old practice of acquiring broadcasting equipment without attendant back-up spares had been the bane of broadcasting in many African countries.
That broadcast regulatory bodies in Africa should look beyond monitoring content on broadcasting stations and creating awareness on the forthcoming digitisation. They should equally concern themselves with the quality and state of broadcast equipment, infrastructure and personnel all of which are indispensable for successful digitization; that African governments should be ready to empower their people to enable them benefit from the dividends of digitisation. This, they can do by subsidizing the cost of Set-top boxes as the United States of America did in preparation for her own switchover on 17th February, 2009.
That each African country should consider floating a single national carrier, while allowing individual stations to concentrate on content production. The prevailing practice whereby stations spend their fortunes on equipment provision and maintenance, while neglecting content does not augur well for broadcasting in the digital era; that while fashioning out a legislative framework for digitisation, frequency management and licencing, African broadcast regulatory authorities should consider, seriously, either to grant a single licence for both multiplex and channel, or a separate licence for each.
Digitisation poses a great deal of challenges to content producers, and so the older broadcasting stations, which have vintage programmes in their archives, should seek to meet the challenges partly by digitizing such archival materials; digitisation demands comprehensive planning, adequate funding, improved know-how, infrastructural development and aggressive content production, and African countries should anticipate and tackle these challenges if they were to transit to digital broadcasting by or before the ITU deadline of 2015.
Since most modern day broadcast equipment are software-driven, African broadcasters should seek to sustain productivity by recruiting younger generation personnel who are computer literate, in addition to training and retraining; that African broadcasters should use the forum of Africast to evolve a global African brand with a view to meeting the growing yearnings of a global audience for a truly African content that confers beauty and dignity on the continent as opposed to the present distorted image of war, hunger, corruption and disease.
At the switchover to digital broadcasting, African countries should reserve and equitably allocate the freed spectrum for the future development of digital community broadcasting, using appropriate technologies. Meanwhile, there should be no switch off timetable for FM and AM sound broadcasting services until there is a proven, viable digital alternative; that community broadcasting has far-reaching social, political, economic and cultural advantages, so African countries should ease off the stringent licencing and regulatory requirements to encourage the emergence, and facilitate the growth, of community broadcasting on the continent.
African broadcasters were advised to take advantage of the technological innovations as they plan for the transition to digital broadcasting; African governments and broadcasters must ensure that, from now, only quality digital–ready broadcast equipment are imported into the continent. However, where there are restrictions or high tariffs, governments should grant immediate relief, to make the digitisation process less cumbersome and pain-free for operators in the industry.
Public and private broadcasters in Africa have made significant efforts to acquire and install digital equipment in anticipation of the global switch over to digital broadcasting. Be that as it may, they were advised to collaborate and co-operate with one another for a smooth and cost effective transition process.

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Broadcasting

NBC Did not Withdraw EBS License — Edo Govt

Published

18 hours ago

September 30, 2024

Comms Week

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National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), did not withdraw the license of EBS TV, Edo state’s broadcasting television, according to Crusoe Osagie, special adviser to governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects.

NBC Did not Withdraw EBS License — Edo Govt

Godwin Obaseki

Osagie, in a statement urged the public to disregard the false claims describing it as the handiwork of mischief-makers

He explained that against claims that the license of EBS has been withdrawn over statutory failures, the Channel 55 under which the station operates on falls within the 700 megahertz band that is being repurposed by the federal government following an international treaty established by the International Telecommunications Union in 2015, of which Nigeria is signatory.

He disclosed that the NBC has, however, reassigned a new Channel 45 to Edo Broadcasting Service TV, while plans are in progress for the compensation for EBS by the NBC.

Osagie revealed that letters were written to the Broadcasting Stations within the band to inform them of the developments, notify them of new channels to relocate to, and provide their compensation needs for payment.

Affected Broadcasting stations were negotiated with beginning from around 2020 and 2021.

On the issue of licence fee, the Special Adviser said the Station was heavily indebted for over a decade, before Governor Obaseki came into office, adding that in June, 2022, the Governor approved and began to clear EBS indebtedness to the regulatory authorities.

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Broadcasting

iTEC 75-Inch UHD TV: Redefining the Viewing Experience in the Nigerian Market

Published

18 hours ago

September 30, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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iTEC is solidifying its position as one of the top brands in the electronics marketplace with the launch of its latest 75-inch UHD TV. This television, a product of Africa’s leading tech company, Zinox, is a masterpiece and nothing short of a marvel, as it provides an immersive visual experience that captivates casual viewers and tech enthusiasts across Nigeria and the broader Sub-Saharan market.

itec 75 inch tv

Impressive Display and Resolution

One of the significant features of the iTEC 75-inch UHD TV is its stunning 3840×2160 resolution. This display produces clear, detailed images that bring your favourite shows, movies, and games to life. The 16:09 aspect ratio ensures that every scene is perfectly proportioned, and the display’s astounding 1.07 billion colours provide a vivid and rich palette. This TV expertly captures every hue, whether it’s the intense reds of a sunset or the deep blues of the ocean.

The colour spectrum of this TV is a real standout, offering a wide range of tones with an exceptionally natural feel. The uniformity of luminance guarantees that brightness will be dispersed equally over the screen, making for a consistent and enjoyable viewing experience from any angle. The backlighting is also top-notch. It offers excellent contrast between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites, enhancing every image’s depth and clarity.

Fast Performance and Smart Features

Beyond the visuals, this iTEC TV runs on the Android 11 operating system. It allows for a world of apps, streaming services, and customisation options. The TV has a Mali-G52 MC1 550MHz GPU and an ARM Cortex-A53 1.5GHz Quad-Core processor for snappy performance and seamless navigation. With 2GB of RspdifAM and 8GB of internal storage, users can easily download and store apps, games, and other content.

Seamless Connectivity

Staying connected is a breeze with the TV’s range of connectivity options. Its LAN and wireless networking capabilities make it simple to sync with other smart gadgets in your house or stream information from the internet. The multiple HDMI and USB ports ensure you can connect various external devices like gaming consoles, soundbars, or USB drives without hassle. The SPDIF and AV ports further add to the versatility of this TV, making it a hub for all your multimedia needs.

Stunning Sound Quality

No modern TV is complete without excellent audio, and iTEC delivers on this front with its Dolby speakers. The sound quality is rich and immersive, making you feel like you’re right in the middle of the action. Whether you’re watching a high-energy action film or enjoying your favourite music, the Dolby audio elevates the entire experience.

Designed for Every Viewing Angle

One of the most impressive features of this TV is its wide viewing angle. No matter where you’re seated in the room, the picture remains clear and bright. This is perfect for family gatherings or group viewing sessions, ensuring that everyone enjoys the same high-quality visuals from any corner of the room. The TV’s rapid response time also ensures smooth motion, making it ideal for watching sports or playing fast-paced video games.

Energy Efficiency and Power

Despite its large size, the iTEC 75-inch UHD TV is designed with energy efficiency in mind. With power consumption rates of 200W, 250W, and 270W, depending on the mode of operation, this TV balances performance with eco-friendliness. This is particularly important in regions where power supply can be inconsistent, making this TV a practical choice for the Nigerian and Sub-Saharan markets.

iTEC’s 75-inch UHD TV is a stellar offering for anyone looking to elevate their home entertainment experience. Its powerful performance, vibrant display, seamless connectivity, and immersive sound make it a must-have for tech-savvy individuals. With its impressive energy efficiency and robust features, this TV is sure to resonate with consumers in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa. Suppose you’re in the market for a cutting-edge TV that ticks all the boxes, iTEC’s latest model is definitely worth considering. Shop your iTEC TV now on konga.com for the best deals and seamless service.

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Broadcasting

BBNaija: The Final Showdown Begins, Explosive Evictions, Toke Spills the Tea, and Kelly Rae Grabs Head of House

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2024

Ugo Onwuaso

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As Big Brother Naija Season 9 approaches its climax, the intensity both in the house and on Big Brother Naija: The Buzz Season 9 talk show is reaching unprecedented heights. Episode 9, hosted by the ever-charismatic Toke Makinwa, was packed with insights, debates, and jaw-dropping moments that had fans glued to their screens.

The Buzz

“As the game nears an end and the finish line comes to light, best believe the battle is about to get flaming hot,” Toke declared as she kicked off the episode.

“It was a bold statement, setting the tone for the discussions that followed, covering the latest evictions, brewing relationships, and the looming finale. With three big evictions—Handi, Tjay, and Shaun—leaving the competition, Toke, alongside guests Constance Owoyomi and Cassandra “Petite Talker,” dissected the drama of the night.

Kellyrae Takes Charge

Kellyrae claimed the coveted title of Head of House and became the first official finalist of Season 9. Sooj followed closely, escaping nomination by the housemates, making him another strong contender in the finals. The panel discussed the unpredictability of the house dynamics, with Constance noting, “No one can predict how the show will go by the changes in the house.” This comment couldn’t have been truer as alliances, betrayals, and unexpected exits continue to surprise viewers.

Shocking Evictions and Twitter Drama

The biggest shock of the night was the eviction of Shaun. Toke shared that fans on Twitter had blamed her for messing up his game, to which she exclaimed, “I just said I like the boy!” The discussion pivoted to the strategic gameplay of the Mbadiwe twins. Constance felt that the twins had coasted along, while Cassandra argued they’d simply been lucky. The debate on which housemates were genuine players and which were riding on fan favouritism highlighted the ever-present unpredictability of the house.

Love Triangles and Tense Relationships

Relationship dynamics in the house also took centre stage. The love triangle involving Ozee, Onyeka, and Victoria has kept viewers on their toes. With Nelly showing emotions and Sooj’s affection towards her becoming more evident, the panel agreed that Sooj might like Victoria too but struggles to handle the pressure of the house. “If the tables were turned, Sooj wouldn’t react this way,” Constance said, while Toke pointed out that his hot-and-cold behaviour keeps everyone guessing.

Toke then shifted the conversation to the feuds in the house, particularly the tension between Topher and Anita. According to Cassandra, the age difference between them plays a role, with Anita frequently talking down to Topher. “Anita is stringing him along until the end of the show,” Constance added. The panel agreed that while these relationships provide content, they likely won’t last outside the house.

Vox Pop Highlights

The show wrapped up with a vox pop segment, where fans shared their thoughts on the housemates they’d “poke” if given the chance. Victoria, Ozee, and Onyeka were the top picks, with many expressing frustration at certain housemates’ laid-back strategies.

As the episode closed, the panel shared their predictions for who would win the season. Constance backed Wanni or Ozee, while Kassandra put her money on Kellyrae. Toke hinted that if Wanni doesn’t win, she might take second place. With tensions mounting, all eyes are on the finale to see which housemate will walk away victorious!

The countdown to the finale of BBNaija No Loose Guard season is on. Get up to date with all the gist with Toke and guests on BBNaija: The Buzz.. New episodes drop every Thursday on Showmax.

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