Broadcasting
FG Shuts Down Firms Pirating Broadcast Signals of DStv, Others
Three broadcasting facilities engaged in pirating the broadcast signals of several right owners including Star Times, Communications Trends Nigeria Limited (CTL) and MultiChoice Nigeria (MCN) have been closed down during joint enforcement operations carried out simultaneously by operatives of Nigerian Copyright commission (NCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) in Aba and Umuahia, Abia State.
Mr. John O. Asein, the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission
The illegal broadcasting stations were sealed and broadcast contrivances impounded for being deployed in the illegal distribution of pay TV channels and unauthorised retransmission of other cable TV’s protected contents in violation of the Copyright Act.
Based on intelligence and surveillance reports, the broadcast facilities of Popular Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Modern Communication Limited (MCL) being used for copyright infringement activities were confiscated on Thursday, March, 12, while employees engaged in broadcast piracy were arrested during joint enforcement operations by three separate teams of NCC and DSS operatives.
Following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, the illicit broadcast operations at the three facilities located in Aba and Umuahia, in Abia State were interrupted when Copyright Inspectors from NCC and DSS operatives raided the facilities.
Equipment found on the premises of the illegal broadcasters included those for the retransmission of Star Times, Communications Trends Nigeria Limited (CTL) TV and MultiChoice Nigeria (MCN) contents. Also recovered were broadcasting decoders for Ben Sports, Canal Plus and other contrivances used for their illegal activities in violation of the provisions of the Copyright Act.
Speaking on the raid, Mr. John O. Asein, the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission, represented by Mrs Nkechi Ezinma, State Coordinator of NCC Rivers State Office, reiterated the determination of the Commission to confront copyright piracy in the different industries.
He expressed the Commission’s gratitude to the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) for the operational and logistic support that made the raid and arrests possible.
In his words, “The joint operation is a demonstration of a common objective of relevant agencies to ensure that the laudable economic policies being introduced by Government are not thwarted by the illegal activities of unscrupulous persons”.
According to the Director-General, the on-going efforts of the Federal Government to reposition the broadcast industry and ensure a safe and investment friendly legal framework call for a more proactive copyright enforcement strategy.
He assured investors in the creative sector, particularly the broadcast industry, that the Commission would continue to ensure that they enjoyed safe corridors to guarantee returns on their investment.
The Director-General said investigation into the activities of the suspects would commence immediately and any copyright infractions would be prosecuted while other criminal activities would be reported to the relevant agencies for further action.
He appealed to the public to desist from patronising copyright pirates and urged them to report suspected copyright violations to the Commission.
One of the arrested operators, who claimed that he once had a broadcast licence from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), however, confessed that the licence had since lapsed.
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in collaboration with Musical CopyrightSociety of Nigeria (MCSN) organised a stakeholders’ engagement and awareness event in Kaduna on November 20, 2024.
The event, themed “Enjoy Music, Respect Copyright, Protect your Business,” according to the State Coordinator, NCC Kaduna office Mrs Rukayya Yeldu was aimed at educating music users about copyright laws and the importance of paying royalties to support musicians in the creative industry.
Mrs. Yeldu in her address at the event noted that copyright laws help protect the livelihood of musicians and other stakeholders while emphasising that paying royalties is both a legal and moral duty for business operators in the creative sector.
Director-General, MCSN Mr. Mayowa Ayilaran in his presentation spoke about MCSN’s role in the creative sector and encouraged business owners to obtain proper licences for the music they use.
Public trust in government has been lagging for years but new Salesforce research reveals AI agents could help rebuild it.
Constituents around the world agree there’s room for improvement when it comes to government service. Forty percent struggle with government interactions, and over a third are unsure of available programs. However, the research indicates overwhelming public support for AI solutions — with 90% of global constituents saying they’d use an AI agent to engage with their government.
The arrival of AI agents presents governments with an exciting opportunity to strengthen public trust by streamlining services and speeding up response times. And in the face of tightening budgets, agents can augment public servants and better serve their constituents — without having to add headcount.
“It is clear from our research that there is a need for AI solutions like Salesforce’s Agentforce that help governments streamline and scale services to better meet the needs of their constituents,” said Nasi Jazayeri, EVP and GM of Public Sector at Salesforce.
“As global leaders gather in Davos, we have a tremendous opportunity for the public and private sectors to come together and explore how major advancements in technology like AI agents can improve how governments support citizens.”
Public calls for improved government service
40% say it’s difficult to interact with the government when they have questions or need help.
Less than half of survey respondents find it easy to understand what public services (42%) and public assistance programs (46%) are available to them.
Top service delivery improvements desired by global constituents include:
Reducing the number of steps to address needs
Responding to their needs faster
Constituents eager to engage with agents
90% of global respondents said they’d use an AI agent to interact with the public sector.
Constituents in Brazil, Spain, Singapore, and Italy are among the most willing to use AI agents to interact with the public sector, providing these countries with the opportunity to be trailblazers in the agentic AI era.
20% of German and American respondents say they’re very likely to use an AI agent to help fill out government forms (e.g. filing taxes, completing applications).
Three factors global respondents said they prioritised when considering using AI agents in the public sector:
24/7 access to information and services (47%)
Helping them efficiently access government resources (44%)
Reducing the number of websites and steps needed to address their needs (40%)
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has expressed its commitment to partner with the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) for the creation of a robust Intellectual Property (IP) Policy tailored for Polytechnics and Technical Institutions across Nigeria.
This collaboration was agreed upon during a courtesy visit by the Director-General, NCC, Dr. John O. Asein to the Executive Secretary NBTE, Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaje, in Abuja. The visit aimed to enlighten NBTE on the mandate of Commission and areas of possible collaboration.
Dr. Asein, represented at the meeting by Director Nigerian Copyright Academy (NCA), Mrs. Funmi Adewale and Director Planning Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Collins Nweke, emphasised the importance of a functional IP Policy and the need to incorporate Copyright Education into the curriculum of Technical Institutions.
The ES-NBTE who was represented by the Director, Abuja Liaison Office, Dr. Yahaya Bande gave assurances that the proposed partnership will yield results and lauded NCC’s initiatives of raising public awareness about IP and Copyright, emphasising that such efforts are crucial for enhancing the nation’s economic development.
The Commission’s representatives presented copies of the Commission’s publication “What Is Copyright” and “Copyright Act 2022” to the Executive Secretary, NBTE.
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