Broadcasting
COVID-19: FG Grants 60% Debt Relief to Broadcast Stations
Federal government has approved 60 percent debt forgiveness for all debtor broadcast stations in the country to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the industry, according to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture.
Lai Mohammed
Mohammed,, announced this in Abuja at a media briefing on the government’s efforts to institute financial sustainability among broadcast stations in the country.
He noted that the broadcast industry had been particularly hard-hit due to falling revenues occasioned by the dwindling adverts and sponsored programmes in the wake of the pandemic.
Mohammed, disclosed that many Nigerian radio and television stations remained indebted to the government to the tune of N7. 8 billion while many of them were faced with the reality that their licenses would not be renewed in view of their indebtedness.
“Against this background, the management of the NBC has recommended, and the Federal Government has accepted 60 per cent debt forgiveness for all debtor broadcast stations in the country,” he said.
Mohammed, however, said the criterion for enjoying the debt forgiveness was for debtor stations to pay 40 per cent of their existing debt within the next three months
According to him, any station that is unable to pay the balance of 40 percent indebtedness within the three months window shall forfeit the opportunity to enjoy the stated debt forgiveness.
The minister said the government also approved that the existing license fee of the broadcast stations be further discounted by 30 per cent for all Open Terrestrial Radio and Television services effective July 10.
He said the debt forgiveness would apply to functional licensed Terrestrial Radio and Television stations only
“The debt forgiveness and discount shall not apply to pay TV service operators in Nigeria.
“The effective date of the debt forgiveness shall be July 10 to October 6th, 2020,” he said.
Mohammed said the measures were in addition to the two-month licence-fee waiver granted to terrestrial broadcast stations in the country by the NBC, as part of efforts to ease the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He gave an assurance that the measures taken by the government would give lifeline and revamp the Industry as well as help reposition it for the challenges of business in the post-COVID-19 era.
“The Federal Government has made these interventions with a view to re-positioning the broadcast industry to play its critical role of promoting democracy and good governance in Nigeria.
“It is our expectation that the sector will cash in on this unique opportunity to make itself an effective catalyst for national development,” he said.
Speaking on efforts to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the creative sector in general, the minister recalled that government set up the Post-Covid-19 Initiatives Committee for the creative industry,
He said the committee had submitted its report, which contained recommendations that would benefit all component parts of the larger creative industry.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the minister said similar measures would be extended to the print industry by the government.
Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, acting director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) , said the commission is carrying out holistic review of the broadcast sector as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Idachaba, who was also at the briefing, said the government would enforce the Pay as You Go directive to the Pay-Tv because it was in the interest of all.
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.
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.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State chapter has shut down normal operations of Lagos Television, Eko FM/Radio Lagos and Lagos Traffic Radio in protest over the non-implementation of the N85,000 minimum wage to workers,
NLC, in collaboration with workers of the three broadcast stations under the aegis of Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), on Monday picketed the station.
The workers, few weeks ago, had notified the management of the three stations of their readiness to down tools following the failure of the stations to implement the minimum wage being implemented by the Lagos State Government.
The workers were seen on Monday morning blocking the entrance and exit to the Agidingbi complex of the broadcast stations, displaying placards.
The placards with various inscriptions read, “Oracle is the answer, it’s all we need”, “Pay us minimum wage,” among others.
Speaking with newsmen, Comrade Funmi Sessi, chairman of NLC, said the protest was peaceful to draw the attention of the management to the demands of workers.
“We started in a peaceful manner, and we are going to end it in a peaceful manner. No body is going to push us the wall.
“I assure everybody that we shall be peaceful because we are Lagosians.
“We are here this morning you can see the workers of government in communication departments that is LTV, Eko FM, Traffic Radio, all here to show their displeasure against the injustice that is been meted out to them.
“They work to the best of their abilities and now at the receiving end by being shortchanged. And not receiving the new minimum wage as being approved and agreed by the law set by the Federal Government of Nigeria
“This is an injustice to the set of workers. The managements have been given the mandate to pay the minimum wage has been announced by the Lagos State Government. They are Lagos State workers.
“Since the government has commenced implementation of the N85,000 minimum wage since November, they have never collected the minimum wage.
“The arrears of the three months and the 13th months; they have not been enjoying the benefits. So, why this disparity for these set of workers even in the face of this hardship?
The leadership of their union had engaged the management previously. They gave a-21-day notice to dialogue.
“After several engagements with managements, they gave 14 days, then seven days. They followed due process, yet there was no resolution. Now when they saw that the workers are resolute to fight for their right, they are saying sheathe your sword.”
Comrade Sessi noted that the state governor had been doing a lot by showing compassion on workers, urging him to prevail on the management to do the needful.
“Though, the governor has been doing a lot and showing empathy to workers, we are hereby appealing to him to prevail on the management to do the needful and avoid unnecessary disruption to operations in the interest of the majority.
“We will sustain this struggle until the government listens and takes appropriate action on these demands,” she said.
CBN Waives 2025 Licence Renewal Fee for Bureaux de Change Operators
Nvidia Loses over $500Bn in Market Value amid DeepSeek’s Rise
NCC, MCSN Collaborate on Copyright Enlightenment
PalmPay is not a Loan App, says MD
AfDB, World Bank Collaborate to Transform Africa’s Energy Access, Connect 300 million by 2030
A beginner’s guide to Temu: Your ultimate shopping companion
CBN, SEC Approve FCMB Group’s N147bn Rights Offer
CBN did not Force 1000 Workers to Resign- Cardoso
New WAEC Program Offers Faster Route for Students to Improve WASSCE Grades
Afrobeats and Amapiano Lead Africa’s Musical Revolution
E-Financial1 day agoMoniepoint MFB Says Rumours of N1.1Bn Theft by Hackers Malicious
General News1 day agoCourt Orders Arrest of Access Bank Acting MD, Others over Alleged Theft of Property
Telecom1 day agoSERAP Drags Tinubu, Others to Court over ”Arbitrary” Telecom Tariff Hike
E-Financial1 day agoWorld Bank Urges CBN to Sustain Inflation Control Measures
Telecom1 day agoFG, WIOCC Partner to Deliver Internet to 3m Homes with $10m Investment
E-Financial1 day agoZenith Bank Reinforces Commitment to Staff Wellbeing with Salary Hike and Promotions
E-Financial1 day agoSEC Warns against Transactions with Risevest, Stecs Cooperative Societies
News1 day agoARCON to Sanction Perpetrators of Misleading Adverts