Nigeria’s First Digital Radio to Go on Air Soon

Labaran Maku, Minister of Information, has said the first digital radio station in the country will soon start running.

Maku said this in Calabar, Cross River State, while declaring open the retreat for management and staff of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

He said the digital station will compete favourably with any station in the world and appealed to delegates to key into the plan of government.

The minister challenged the board and management of FRCN to generate ideas that would ensure dominance of the premium station in the country.

Maku,  who was represented by one of his Special Advisers, Mr. Henry Angulu, said given the prime position of the national network in the nation’s history, much was expected from the management especially now that the country was approaching another general election.

“Nigeria is going through a very challenging period in its history and the role of the broadcast media, especially FRCN becomes even more crucial.

“The public therefore, expects some ideas that will improve on the contents and programmes of the broadcast media and help to stabilize the polity,” he said.

The minister said he would prefer full commercialisation of the national network instead of privatisation given the role of FRCN in the political process of the country.

He challenged the management to go beyond fulfilling the traditional functions of the media, which is to inform, educate and entertain, and focus on issues that will assist is solving the numerous problems confronting the nation.

According to him, FRCN is the flagship broadcast network in the country and much was expected from it by the society.

He noted that it was time management generated new ideas that will encourage continued confidence and credibility.

Maku, therefore, challenged them to be more professional and thorough in the treatment of news and programmes “because of the array of your listeners.”

He reiterated the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan that the forthcoming general elections would be free, fair and credible.

The minister urged the network to be at the forefront of educating the people to desist from being used for the purpose of violence.

Speaking earlier, Malam Muhammad Salihu, director general of FRCN, said the retreat was organized to develop a strategic plan for the establishment of a single backbone channel.

“Time to build a national backbone to give credibility to our claim of being the largest radio network in Africa has come.  Let’s begin to work for the system; one that will address the core objectives of our calling.  This retreat is meant to bring out modalities that will strengthen FRCN,” he explained.

According to him, the retreat will also assist in developing a plan for improved internally generated revenue from the proposed Radio Nigeria Network channel.

Salihu also explained that “the retreat will help to develop a plan for the modernisation and enhanced professionalism and also get the commitment of all stakeholders that the generation of content, revenue and management of the new RNN will be a collective project and responsibility.”