FROM THE PUBLISHER hrough hard work and sheer determination, Nigeria continues to make considerable progress in its bid to Tachieving digitisation of the broadcast landscape. With visible improvements to signal distribution and DTT presence in six states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), digital migration is steadily becoming a definite success. Proof of this can be seen in recent launches in Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Oshogbo, and more state capitals almost ready and raring to go. Due to the combined efforts of stakeholders in the DSO process, content owners, signal distributors, content aggregators and set-top box manufacturers have experienced significant growth in reach and quality maximisation. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) continues to work tirelessly, with dedication and zeal, to ensure a smooth, user-friendly and seamless transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. I hope this edition of the Free TV Broadcast Journal adequately serves to enlighten our Rajiv Mekkat readers on growing trends in the industry, with Chief Executive Officer existing opportunities in artificial intelligence, technological advances and activities of various contributors to the success of modern broadcasting in Africa. www.freetv.ng 3 he broadcasting industry operators around the world organise a forum for interaction between and amongst players- broadcasters, Tequipment manufacturers and vendors, decision makers and regulators from time to time. It is always an occasion to showcase latest technological developments in sound, marketing, storage, picture quality, cameras and recorders, content etc. National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in Las Vegas, USA; Discop in Johanesburg, South Africa; Mipcom in Cannes, France; and the like are some examples of the industry fora. Here in Nigeria, the bi-ennial conference of Africa broadcasters holds in October and preparations are in top gear. From non other than the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors Board, Adebayo Thomas has joined his voice in calling for the hosting of the next edition of BBNaija in Nigeria. That is patriotic and we hope that the right investment will be made towards its realisation. On Digital Switch Over, the African Broadcasting Industry should adopt a unified system for a successful digital transition giving the high cost of migration; that’s the position of Khiran Keerodhur, CEO of Mauritius based Broadcasting Media Solutions. The African Music industry lost another icon, Ras Kimono recently. Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), and all lovers of his music mourn his departure and pray for the peaceful repose of his soul. These and many more are the features in this edition of the journal. It is another collector’s copy. Enjoy it. Kalada Wilson 5 IPI CONGRESS: Iredia urges media return to agenda-setting A Cross-Section of African Broadcasters in Kigali African Broadcasters Deliberate DSO Dividends any countries in Africa programme we broadcast. We adding that digital technology are in the process of should also raise value proposition provides new ways of packaging Mmigrating from analogue beyond broadcasting. We should information. Wongibe pointed out to digital broadcasting. As look at this as a commercial the need to commercialise the digital members of the African Union of investment,” he noted. infrastructure being set up and using Broadcasting (AUB) met in Kigali, it to generate more revenue in the it was revealed that the process, Many other participants gathered long run. once achieved, could turn around at Kigali Convention Centre opined “We have to be intellectually inclined, Former DG, NTA, Dr. Tonnie Iredia the broadcasting business on the that the digital transformation that which means understanding ways of continent. The Ghanaian deputy broadcasters were going through working with and making decisions he former Director General “We consider this event very important, agenda-setting rather than leave it minister for Communications, will unlock new business avenues. that benefit us,” noted Ayub Rioba, of Nigeria Television Authority because of the subsisting perception of to politicians.” George Nenyi Andah, said that The Deputy Director General the Director General of Tanzania T(NTA), Dr. Tonnie Iredia, has Nigeria in the international community. with Digital Terrestrial Television of Cameroon Radio Television, Broadcasting Corporation. Rioba called on the Nigerian media to We are all victims of the image deficit He pointed out that Nigeria stands (DTT), there are benefits for Emmanuel Wongibe, said for Africa added that African broadcasters return to its agenda-setting role of that the nation has.” to gain from the congress, as about governments, broadcasters and to reap digital dividends from the should be ideologically aware, as being the watchdog of the society, 300 foreign delegates and four head consumers, highlighting his migration process, broadcasters well as culturally rooted, which he by shunning all political agenda. Iredia lamented the situation where of states would be participating, country’s experience. would have to think differently. said will go a long way to promote Nigerian journalists have continued to providing them the opportunity African content. He also charged the media not to grumble and question foreign media, to witness Nigeria physically, and “In my country, we have set up “We should be creative and change be the megaphone of politicians which project Nigeria in bad light, report what they have seen rather DTT network infrastructure. This the way of doing business as He stated that about 454 million who merely mouth platitudes and noting, “the narrative should change, than negativity. is already providing opportunity broadcasters. Digital revolution has Africans have access to the internet side-lining genuine development of by us blowing our trumpets a little bit to quality content production, enabled multiplicity of channels, and advised operators to innovate the country. in order to project us in the correct He urged the Nigerian media to use ability to market the country and but this is not a dividend in itself; around this development as growing perspective. This is also a wake-up the opportunity of the conference to the continent much better, and this is a critical starting point for online consumption poses a threat Iredia disclosed this in Lagos in a call for the Nigeria media to return change the narratives, adding, “It is it is allowing for government everyone,” he noted. to the survival of the broadcasting bid to sensitise the media on the to the old order of being in charge of our duty to offer the positives. My information dissemination,” “We have seen telecoms move business. A 2017 report by world congress and give it the contention has always been that he said. The switch to digital simply from telephone companies Eurodata, shows that the average desired publicity. The former NTA “ Nigeria is the leading nation in the broadcasting, he added, has to money transfer operations to TV consumption per day in Africa is boss said Nigeria would host IPI The narrative should world in terms of neighbourliness, brought down the cost of entry insurance operations. Lots of value only 3 hours and 10 minutes. World Congress for the first time and there lies our strength”. in the space, and the country is added services. They understood on June 22 in Abuja, noting that change, by us blowing moving to achieve 110 channels what the dividend was. Us, on the Participants agreed that African it is the most significant media our trumpets a little bit in He stressed that the media must from 42 channels. other side, we did not see this. countries would need to put their event of the decade, and as such, prepare Nigerians ahead of the We should change our economic own production plants in place the media should tap into the order to project us in the event, to showcase the positives “But this is not enough. As thinking”. in order to overcome challenges opportunity it would offer Nigeria to within the country: “We need to countries, we should be thinking He urged broadcasters to explore related to expensive audio-visual project herself to the international correct perspective showcase our development projects of generating revenues from every modern forms of advertisement, equipment. community in a very positive way. “ to these foreign media.” 6 7 African Broadcasters Want More for Culture, Music Jean-Luc Gnakouri representing the Ivorian National Radio he initiative by African Union of broadcasters from different countries channels and opening for more Broadcasting (AUB), launched in Africa will select representatives options of content production. Trecently in Kigali Rwanda, is after which they will travel to Ivory “It [the transition] would expected to promote music and Coast to compete. The whole accelerate the supply of African culture across the continent. programme will take up to four content and consequently ease The Initiative dubbed ‘Rise and months. “We chose music because we the cost of production. But, more DSTV Tackles ICASA Over Netflix: Shine Africa’ was launched during believe it is a universal language that importantly, we would easily the first day of the 11th General every African can easily understand. promote African values and Thousands may lose jobs in SA Assembly of the union in Kigali. It is also something that has the identity,” he noted. It is the union’s flagship project power to truly portray what Africa is he Independent Communication South Africa. While there will be jobs for South aimed at advancing the continent’s about,” Gnakouri noted. Rise and Shine Africa is just one Authority of South Africa Africans working in the broadcasting current agenda to promote locally of the several ambitious projects T(ICASA) has been warned by These included forcing exclusive sector at multinationals like Netflix produced content, and it is expected The jury that will choose the top that the union is planning to Multichoice that thousands of South sports rights contracts to be and Amazon, those companies won’t that this will help change the wrong competitors will be made up of pursue.