COMMUNIQUE OF THE 79TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BROADCASTING ORGANISATIONS OF NIGERIA (BON) HELD AT HOMEVILLE PLUS HOTEL, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE ON WEDNESDAY 17THJULY 2024
We appreciate the Federal Government of Nigeria and support the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Aswaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration.
We need to however draw attention to the fact that the Broadcast Industry is experiencing harsh economic conditions and existential threat at the moment as a result of the removal of the oil subsidy, the deregulation of the foreign exchange market that has engendered the risk in exchange rates and the astronomical increase in electricity tariffs, cumulative effects of which have brought about
unimaginable rise in the operational cost of broadcast media in Nigeria.
To prevent the unprecedented shutdown of many broadcast media houses, we hereby request a media support initiative for concession on tariffs and rates to facilitate partnership with the government .
In view of the foregoing, we urge the government:
1) To support the industry through the provision of CNG- permanent generators to all BON – Member stations,
2) To subsidize by 50% electricity tariff of members on a monthly basis.
3) We call for further amendment to schedule 4 of the 1999 constitution that empowers Local Government Councils to collect Radio and Television rates and vest such power on the National Broadcasting Commission which shall be further mandated to distribute such revenue accrued from the rates among licensed broadcast stations.
4) We also call on the Federal Government to adequately and effectively fund the National Broadcasting Commission as a regulatory agency and remove it from the list of revenue generating agencies of government.
5) In view of the existential threat faced by broadcast stations, BON requests that the demand of 2.5 % of gross earnings by the NBC be suspended indefinity.
6) The meeting reviewed the controversy the NBC code has generated in the recent times in addition to pronouncements of courts on the same matter, we call on the management of NBC to urgently convene stakeholders for a review of the 6th edition of the NBC code.
7) BON further calls on the Federal Government to expedite action on the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.
We request that NBC in conjunction with BON and other stakeholders should return to the drawing board to analyse the achievements recorded on Digital Switchover with the aim of mapping strategies for a migration that will be beneficial to the citizens.
(8) On the issue of the sale of the spectrum, BON wants the government to exercise caution on the sale of the primary spectrum allocated to Broadcasting by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
(9) That members are encouraged to make use of the advantage of the offer of 50 DTH Channels made by the Management of Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NigComsat) to reduce the operational cost of satellite transmission.
BON wishes to express its profound appreciation to the Edo State Governor,Mr Godwin Obaseki, and the good people of Edo State for hosting the 79th General Assembly in Benin.
COMMUNIQUE COMMITTEE:
1. JOSEME – EMETULU CHRISTIANA GM. DELTA BROADCASTING SERVICE ASABA
2. DR. FENGECY ONISOYA - AG. GM RIVERS STATE TELEVISION, PORTH HARCORT
3. DEJI BALOGUN, HEAD, GOVT, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS CHANNELS TELEVISION NIGERIA
SHC Tony Akiotu,Vice Chairman, Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria
Dr.Yemisi Bamgbose,