FRCN To Boost Digital Revenue, Modernise North East Stations

The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) has intensiifed efforts to reposition its stations in the North East for the digital era, by expanding its social media presence, modernising broadcast infrastructure and creating new revenue streams beyond traditional advertising for the cooperation.

The FRCN xonal director for North East, Alhaji Darihu Garba Mohammed, disclosed this during a working visit to Gift FM, Jalingo.

He said the corporation is embracing convergence journalism to meet the changing demands of the media industry.

Mohammed revealed that most FRCN stations in the region had achieved Facebook monetisation, while Gift FM is being supported to attain the same status in the near future.

He said, the corporation is encouraging all stations to increase their online followership, produce multimedia content and leverage digital platforms to generate additional income.

“Advertising revenue alone is no longer sufficient to sustain broadcasting operations. We must take advantage of opportunities provided by digital platforms to diversify our revenue sources,” he said.

The zonal director noted that, FRCN’s social media platforms in the North-East attracted more than two million visits within three days, and described the figure as evidence of the growing demand for digital news and broadcast content.

He explained that, the corporation is deploying convergence journalism by combining radio broadcasting with online news, videos and social media engagement to reach audiences in real time.

Alhaji Mohammed also highlighted the ongoing investments in infrastructure, saying the upgrades are part of a nationwide reform initiated by the Director-General of FRCN, Dr. Mohammed Bulama.

According to him, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has supported the corporation by providing solar power to six of the seven FRCN stations in the region, to ease the burden of electricity and diesel costs.

He added that, the stations have also received new transmitters, broadcast consoles and other modern equipment, while staff have continue to undergo regular training to improve programme quality and operational efficiency.

Alhaji Mohammed, urged FRCN personnel to make effective use of the new facilities, saying the investments should translate into quality content and professional broadcasting.

He also assured listeners in Taraba that the corporation will remains committed to delivering improved programming, reliable information and excellent public service broadcasting across the North-East.

Earlier, the General Manager of Gift FM, Jalingo, Mr. Emmanuel Jim-Elisha, described the intervention as a major boost to the station’s operations.

He was confident that, the new equipment will improve transmission quality and expand broadcast coverage within and beyond Taraba State.

Mr. Jim-Elisha expressed appreciation to the FRCN management, led by Dr. Mohammed Bulama, and the NEDC for the support, and assured listeners of enhanced service delivery and stronger transmission in the coming months.