Operators Seek FG’s Lifeline As Harsh Economy Hits Broadcast Industry

The broadcast industry in Nigeria is struggling to stay afloat under the weight of excruciating economic challenges the country is currently grappling with.

Lamenting the impacts of the ongoing economic reforms on the broadcast business, operators noted that many broadcast stations especially in Lagos, Ibadan and others states have been forced to ground operations with several employees thrown out of job.

Besides, the broadcasters kicked against the proposed plan by the National Assembly to enact laws to increase telecom tariff, noting that this new tarrif regime, if allowed to come into effect, would “automatically bring down operations of broadcast stations and shut their businesses nationwide.”

Operators also flayed the alarming power outages, noting that the problem has added to the cost of production, making it more expensive with the high cost of diesel to run broadcast stations.

Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital during the new year Thanksgiving Service marking the eight years anniversary of broadcast operations at Solid Rock Kingdom Church (SRKC), the General Manager (GM), of Inspiration 105.9 Radio Station, Rev Silas Ufot, lamented that “if the telecom companies will increase their tariffs, broadcast stations may have low patronage by subscribers.”

He listed other challenges to include high cost of diesel, unfriendly economy, inflation and low patronage.

According to Silas, the planned tariff hike will reduce number of callers on their phone-in programmes, and cut down audience interactivity/ participation as well as patronage.

“I pray the tariffs will not start now. I don’t know if it has been signed into law already. It will affect station callers that phone-in during our Radio programmes. We will not have robust interactive session on our Radio station any longer.

“And when the tarrif is hiked, so many things are involved. Some of the stations that are live streaming using data will certainly suffer. This means that many subscribers who are using data will stop their subscriptions,” he stressed.

Silas, therefore, urged the federal government to intervene by extending lifeline in form of grants to industry operators to cushion the effect of the tarrif hike and save the broadcast industry from total collapse.

“Already some broadcast stations have folded up. We have some broadcast stations in Ibadan and parts of Lagos that are not operating any longer.

Others have received licenses but can not commence operations because of power problem,” he noted.

The station manager explained that thanksgiving became necessary to thank God for helping the station operate in the last eight years despite the harsh economic situation, power outages, and other unfriendly business climate in the country.

However, the founder of the Church, Apostle John Okoriko, who preached on the theme; ‘The Heart of Gratitude’, encouraged the Radio station to continue to be the voice for the voiceless by living to its name as “Family Radio.”

“Thanksgiving involves the heart, the hand and the mind; continue in your good works, for you shall reap in due season,” the cleric admonished.