In the aftermath of the closure of more than 50 broadcast stations by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Nigerian Guild of Editors has shown expressed concerns over the decision. Africa Today News, New York gathered that the shutdown of the station was due to the nonpayment of their renewal license fees.
According to reports, the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC) had instructed the shut down of 52 broadcast stations, all of which included Silverbird Television, African Independent Television, and the broadcasting corporations run by different state governments.
According to NBC, the decision became necessary as a result of the broadcasting organizations’ obligations, which totaled at least N2.6 billion.
Balarabe Ilelah, the Director General of the NBC, revealed to reports at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He stated that radio and television stations involved must cease operations within 24 hours.
The Editor’s Guild in Nigeria submitted the decision, if not overturned, would result in the loss of thousands of employment opportunities in a nation where jobs were rare, in a statement on Friday that was signed by its President, Mustapha Isah, and the General Secretary, Iyobosa Uwugiaren.
‘The NGE is worried because media houses, which played and continue to pay a key role in the nurturing and development of democracy can’t just be off air no matter the reasons.’‘While the Guild is not against broadcast stations fulfilling their financial obligations to the NBC, we note that the current harsh operating environment that has crippled every sector in our nation was not taken into account by the NBC before its action.’‘Currently, it is difficult for private stations to import broadcast equipment due to the high exchange rate. We are all aware of the high operational cost, including the cost of diesel to power their generating sets’, the NGE noted.
Following the licensing of hundreds of additional stations by NBC, the Guild continued that some broadcast stations are barely making it through the intense competition in the business.
The NGE called for a review of the NBC Act to increase the lifespan of a broadcast license from five to at least 10 years.
The body of editors also advocated a reduction of the license fees considering the fact that several broadcast stations now operated in the country, saying for instance, the Lagos zone alone now had close to 50 radio stations.
The NGE demanded that the NBC Act be reviewed in order to extend the validity of a broadcast license from five to at least 10 years.
‘A caring government should be concerned about the possibility of job losses than revenue generation. After all, one of the functions of the NBC is working for the survival and the development of the broadcast industry.’
‘A critical stakeholder in the nation’s democratic space cannot be shut out at this critical moment of our democracy, especially when the country is preparing for the 2023 general election,’
In order to find a long-term solution to this ongoing problem of license renewal payments, which frequently resulted in warnings of suspension, the NGE invited the Independent Broadcasting Organization and the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria to engage in talks with the NBC.