FG moves to end monopoly in broadcasting

By Philip Ezumab, Port Harcourt

The federal government of Nigeria has expressed her determination to end monopoly, hence creating atmosphere for healthy competition, in content, packaging and delivery services, and most importantly create more job opportunities.

The policy was made manifest, following the verdict of the Appeal Court, Port Harcourt, ordering the National Broadcasting Commission NBC, to settle trade dispute between Merodigital Services and Multochoice.

The Managing Director of Metrodigital Services Ltd, a local pay tv company, Dr Ifeanyi Nwafor, made the disclosure to journalists at the weekend in Port Harcourt, at interactive session with newsmen, at which he urged the NBC, to live up to its responsibilities.

According to Dr Nwafor, “we had earlier applied to Multichoice, the apparent licensee of numerous channels, for sublicense, of which, we were turned down, prompting, us to approach the temple of justice, where the Appeal Court decided the matter in our favour (Metro digital ltd).

“The NBC which had earlier failed in its responsiblility to adjudicate on the dispute, has now been mandated by the Appeal Court, to settle the trade dispute between us (the two media firms,) within 21 days of its ruling on the case.

It will be recalled that, the federal government had in the past, set up a-seven-man panel, to review the practice of broadcasting in Nigeria, with a view to providing a level playing ground, for all operators in the broadcast industry.

He observed that, with the new posture of the federal government, the nation’s broadcast industry, which had allegedly faced extential threats to growth and development, lack of competition, exclusivity in content acquisition, channels warehousing and monopoly, from dorminent market players, since inception, will begin to enjoy boost.

Many local broadcast firms stifled to death, will resurrect to life, and consumers can now make choice of their own service providers, taking into consideration cost, content and packaging, and in addition, there will be massive job opportunities of the teaming applicant youths of the country.

The Managing Director also made a shocking revelation. “As at date, Nigeria ranks as the highest subscription paying country all over the world”, he vowed.

It is believed that, the current development will encourage local operators like: Daar sat, Trend tv, Consat, FSTV, and a host of other pay TV companies, belonging to the Association of Cable Operators of Nigeria ACON, will begin to compete favourably with one another, for services.

On the possibility of the NBC refusing the order of the Appeal Court to resolve the trade dispute, or the Multichoice firm rejecting thm issuance of sublicense, the company’s head of legal services Barr Anaetochukwu Nworgu, explained confidently. “There are provisions for every stage, and nobody is above the law of nation.”