DSO: Content production will bolster our economy – FG
The Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that the Digital Switch Over (DSO) television roll out in the country will help to bolster the nation’s economy.
He also said with the train on cruise control, we are turning our focus to the crux of the matter which is content production.
Alhaji Mohammed speaking at the launch of the DSO in Kaduna on Friday said: “With the DSO train now on cruise control, we are turning our focus to the crux of the matter, which is content production that will help to bolster our economy. By content here I refer to TV shows, sitcoms, documentaries, music videos, drama series, talent and reality shows. The challenge before us is to ensure that this becomes a profitable industry for our creative talent, entrepreneurs, advertising agencies, TV channels and Digital distributors”.
The Minister who was in Kaduna 48 hours after the switch over launch in Iliorin Kwara state on Wednesday reiterated the readiness of the Federal Government to embark on rapid rollout of digital Television across the country.
“In Ilorin on Wednesday, I did say that we are now back on track and that we will henceforth embark on a rapid rollout of digital television across the country. The fact that we are here today confirms the veracity of that statement.
“Let me sincerely commend all the stakeholders who are working round the clock to ensure the success of the transition from analogue to digital television across the country. Starting in Jos, Plateau State, in April 2016, the DSO train has now transverse Abuja, Ilorin and now Kaduna, its latest stop.
“The National Broadcasting Commission, the Signal Distributors, the Set Top Box manufacturers, the Digital-team and indeed all stakeholders are pulling all the stops to ensure that the DSO train continues unimpeded on its journey across the country.
Last Wednesday, it was the Integrated Television Services (ITS) to bring to reality the launch of the DSO in Ilorin; today, it is the turn of Pinnacle Communications in Kaduna, therefore, I congratulate Pinnacle Communications and its Chairman, Sir Lucky Omoluwa, on another significant milestone in the rebuilding of our television story”.
According to the Minister, “Within the next few weeks, we will be rolling out in many more states as we seek to take the digital television experience to all the six geo-political zones. We now have our two Signal Distributors in full operation mode, our aggregation platform for channels, Free TV, is fast becoming a household name, our Set-Top-Box suppliers have started local production and we now have almost a million boxes supplied into the value chain.
“I have always said that we have so many untold stories and it is evident from the demographics of our population that we have large young workforce, who happen to be those with the highest propensity to work and consume content”, he said.
The Minister pointed that with the Digital Switch Over, there will be over 200 channels and probably over a thousand organized production outfits looking to feed them with content saying; “All these will require infrastructure investment in production destinations, with studios, graphic and sound hubs at the end of it all, we would have created millions of jobs.
“We have clearly identified that the funding will have to come from Advertising and Pay services. So it is crucial that we organize this properly and very fast too. No one will invest in this sector if there is no way of guaranteeing a return for their investment. We must thus ensure there is transparency, accountability and a level playing field.
“On the Pay Television side, we have to completely open up the market so we can have more competitive pricing in order to reach more homes and ultimately increase the revenues that are able to fund more local investment. Working with the National Assembly, we will look into our laws to see where monopolies that concentrate the profits in a few pockets can be dismantled, while our laws will be brought in line with international best practices in countries like the U.S., U.K., India, Singapore and Turkey.
“At the end of the day, the ordinary Nigerian must reap the benefits of the digital television without having to break the bank.
This is why we are striving to ensure that we make a success of the analogue to digital transition. We must not and cannot afford to fail. I therefore appeal to all stakeholders to ensure that all hands are on deck as we bring digital television to all Nigerians”.
Tom Okpe, Abuja
