BON meets NBC over invalidation of licenses of broadcast stations
By Oghale Mafuru
The Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria, BON has disclosed that it is meeting with the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, the apex regulatory body for the broadcasting industry in Nigeria over the invalidation of the broadcast licenses of 52 broadcast stations for non-renewal of licenses after the mandatory five-year period.
Speaking to MARKETING EDGE in an exclusive interview, Dr.Yemisi Bamgbose, the Executive Secretary of the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria revealed that the body is meeting with NBC today over the issue stating that the regulatory body had extended the deadline from last week Friday 19th August to 24th August dismissing reports that the body had lifted the ban placed on the stations.
“The first deadline was last week Friday but NBC then shifted the deadline to yesterday. If you observe, you will see that some stations have actually shut down since yesterday but BON is intervening on behalf of the stations so we have written a letter to NBC concerning that and NBC has invited us to a meeting today Thursday 25th August 2022 to look for how we can get out of the lingering crisis. We can’t totally blame NBC and we can’t totally blame the broadcast stations’ ‘.
“When you are being given the license, the regulator will make it know to you that on yearly basis the license renewal and that of NBC, they request for five years payment in advance so many stations who are unable to fulfil this obligation may be due to the economic environment and some other reasons, then NBC felt in order to get their money, what they can only do is to use wield the big stick and that is the last option to say we are shutting you down and we are not going to renew your license. I think that is exactly what has led to it” he added.
According to him, out of the 52 broadcast stations that comprise state owned and private owned media, many have paid the licence fee to NBC while others who could not meet up with the obligation before the expiration which was yesterday have shut down their stations.
He expressed hope that the meeting will enable both sides to reach a common understanding which will be mutually agreeable and beneficial.
Recall that The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had revoked the broadcast licences of Silverbird TV, AIT, Raypower FM, and Rhythm FM amongst others over failure to renew their broadcast licences amounting to N2.66 billion.
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