Nigeria's digital broadcast migration a mirage?

Speaking at the conference on Journalism and New Media Technologies in Africa which ended last week in Lagos Nigeria, the veteran broadcaster noted that broadcasters and consumers alike do not have the basic information required for smooth transition less than three years to the national analogue switch-off date. In his words, “broadcasters in the country are not mobilised or galvanised for the digital project, little wonder many are ignorant even of the 2012 date and have not begun to address the 'what', 'how', 'where' and 'who' of the transition process.”

In his paper titled “Digitisation and Radio Broadcasting in Nigeria", Egbuna, who traced the historical development of radio broadcasting both locally and globally to drive his points, took a swipe at the misconception in official quarters which sees digitisation only from a television perspective and uses the same rationale for both radio and television analogue switch off. He also wondered if most Nigerians are aware of the changes and cost outlay required to continue to receive broadcast signals after the transition in 2012.

While expressing worry about the slow preparation for digital broadcasting migration in Nigeria with no visible practical steps towards actualisation, Egbuna urged the government to learn from the experience of some countries that began early digital migration and found the analogue switch-off date unachievable because of low consumer switch-over capacity, citing Australia as an example. Australia had originally planned a switch-off in 2008 but has had to delay to a date to be determined between 2010 or 2012.

Egbuna also decried the sole management of the digital transition project by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), a government agency and the exclusion of key stakeholders like broadcast companies. He therefore advised the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the umbrella industry association of public and private broadcasters in the country to get actively engaged in the digital transition project. In his words, BON should, as the major stakeholder, “show more than a passing interest in the digital broadcasting project. It should be galvanising action by the government and the NBC, engaged in research on the subject and talking with manufacturers.”

The Conference on Journalism and New Media Technologies in Africa was hosted by the School of Media and Communication (SMC) of the Pan African University and ran from 24 - 26 August, 2009 with delegates from all over the continent and beyond.