The Federal Government has charged Television stations to take the advantages of the transition to digital transmission in promoting local African contents.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Board of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Mohammed said that an uncomfortable percentage of content on African television stations comes from U.S, European and Latin American international content providers.
“These international content providers produce programmes for their own markets but offset the costs through selling global rights,” he said.
Mohammed noted that the good news for the country was that Nollywood had over the years, demonstrated that fiction programmes from Africa could be watched widely by people in other countries.
“Fiction output of this kind has the potential of shaping the continent politically and culturally.
“Several other African countries have also started to produce programmes that are more widely seen outside of where they were made,” he said.
The minister also charged broadcasters to put Television to effective use in shaping the society and inspiring the citizenry to strive for lofty standards and new horizons.
According to the minister, broadcasting, especially television is a powerful tool and a sensitive platform.
The minister specifically charged NTA to rise up to its statutory mandate of providing independent and impartial television broadcasting for general reception as a public service.
He said the NTA had over the years carried out the duties with varying degrees of success, but there was need for improvement.
“In recent times, many stakeholders have opined that the NTA has fallen behind the new generation of TV stations and broadcast organisations in the country in terms of viewership numbers and influence.
“Some have accused the NTA of pandering to the expressed wishes of the political leadership, and allowing the medium to be used by politicians for propaganda.
“While events in the recent past may have lent some credence to these claims, we simply cannot afford the luxury of indulging political arguments,” he said. The minister therefore charged the new management to develop the kind of rich content that made the station the toast of the continent in yester-years.
He recalled that in the 1980s to 1990s, NTA saw the consistent churning out of relevant, impactful and desirable programmes such as Village Headmaster, Sa Manja, Masquerade, and Cock Crow at Dawn.
Mohammed added that Behind the Clouds, Mirror in the Sun, Bala Miller Show, Giant in the Sun, No Victor No Vanquished were memorable programmes that signaled the network’s intentions to take African content to an international audience.
“It is most imperative that the NTA borrows a leaf or two from this era even as it seeks to reposition itself for a more stellar future,” he said.
The Chairman of the new board, Chief Duro Onabule who responded on behalf of other members thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the minister for the opportunity given to them to serve the country.
He assured that they would work in accord with NTA members of staff to reposition the organisation.
Other members of the board are, The Executive Director Administration and Training, Dr Steve Egbo, the Executive Director Marketing Abdulhamid Dembo and the Executive Director News, Mohammed Labo.
The rest are; the Executive Director Finance, Mrs Fatimah Bada, the Executive Director Engineering, Stephen Okpanachi and the Executive Director Programmes, Mr Wole Coker.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Malam Garba Shehu attended the event.
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