The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has directed the National Broadcasting Commission to immediately implement measures aimed at repositioning the broadcast industry.
Mohammed said the repositioning should include sanitizing the broadcast industry, creating jobs, promoting local content, boosting the advert industry and bringing it up to par with the best practices from around the world.
The minister, in a statement yesterday, said the directive was issued after considering the report of the committee he set up to work out the modality for implementing the recommendations approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the broadcast industry.
“Following my satisfaction with the report which was very professional and detailed, I wish to direct the commission to take the necessary measures to effect the implementation of the various provisions therein. This directive covers the provision for the regulation of the web and online TV/radio; regulation of international broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria; hate speech; human resource and staff welfare; funding for the reforms implementation; monitoring; independence of the regulator and ease of issuing licenses as well as competition and monopoly issues,” he said.
He also asked the regulatory agency to compel broadcasters to utilize the content and services of Nigerian independent producers in fulfilment of the regulatory requirements for 70% local content, rather than the current abuse of the rules which allow many loopholes for the production of such content in jurisdictions outside Nigeria.
