The Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) has called on media stakeholders to support government’s objectives aimed at developing the broadcast industry.
In a statement signed by Jibe Ologeh (President) and Alayande Stephen T. (General Secretary), the association said these initiatives would catalyse growth and development in Nigeria’s broadcast landscape, as the country launches the second phase of digital switch over.
The statement noted that anyone involved in the local content industry over the past two decades would affirm the numerous challenges being faced in the business of creating, funding and broadcasting local content in Nigeria. “We find it very heartwarming that government has finally looked into these challenges and is proffering solutions to save local content media business from collapse,” the association said.
While noting that the major channel facing content creators is the huge debt owed by advertising and media agencies, EMCOAN said many producers have shut down and channel owners unable to pay its staff and run their operations due to this huge debt profile.
It, however, added, “the new NBC code, which stipulates that broadcast stations and content owners cannot be owed for more than 60 days, is a welcome development that will ensure that content owners can profitably run their operations and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP.”
The statement said, “EMCOAN has watched over the years the partial implementation of the NBC code that stipulates 60 per cent local content broadcast during the prime time belt of 7pm to 10pm. The new directives that defines local production as content whose executive producer, director are Nigerians with 75 per cent of the cast being Nigerians, and a major part of the production funding going to Nigerian companies. This will in no small way increase local media content, boost employment, talent discovery, open new markets and expand the value chain for the entire media creative industry.”
The association also applauded the intention by government to encourage the production of adverts for local products and services within Nigeria. “We believe these adverts will tell a more compelling story and connect better with the target audience who can identify with the concept, models and brand. We have always believed ‘nobody can tell our story better than us’. EMCOAN supports the penalty for airing of adverts not locally produced on media outlets in Nigeria and the airing of adverts run on foreign media, on the local stations as well. We believe the Nigerian market of 200 million people provide huge possibilities for everyone.
The association said the creation of content development fund from the penalties “will go a long way to build the much needed capacity and funding required to encourage our large army of young creative who have shown they have what it takes to excel at the global level as exemplified at the recent Grammy awards.”
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