FG Will Enforce 70% Local Content in Radio, TV Production

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The Federal Government is set to enforce the provision for
70% local content in all radio and television programmes in the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, who announced this at a meeting with the Electronic Media Content
Owners Association of Nigeria (ENCOAN) in Lagos on Monday, said the measure was
part of the reforms being implemented in the broadcast industry.

“Now if you take a copy of the new Broadcasting Code, you
will see that we have done a lot of work. We have broken the monopoly in the
industry and we are going to ensure that we enforce the 70% local content in
our broadcasting.

“The reforms that we have undertaken will promote local
content and will give value to your creative work,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed, who described the reform as a revolution in
the country’s broadcast industry, urged members of EMCOAN to take advantage of
the new policy and look at new frontiers in content production, especially for
women and children programmes

“I believe that we are entering a new dawn for local content
producers like you. We are revamping the Broadcasting Code in a manner that will
favour you.

“We are instituting the audience measurement system for your
benefit and we are working also on getting a more virile APCON that will take
care of the interest of all stakeholders,” he said.

The Minister said the Central Bank of Nigeria is making
funds available for the creative industry and urged EMCOAN to work with the
government with a view to identifying the priority programmes that will enjoy
funding, promotion or subsidy from the apex bank.

He commended the tenacity of purpose of members of the
association and encouraged them to continue to produce the local content that
reflects the nation’s diverse cultures in order to inculcate values and ethics
in children.

In her remarks, the President of EMCOAN, Mrs. Jibe Ologeh,
said the association, which is responsible for more than 85% of the content in
the nation’s broadcast industry, is excited by the reforms, which give priority
to local producers.

She said Nigeria is blessed with rich cultures and scenery
which will positively project the image of the country, particularly when they
dominate the content in radio and television.

The Association presented its four-point agenda to the
minister and sought his support to actualise them.

The Acting Director General of the National Broadcast
Commission, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, accompanied the Minister to the meeting.