Adetutu Folasade-Koyi, Abuja
The Federal Government, yesterday, threw a lifeline to television and radio stations to salvage the industry from a N7.8 billion debt.
Pay-TV operators are, however, excluded from enjoying the debt relief outlined by the government for the broadcast industry.
The government said it would also extend the same gesture to the print media.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Ladi Mohammed, in company with the acting Director General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, said any broadcast station indebted to the Federal Government must pay off 40 per cent of its debt within three-months. The government also granted a two-month licence-fee waiver to terrestrial broadcast stations in a bid to ease loss of revenue occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the Post-COVID-19 Initiatives Committee for the Creative Industry, which was set up by the government to help mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on the industry, had submitted its report which contained recommendations that will benefit all component parts of the larger industry.
He said the government acted on some of the recommendations to revamp the broadcast industry and to help reposition it for the challenges of post-COVID-19, saying 60 per cent debt forgiveness was granted to all debtor broadcast stations in the country.
“The criterion for enjoying the debt forgiveness is for debtor stations to pay 40 per cent of their existing debt within the next three months. Any station that is unable to pay the balance of 40 per cent indebtedness within the three months window shall forfeit the opportunity to enjoy the stated debt forgiveness. The existing licence fee is further discounted by 30 per cent for all open terrestrial radio and television services, effective July 10, 2020. The debt forgiveness shall apply to functional licensed terrestrial radio and television stations only
“The debt forgiveness and discount shall not apply to Pay-TV service operators in Nigeria. The effective date of the debt forgiveness shall be July 10 to October 6.
“The Federal Government has made these interventions with a view to re-positioning the broadcast industry, to play its critical role of promoting democracy and good governance in Nigeria. It is our expectation that the sector will cash in on this unique opportunity to make itself an effective catalyst for national development. We won’t name and shame debtors. It’s about trying to bring succour to the industry,” said Muhammed.
On television and radio stations that are not indebted to the government, Mohammed said: “If you’re not owing, effective from July 10, you can also enjoy discount of 30 per cent of your annual fees.”
The minister also aid a lifeline for the print media was in the works.
“The Federal Government is still engaging with the print media. We have asked for certain documents to be submitted;furnish us with certain information. I’ve engaged the Central Bank of Nigeria on the matter and the engagement is on. The situation of the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria is slightly different from the broadcast industry. We are looking at ways we can soften the impact of COVID-19 on the industry,” he added.
Alhaji Mohammed reiterated that the Pay-as-you-go module for Pay-TV operators “is workable. Startimes is already operating pay-as-you-go.
“At the public hearing of the House or Representatives on the matter, last week, the acting DG was asked to do the needful.”
Prof. Idachaba added “Nigerians have revolved, including the parliament, that that is the way to go. You can’t pay for what you do not desire; at any point in time. We’ve communicated to them that this is the way to go and we will enforce that decision.”