National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that the Kano digital switchover will commence in June, with 30 television stations in the state.
Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, acting director general of the NBC, stated this while briefing newsmen on the sideline of a one day Digital Switchover (DSO) sensitisation, on Tuesday in Kano.
Idachaba said the DSO billed to commence on June 10, comprised local, regional and international broadcasters, noting that six of the transmission stations were based in Kano. He listed the local stations to include, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abubakar Rimi Television (ARTV), Channels and African Independent Television (AIT), adding that two new stations, Hattara and Tamasco would soon come on air in the state.
According to him, digital television has the capacity to meet the expanding capabilities of the broadcasting system and allows more efficient services for national development.
Idachaba described the DSO as a global trend and Nigeria could not be left behind.
The NBC DG said the sensitisation exercise was designed to educate stakeholders in Kano on the DSO, to ensure its successful implementation in the state.
Idachaba said: “The NBC as the regulator for the broadcasting in Nigeria is driving the digital switchover project of the Federal Government.
“In 2016; we commenced the DSO pilot project in Jos. And two weeks ago; we went to Lagos State.
“We have taken deliberate and conscious decision that after Lagos, the next biggest city for the switchover is Kano. It is like Lagos which is commercial nerve and home to several Nigerian demographics, hugely cosmopolitan and that is why we are here.
“The plan is to switch on the digital switchover signals in Kano by June 10, 2021. And six months later, we expect that we will be able to switch off analogue transmission completely.
“This meeting is intended for us to call operators in the Kano landscape together so we can specifically point out what the requirements will be for them and what the expectations are for the regulators.”
Also commenting, Hajiya Sa’a Ibrahim, chairperson, Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) said the DSO would cut cost of production and enhance broadcast operations.
Ibrahim, who is also the managing director of the ARTV, urged the stations to upgrade their equipment to enable them key into the DSO.
