Minister commends NBC over DSO
The Digital Switch Over (DSO) project is the key component for effective regulation of the broadcast industry in Nigeria which should be given maximum priority in implementation, the FCT Minister Muhammad Bello has declared.
Speaking during a visit to his office by officials of the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) led by its Director General Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, the Minister expressed satisfaction that the world-wide recognition of the outstanding technology deployed in Nigeria’s DSO project was a source of confidence in the success of achieving all the qualitative innovations of the project for the benefit of the people and government.
Malam Muhammad Bello emphasized the remarkable enhancements of broadcast quality on the DSO platforms already operating in the country despite the existing challenges in the industry, noting that the NBC had obviously performed well in rolling out the program without hitches.
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He pointed out that the DSO would restore sanity in the broadcast environment to check the uncontrolled access to numerous channels with undesirable contents.
The minister therefore urged the NBC to forge ahead with implementing the stringent measures in the sixth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code aimed at protecting people and institutions from the excesses of unprofessional broadcasters, particularly spreading hate speech to disrupt peaceful coexistence.
In his remarks NBC DG Ishaq Modibbo Kawu commended the minister for exhibiting diligence, commitment to result oriented administration and personal discipline in making the FCT function to meet expectations of people.
He briefed the minister on activities of the NBC geared towards fulfilling its mandate, especially checking hate speech and ensuring compliance with regulations adding that the 6th edition of the Broadcasting Code was launched last year featuring several deterrent measures already being enforced.
The DG revealed plans to extend the DSO to other states in addition to Jos, Abuja, Kaduna, Enugu and Osun as a result of the unflinching support of President Muhammadu Buhari for the project.
