ITS charges NBC to review current business model in DSO

The General Manager of Integrated Television Services, ITS, Musbau Rotimi Salami has called for the review of the current business model arrangement put in place by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to allow favourable operating and cost maximisation for operators.

Salami, who made the call in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, during the visit of the National Assembly Ad-Hoc committee on Digital Switch Over (DSO) to inspect the progress of digital installation work at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) premises, said the review of the existing business model is imperative to allow for equitable benefits for all the operators and stakeholders.

He stressed that the current business model has been a bone of contention for so long, especially, for signal distributors. “Already, the Minister of Information and Culture has called for a review of it. We are eagerly awaiting the review, as this will discourage the current situation where those who operate at the fringes and contribute minimally from reaping so much at the detriment of the major stakeholders,” he said.

Reacting to the insinuations that the equipment used at the Ilorin centre was substandard and obsolete, the signal distribution company for Nigeria’s Digital Switch Over, DSO, implementation and handlers of the Ilorin switch over project, Salami refuted, saying such complaints were misplaced and the inept handling of the technology behind the equipment used.

He noted that NASS visit was an opportunity for ITS to clear every misunderstanding and false accusations against it, adding, “everything done at the Ilorin center has been for the standard of global broadcasting equipment installation best practices, expressing hope that the visit to Ilorin will go a long way to shape the future and direction of digital broadcasting in Nigeria, while appealing to the NBC to specify equipment, not in terms of uniformity, but standard in design in line with the white paper on DSO.”

Speaking further on the digital revolution happening in Ilorin through the launch, Salami said it would herald a new era of television viewing experience for the people of the state.

“One of the advantages of digital broadcasting is that it opens up the terrain. The onus is now on interested local players with adequate content and pedigree to step up the plate. The opportunity is there for the taking.

“When fully operational, the ITS will have on its platform over 30 channels on its Free TV bouquet, thus delivering unbeatable state of the art quality television experience and pocket friendly plan to the people of kwara state,” he added.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had recently attributed the success of DSO to the collective effort of all stakeholders, which include, Digiteam Nigeria, Broadcast Signal Distributors, Set-Top-Box manufacturers, channel owners, partners such as CCNL and In view technologies, and Call Centre Operator.