Lai: NTA, FRCN, NAN have thrown professionalism to the winds

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says federal government-owned media organsations such as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), have lost the huge following they once commanded because the “threw professionalism to the winds”.

Mohammed, speaking on Thursday at the Radio House, Abuja, during his maiden meeting with heads of parastatals under the ministry, observed that private media platforms were doing much better.

He said government-owned media must begin their path to recovery by first solidifying their credibility, which will in turn drive adverts.

“…the Federal Government-owned media organizations, the NTA, FRCN and NAN. Why have you all chosen to play second fiddle in the country’s media landscape? I ask because the NTA and FRCN of yesterday is not the same as what we have today,” Mohammed said.

“Whereas most broadcast journalists of note in our country today passed through the NTA and the FRCN, there is no denying the fact that the private radio and TV stations are doing much better, at least going by the fact that most Nigerians prefer them to the public broadcasters. Indeed, most Nigerians find the private broadcasters more credible.

“The reason for this is not far-fetched. First, the public broadcasters have thrown professionalism to the wind while also showing total disregard for editorial independence. They have mortgaged their credibility on the altar of political correctness. Yet, these Federal Government-owned media establishments are endowed with highly-trained and well-qualified personnel, better infrastructure and a wide reach.

“It is interesting to note that these government-owned media organizations complain of financial woes, forgetting that there is a link between credibility and profitability. Advertisers will surely flock to more credible media organizations, and of course it is also true that content drives advertisement.

“The same law of diminishing returns also apply to NAN, which was once the leading national news agency in the whole of Africa, boasting of the best professionals in the news business. Today, the agency is punching far below its weight, despite its presence in all the states
of the Federation.

“We intend to provide leadership for the Federal Government-owned media organizations in a manner that will make them to become the first source of information, so that they can more effectively function as a vehicle for the change mantra of the Buhari Administration, and also regain their lost glory. The combined reach of the NTA, FRCN and NAN, if effectively utilized, will facilitate the success of the change campaign. But they must first enhance their own credibility, because no credibility-deficient news organization can successfully propagate the message of change.”

Mohammed assured Nigerians that under the current administration, no government-owned media organization would not deny the opposition the opportunity to air their views.

“It is true that while we were in opposition, we were treated as outcasts by these public broadcasters. They denied us the use of their platforms, they rejected our adverts and even made themselves available for the most abhorrent hate campaign ever in the history of
electioneering campaign in our country,” he said.

“But in an era of change, which is our mantra, that cannot and will not continue. Opposition members are Nigerians, just like members of the ruling party. Even the ruling party will benefit when the opposition is allowed to air their views freely, because you learn more from people who disagree with you. Therefore, let the ruling party and the opposition air their ideas and let the people, who wield the ultimate power, decide at the end of the day.

“To the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), I say we are committed to the realization of the Digital Switch Over in Nigeria, because of the inherent opportunities that this will unleash in the news, entertainment and creative industries and the vibrancy that it will usher into the sector. This will in turn create jobs for millions of our teeming youths. The same is true of the National Film Corporation and the National Film and Video Censor Board, which are also key to propagating the change agenda.

“In the end, all of us here, including the Voice of Nigeria, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Council will have a role to play in the days ahead, when we launch the massive national reorientation campaign aimed at achieving a paradigm shift in the way we do things.”