Date: 2017-01-04

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has expressed his administration's support for the ongoing digitization of the broadcasting industry in Nigeria.

Governor Ahmed gave the pledge while receiving the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam Ishaq Kawu Modibbo in his office on Tuesday.

He said that the Digital Switch Over (DSO) not only provides enormous opportunities for dissemination of information, education and entertainment to a vast audience, but also offers job opportunities for content producers and other supporting staff.

Continuing, Alhaji Ahmed stressed that the digital transition will elevate broadcasting in Nigeria to global standards. The governor further noted it is heartwarming that the digitization is taking place at a time the government has concluded plans to reposition all the state-owned media houses, starting with the procurement of digital equipment for Kwara State Television (KWTV).

Governor Ahmed congratulated the NBC DG on the achievement so far recorded under the digital switch over project and pledged his support for the actualization of total digital switch over in Kwara State.

Speaking earlier, the DG explained the DSO process and highlighted the opportunities it will create for producers, camera operatives, make-up artists, and technicians among others. He added that digital broadcasting offers additional advantages for operators, regulators and the end-users.

According to him, DSO will also facilitate more accurate ways of measuring audience size and ensure improved feedback from the public. He added that a digitized broadcast industry in Nigeria will feature state, regional and national stations.

Mallam Kawu noted that more jobs will be created for the youths with the take-off of digitization project across the country. He, therefore, solicited the support of the State government for the imminent flag-off of DSO in the North-central zone.