ADVOCATES of the community broadcasting under the auspices of
the Nigerian Community Radio Coalition (NCRC) are displeased with the
federal government. And they appear to have strong reason for their
displeasure.
Twenty-seven months (since October 19, 2010 precisely) after President Goodluck Jonathan declared that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) could consider and issue community radio licences, the order has not been heeded.
Worst still, the ‘stumbling blocks’ against the operationalisation of this directive are not explicitly communicated to the stakeholders, hence, operatives of rumour mill have since taken over the process.
Hear President Jonathan on the occasion of the 8th Biennial Conference of African Broadcasters (AFRICAST) in October 2010: “We are aware of the need to expand the broadcast space and give more voice to the people. Consequently, the Federal Executive Council has considered and approved the guidelines proposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for the licensing of Community Radio in Nigeria. Further, we have devolved to the Commission, the power to consider and issue the licences without further recourse to the Presidency, provided such applicants have met all conditions stipulated by law.”
At the two-day Community Radio Briefing and Strategy Meeting held last week (January 21 and 22) in Abuja, attention was focused on how to unravel the mystery surrounding the realisation of this dream. Principally, the objective of the meeting was to develop strategies to achieve the speedy implementation of community radio licensing to promote media pluralism and democratization of citizen access to information.
The meeting was convened by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) II project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC). The DGD II project is joint donor-funded project managed by the UNDP in support of deepening democracy in Nigeria.
The project is funded with contributions from the European Commission (EC), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the UNDP. The NCRC was formed in 2005 to sensitize and mobilize stakeholders and heighten advocacy to fill the gaps in the Nigerian broadcasting landscape that undermine democratic participation and development efforts.
The meeting drew participation of community radio stakeholders from various parts of the country and representing different sectors; as well as government ministries, departments and agencies including community leaders; academic institutions; media professionals; campus radio managers and operators; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); community-based organizations (CBOs); advocates of community radio and development communication; gender advocates; international development agencies among others.
The opening ceremony on Monday paraded Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos as chairman; the DGD Project Director, Dr. Moutarda Deme; Dr. (Mrs.) Hannatu Ibrahim, a member of the Steering Committee of the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition; Mr. Mike Omeri, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency; and Mr. Joe Obodoeze, a Director at the Federal Ministry of Information, representing the Honourable Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.
The meeting also featured presentations by experts, community radio advocates and representatives of intending host communities for community radio stations, in plenary and break-out sessions.
In the course of the meeting, it was observed that new approaches to development emphasize people’s greater control over their own lives through their active participation in deciding, planning and executing initiatives aimed at improving their socio-political and economic development, a process which requires effective access to information and voice for all segments of the society.
Besides, participants acknowledged the global status of community radio as a grassroots medium of communication as it facilitates participatory and democratic development, in addition to providing a voice for local people, promoting media pluralism, improving access to information and knowledge, and enabling local decision-makers to be held accountable.
They itemized other benefits of community radio broadcasting to include democratizing citizens’ access to information; giving a voice to the voiceless such that through the content they provide and the perspectives they share, the development agenda is determined by citizens. In addition, community radio broadcasting restores citizens’ integrity; promotes transparency and accountability in governance; is cost effective; has immediacy of impact; and has the potential of creating thousands of job opportunities across the country.
If Nigeria is to make significant progress in its democratic development, participants argued, the country would need to harness the potential and capacity of community radio to foster community dialogue, build peace, strengthen the integrity of the electoral process, contribute to transparency and accountability of governance institutions at the grassroots and facilitate citizen’s participation in governance.
The failure of the Federal Government and NBC to give effect to the announcement by President Goodluck Jonathan on October 19, 2010 on the delegation of authority to the NBC to issue licenses for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, participants insisted, would continue to undermine the credibility and integrity of the Federal Government, particularly the Office of the President.
They catalogued the results of the failure of the Federal Government and the NBC to issue community radio licences since then to include denying dozens of communities across the country effective access to the media, limiting their right to freedom of expression, and depriving them of development assistance and other benefits which would otherwise have accrued to them.
Resolutions reached at the end of the meeting are targeted at specific stakeholders such as government agencies, Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC), communities, as well as international development agencies and partners.
For government agencies, participants tasked the NBC specifically to work with other relevant agencies and authorities within the Federal Government to urgently give effect to the announcement by President Jonathan on October 19, 2010 that he had delegated authority to the NBC to issue licenses for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria.
The NBC, as the regulatory body for the broadcast sector, is also urged to play a leading and pivotal role in resolving all outstanding issues impeding the licensing of community radio broadcasting, including by convening a high-level meeting among critical stakeholders in government to provide a platform for an open and frank discussion of challenges and concerns as well as for their resolution.
Participants would also want the NBC to develop a regulatory framework for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, which can form the basis for further debates and discussions. Such a regulatory framework, they submitted, should define community radio; contain clear requirements for the granting of licenses for community radio stations; information about the licensing process and a regime of license fees, among other issues.
With respect to the advocacy group, the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC), participants canvassed forging of new alliances and building of strategic partnerships with government institutions, such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), to push through a successful advocacy for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria.
The coalition is also charged to embark on a campaign of targeted advocacy aimed at relevant authorities within the Federal Government, particularly the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NBC to address any lingering concerns that they may have about community radio broadcasting in Nigeria and persuade them to give effect to President Jonathan’s pronouncement.
Also expressed is the need for NCRC to explore the possibility of facilitating a programme of experience sharing between senior Nigerian government officials and senior officials of other relevant governments in West Africa in order to ensure a better understanding among the Nigerian authorities about the potential of community radio broadcasting, including for peace building and conflict resolution purposes.
While NCRC continues to pursue a policy framework for the actualization of community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, participants would like the coalition to explore the options of pursuing a clear statutory provision and a strong constitutional backing for community radio broadcasting.
Even as they wait for broadcast licenses to be issued, communities proposing to establish community radio stations are tasked to take advantage of available and cheap new technologies to begin the process of content development, which can also be distributed online. This will prepare them to become operational as soon as they receive their licences while at the same time helping them to build their capacities.
The communities were also admonished to assess their capacity needs and develop concrete plans to address such needs, including by seeking support from development agencies and learning from the experiences of community radio stations in other countries in the West African region.
While acknowledging the roles international development agencies and partners have continued to play in the country’s democratisation process, participants asked them to lend their strong voices to the advocacy efforts by constantly raising the issue of licensing community radio stations whenever they engage the NBC or other relevant government agencies or authorities.
In addition, the meeting urged development agencies to continue to assist communities and aspiring community radio operators with capacity-building support in the areas of management, programme development, acquisition of equipment and appropriate technologies as well as other ways that may be possible within their respective mandates.
Culled from The Guardian.
Twenty-seven months (since October 19, 2010 precisely) after President Goodluck Jonathan declared that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) could consider and issue community radio licences, the order has not been heeded.
Worst still, the ‘stumbling blocks’ against the operationalisation of this directive are not explicitly communicated to the stakeholders, hence, operatives of rumour mill have since taken over the process.
Hear President Jonathan on the occasion of the 8th Biennial Conference of African Broadcasters (AFRICAST) in October 2010: “We are aware of the need to expand the broadcast space and give more voice to the people. Consequently, the Federal Executive Council has considered and approved the guidelines proposed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for the licensing of Community Radio in Nigeria. Further, we have devolved to the Commission, the power to consider and issue the licences without further recourse to the Presidency, provided such applicants have met all conditions stipulated by law.”
At the two-day Community Radio Briefing and Strategy Meeting held last week (January 21 and 22) in Abuja, attention was focused on how to unravel the mystery surrounding the realisation of this dream. Principally, the objective of the meeting was to develop strategies to achieve the speedy implementation of community radio licensing to promote media pluralism and democratization of citizen access to information.
The meeting was convened by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) II project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC). The DGD II project is joint donor-funded project managed by the UNDP in support of deepening democracy in Nigeria.
The project is funded with contributions from the European Commission (EC), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the UNDP. The NCRC was formed in 2005 to sensitize and mobilize stakeholders and heighten advocacy to fill the gaps in the Nigerian broadcasting landscape that undermine democratic participation and development efforts.
The meeting drew participation of community radio stakeholders from various parts of the country and representing different sectors; as well as government ministries, departments and agencies including community leaders; academic institutions; media professionals; campus radio managers and operators; non-governmental organizations (NGOs); community-based organizations (CBOs); advocates of community radio and development communication; gender advocates; international development agencies among others.
The opening ceremony on Monday paraded Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos as chairman; the DGD Project Director, Dr. Moutarda Deme; Dr. (Mrs.) Hannatu Ibrahim, a member of the Steering Committee of the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition; Mr. Mike Omeri, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency; and Mr. Joe Obodoeze, a Director at the Federal Ministry of Information, representing the Honourable Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku.
The meeting also featured presentations by experts, community radio advocates and representatives of intending host communities for community radio stations, in plenary and break-out sessions.
In the course of the meeting, it was observed that new approaches to development emphasize people’s greater control over their own lives through their active participation in deciding, planning and executing initiatives aimed at improving their socio-political and economic development, a process which requires effective access to information and voice for all segments of the society.
Besides, participants acknowledged the global status of community radio as a grassroots medium of communication as it facilitates participatory and democratic development, in addition to providing a voice for local people, promoting media pluralism, improving access to information and knowledge, and enabling local decision-makers to be held accountable.
They itemized other benefits of community radio broadcasting to include democratizing citizens’ access to information; giving a voice to the voiceless such that through the content they provide and the perspectives they share, the development agenda is determined by citizens. In addition, community radio broadcasting restores citizens’ integrity; promotes transparency and accountability in governance; is cost effective; has immediacy of impact; and has the potential of creating thousands of job opportunities across the country.
If Nigeria is to make significant progress in its democratic development, participants argued, the country would need to harness the potential and capacity of community radio to foster community dialogue, build peace, strengthen the integrity of the electoral process, contribute to transparency and accountability of governance institutions at the grassroots and facilitate citizen’s participation in governance.
The failure of the Federal Government and NBC to give effect to the announcement by President Goodluck Jonathan on October 19, 2010 on the delegation of authority to the NBC to issue licenses for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, participants insisted, would continue to undermine the credibility and integrity of the Federal Government, particularly the Office of the President.
They catalogued the results of the failure of the Federal Government and the NBC to issue community radio licences since then to include denying dozens of communities across the country effective access to the media, limiting their right to freedom of expression, and depriving them of development assistance and other benefits which would otherwise have accrued to them.
Resolutions reached at the end of the meeting are targeted at specific stakeholders such as government agencies, Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC), communities, as well as international development agencies and partners.
For government agencies, participants tasked the NBC specifically to work with other relevant agencies and authorities within the Federal Government to urgently give effect to the announcement by President Jonathan on October 19, 2010 that he had delegated authority to the NBC to issue licenses for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria.
The NBC, as the regulatory body for the broadcast sector, is also urged to play a leading and pivotal role in resolving all outstanding issues impeding the licensing of community radio broadcasting, including by convening a high-level meeting among critical stakeholders in government to provide a platform for an open and frank discussion of challenges and concerns as well as for their resolution.
Participants would also want the NBC to develop a regulatory framework for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, which can form the basis for further debates and discussions. Such a regulatory framework, they submitted, should define community radio; contain clear requirements for the granting of licenses for community radio stations; information about the licensing process and a regime of license fees, among other issues.
With respect to the advocacy group, the Nigeria Community Radio Coalition (NCRC), participants canvassed forging of new alliances and building of strategic partnerships with government institutions, such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), to push through a successful advocacy for community radio broadcasting in Nigeria.
The coalition is also charged to embark on a campaign of targeted advocacy aimed at relevant authorities within the Federal Government, particularly the Presidency, the Federal Ministry of Information, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the NBC to address any lingering concerns that they may have about community radio broadcasting in Nigeria and persuade them to give effect to President Jonathan’s pronouncement.
Also expressed is the need for NCRC to explore the possibility of facilitating a programme of experience sharing between senior Nigerian government officials and senior officials of other relevant governments in West Africa in order to ensure a better understanding among the Nigerian authorities about the potential of community radio broadcasting, including for peace building and conflict resolution purposes.
While NCRC continues to pursue a policy framework for the actualization of community radio broadcasting in Nigeria, participants would like the coalition to explore the options of pursuing a clear statutory provision and a strong constitutional backing for community radio broadcasting.
Even as they wait for broadcast licenses to be issued, communities proposing to establish community radio stations are tasked to take advantage of available and cheap new technologies to begin the process of content development, which can also be distributed online. This will prepare them to become operational as soon as they receive their licences while at the same time helping them to build their capacities.
The communities were also admonished to assess their capacity needs and develop concrete plans to address such needs, including by seeking support from development agencies and learning from the experiences of community radio stations in other countries in the West African region.
While acknowledging the roles international development agencies and partners have continued to play in the country’s democratisation process, participants asked them to lend their strong voices to the advocacy efforts by constantly raising the issue of licensing community radio stations whenever they engage the NBC or other relevant government agencies or authorities.
In addition, the meeting urged development agencies to continue to assist communities and aspiring community radio operators with capacity-building support in the areas of management, programme development, acquisition of equipment and appropriate technologies as well as other ways that may be possible within their respective mandates.
Culled from The Guardian.
