The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said his ministry is working assiduously to unveil a blueprint for the rollout of the Digital Switch Over across the country.
The Minister stated this in Abuja on Monday while declaring open the Management Conference and Retreat of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
“I also want to use this opportunity to restate federal government commitment to the Digital Switch Over (Project), as the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is working assiduously for a DSO blueprint that will not fail; that will roll out across urban and rural Nigeria. The NTA, as a key stakeholder in the DSO project, is expected to play a prominent role,” he said.
Idris therefore challenged the NTA to reflect on the dynamic landscape of the media industry, especially with the advent of new technologies and changing viewer preferences that pose challenges and opportunities.
“Our commitment to excellence and adaptability is paramount. The NTA must continue to evolve, embracing innovation while upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity.
“This retreat is coming at a time when there is a growing number of options for the viewing public to source information from, more especially against the backdrop of the dominant role of social media and the preponderance of false and misleading information therein; therefore, the significance of an event of this nature cannot be overemphasized,” he said.
He noted that the signal upgrade of the NTÀ from standard definition to high definition is having an appreciable impact on the viewing experience of members of the public, adding that this has to be replicated in all NTA Stations across the country to achieve the desired objective.
Against the backdrop of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Tinubu administration, which he described as Nigeria’s most ambitious socio-economic growth plan ever, it therefore, Idris said, “behooves the NTA to continue to enlighten Nigerians on the successes being recorded on all fronts and to ensure that Nigerians understand and appreciate the policy direction of the Tinubu administration in news and programming.
The Minister charged the NTA to strive to rediscover its golden era when its content, especially notable soap operas and drama series, not only defined the TV entertainment space in the country but was always a reason for viewers to rush back home in the evening.
Rabiu Ibrahim
