Broadcasting
Edo Shuts FG Owned FM Station over N7m Tax
Activities in the Benin station of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Radio Nigeria Bronze FM, have remained grounded for two weeks after the radio station was shut by the Edo State Internal Revenue Service over an alleged indebtedness of N6.7m tax.
The revenue service agency claimed that the figure represented unpaid remittances of income taxes spanning two years by the radio station.
It said the station owed N2,583,344.60 in 2011, including an interest of N443,000 at 21 per cent, and N4,185,912.17 for 2012, which also included interest and a penalty of over N800,000.
As part of efforts to ensure the payment of the outstanding tax obligation, the revenue agency sealed off the Benin station of the broadcast outfit on September 28.
It was learnt that the enforcement had grounded services at the station, leaving the workers stranded.
The station was off air when our correspondent tuned to the 101.5 FM megahertz frequency on Tuesday.
The management of the station refused to speak on the shutting down of the station, but a top official said the management of the zonal network centre had taken steps to intervene in the development.
It was also gathered that a meeting with the revenue service agency would hold on Wednesday (today).
But a member of staff of the station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the claim by the revenue agency as “doubtful and outrageous.”
The worker argued that the Benin station had few employees since it commenced operation on December 25, 2010.
“The figures are doubtful and outrageous because even if the station has 200 personnel, which is not even up to that, that means one person will be paying over N50,000 as tax.
“The closure is making the station to lose its clientele and revenue, beside the sponsored programmes and adverts that have been paid for,” the source added.
The source stated that the payment of taxes had been regular ever since workers’ salaries were paid through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Integrated System by the Federal Ministry of Finance in May, 2012.
“As a Federal Government’s only radio station in Edo State, the EIRS is denying the good people of the state (access to) listen to the popular programmes and in-depth news of the station,” the source said.
Mr. Charity Amayaenvbo, executive director of Income Tax at the EIRS however, explained that the station was rightly sealed following an order of the court to enforce the payment of the outstanding tax obligations.
Amayaenvbo said the enforcement would subsist until the debts were paid.
He stated, “The obligations we have against them (Radio Nigeria) today is as a result of back-duty assessment for 2011 and 2012; and these notices were communicated to them (but) they failed to pay.
“This was even a reverse assessment; the first assessment was given to them, they (officials) made some presentations and we had an agreement. That agreement formed the reverse assessment.”
According to him, the amount payable by the station is determined by the penalties and interest.
“The solution is that they pay up their obligations for them to operate in Edo State,” he added.
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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