Broadcasting
BlackHouse Media Launches Operation in UK
BlackHouse Media, a Nigerian public relations and communications company has announced the commencement of its UK operations.
Ayeni Adekunle, founder, ceo of BHM
Ayeni Adekunle, founder, ceo of BHM, will serve as principal consultant and chief executive officer.
Stephen Waddington of Wadds Inc has been appointed adviser and non-executive director, alongside Moliehi Molekoa, managing director of Magna Carta South Africa.
Oladotun Ayeni, human resource management expert and doctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh, and Femi Falodun CEO of Lagos-based ID Africa will also serve as directors.
Speaking about opening UK operation, Ayeni Adekunle, said, “We recognise the importance of the UK, in the global PR industry, as well as the bilateral opportunity between Africa and Britain.
“So it’s only natural that this is the home for our first international operations. We want to help organisations in Nigeria and other parts of Africa build better relationships and explore opportunities the UK provides, while also providing insight, intelligence, and advisory that will help British organisations make better sense of Africa partnerships, trade, and investment.’’
The World Bank says Africa presents the opportunity to create the world’s largest free trade area – if the African Continental Free Trade Area goes right – by connecting over one billion people in 55 countries with a combined GDP of almost £3 trillion. And UK-Africa trade, which increased by 7.5% to £36 billion in 2019, is something to watch.
Stephen Waddington added ‘‘Wadds Inc. is pleased to be advising Ayeni and his team at BHM as they set up in the UK. The public relations industry is in need of some new perspective and ideas, and it’s about time we pay attention to what Africa, a continent of over one billion people, and so many experts, has to say.
“I have no doubts the UK will benefit from a company that has done so well in Africa, and knows the UK well.’’
Founded on November 6, 2006, BHM is one of Africa’s promising agencies, representing market leaders in FMCG, ICT, and Media.
Nigeria Breweries PLC (Heineken), Nigeria’s leading brewer has been a client since 2013. MTN Nigeria Communications PLC, the continent’s telecommunications leader, has retained BHM for brand and corporate communications since 2017.
The company has worked for Coca-Cola, the world’s leader in non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages since 2019, as well as MultiChoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company, since 2018. Other clients include Reckitt Benckiser and the Project Management Institute.
BHM has also pioneered several innovations on the continent, introducing a PR App in 2014, the annual PR report in 2016, and the Global Day of Influence in 2020. A proposed World PR Day is billed to debut on July 16, the birthday of Ivy Lee.
The company will have offices in Edinburgh and London but BHM advocates remote and flexible working for employees. With an additional 25 hires in the past year, staff strength is now almost 100.
Enitan Kehinde (Lead Consultant, FMCG), who studied public relations at Sheffield Hallam University before joining BHM in 2016 will return to the UK as general manager.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker, has raised concerns over the alleged unauthorised broadcast of Nollywood films by some Ghanaian television stations, calling on Ghana’s National Film Authority (NFA) to strengthen the enforcement of copyright laws.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker
Mbunabo made the remarks during a conversation with James Gardiner, deputy CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA) of Ghana.
He questioned whether it was permissible for television stations in Ghana to download Nigerian movies from YouTube and air them without obtaining permission from the producers.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalised in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?”
According to Mbunabo, some Ghanaian television stations have been downloading newly released Nollywood films from YouTube and broadcasting them without authorisation, depriving producers of revenue generated through the platform.
He also stated that he had not witnessed Nigerian television stations engaging in similar practices and questioned what measures Ghana was taking to protect filmmakers’ intellectual property.
Responding to the concerns, Gardiner acknowledged that the issue exists and said the National Film Authority had begun engaging relevant stakeholders to address it.
He disclosed that the NFA has held discussions with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) on improving copyright enforcement.
Gardiner explained that while Ghana has copyright laws, enforcement remains challenging because many television stations now operate digitally and may not have physical offices within the country.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital.”
He added that authorities are considering a new licensing framework that would require broadcasters to undergo a fresh licensing process to improve monitoring and enforcement.
According to Gardiner, television stations found guilty of illegally broadcasting copyrighted content would be required to compensate affected producers through fines.
He added that repeat offenders could face suspension of their broadcasting licences, while a third violation could result in the revocation of their licences.
Although he did not provide a specific timeline, Gardiner said the reforms were already underway and expressed hope that significant progress would be seen next year.
Mbunabo welcomed the proposed measures but urged the National Film Authority to expedite the process, stating that unauthorised broadcasts continue to affect filmmakers’ ability to recover production costs through legitimate distribution channels such as YouTube.
He also stressed that his comments were not directed at Ghana’s film industry, noting that he has worked with several Ghanaian actors over the years and supports collaborations between Nollywood and Ghallywood.
NBC Scraps Annual Digital Access Fee on DSO
Surge in Fibre Cuts Hobbles Service Provisioning
Why Bandits, Kidnappers are Hard to Trace despite NIN-SIM Linkage – FG
First Securities Brokers Empowers Nigerians to Trade in the Stock Market with the Launch of FirstInvest App
Quest Merchant Bank Hosts Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Telecom2 days agoMTN Nigeria Slashes Cost of Broadband Internet Router, Unwraps New Data Bundles for Low-Budget Users
E-Financial2 days agoNigerians Accumulate $59Bn in Cryptocurrency Assets —FDC
General News2 days agoNearpays, Nigerian Fintech Becomes First African Startup to Win UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory
E-Financial2 days agoFlutterwave Partners Xoom on Transfers into Nigeria
News2 days agoDataPro Upgrades Dangote Cement’s Credit Rating to AA+
Telecom2 days agoNokia’s 14 Years of Mobile-Phone Supremacy Ended in an Afternoon
General News2 days agoLASG Signs PPP Concession Agreements to Advance Digital Services, Others
General News2 days agoFintech Brands Should Communicate Right in a VUCA Economy