Broadcasting
‘The Voice Nigeria Season 3’ to Air on Airtel TV

Leading international singing competition, ‘The Voice Nigeria Season 3’, will air on Views Channel on Airtel TV, on Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 8pm.
The content from the show will also be available on-demand from 9pm on Sundays after the live broadcast to enable fans watch at any time if they missed the live broadcast.

The music competition, which launched in Nigeria in 2016, aims to discover and nurture new talents, offering them a credible platform to be positioned at the forefront of the country’s music industry, whilst preparing them for the global stage.
Music lovers will be able to watch the show live on Airtel TV by 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The Airtel TV app, which is available on Android and iOS, is subscription-free and offers registered users unlimited access to live TV, news and the entire Airtel TV content library.
Commenting on Airtel’s sponsorship, Dinesh Balsingh, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, expressed delight at the company’s drive to contribute to the growth of the Nigerian music industry through resourceful partnerships that will not only help groom and nurture local talents but also offer them a platform to international stardom.
“Airtel is delighted to return as a sponsor of ‘The Voice Nigeria Season 3,’ which has grown, over the past two seasons, to become one of the most watched television programmes in Africa. This sponsorship is a glowing testimony to Airtel’s passion and commitment to empower and invest in young, talented Nigerians and also offer them a strong platform to showcase their talent to the world.
“Airtel remains committed to supporting the Nigerian music industry, which is making waves globally by connecting with hearts and souls not just across Nigeria, but across the world.” he added.
This highly anticipated season 3 of The Voice Nigeria will be produced for the first time in Nigeria in partnership with UN1TY Limited and Livespot360.
The show’s innovative format features four stages – beginning with the Blind Auditions, followed by the Knockouts, then the Battle Rounds and, finally, the Live Performance Shows.
The coaches of the show, Darey, Yemi Alade, Waje and Falz will seek twelve talents for their teams and work with them during the show to hone their skills and prepare the successful acts who make it to the Live Performance Shows to battle it out on a global stage.
The season will be hosted by award-winning TV host, Nancy Isime alongside popular On-Air Personality (OAP) and Entrepreneur, Toke Makinwa.
Talents and fans will go home with over N100,000,000 in prizes, with the Winning Talent of The Voice Nigeria Season 3 walking away with a monetary reward, a brand-new car, and an international recording contract.
Broadcasting
NBC Scraps Annual Digital Access Fee on DSO

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.
Broadcasting
Mbunabo, Nigerian Filmmaker Accuses Ghana TV Stations of Pirating Nollywood Films

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.
Broadcasting
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