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Broadcasting

BATV Plans to go Digital before 2015

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Emeka Mba, DG, NBC
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Bauchi State Government has set up a committee of experts in the broadcast industry to ensure a smooth migration of the state-owned television station from analog to digital broadcasting.

Alhaji Salihi Barau, the state’s Commissioner of Religious Affairs, who is also overseeing the Ministry of Information, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Bauchi yesterday that government was committed to ensuring that Bauchi State Television met the digitization deadline of 2015.

“Bauchi state has been participating fully in the meetings of the National Council on Information in readiness to key into the process of digital broadcast, come 2015.

“Already, a seven-man committee of experts in the broadcast industry is in place to actualize this dream.

“The committee was also mandated to set up sub-committees on enlightenment campaign, to sensitize the general public towards ensuring that the process moves without a hitch.

“We are equally receiving submissions from various stakeholders and mapping out strategies for a smooth take off,” he said.

The commissioner added that the station’s transformers had been updated and state-of-the-art facilities already on ground for smooth migration.

He further said that the station’s General Manager and some of his staff would attend a workshop in Italy, preparatory to the digitization process, adding that some studio managers had already been trained.

He also said that series of in-house training of the staff, were organized to ensure that the project commenced without any hitch.

“What we need now is to upgrade our equipment and also update our studio for content provision because content is key in the broadcasting industry and it is only digitization that will ensure quality content provision,” Barau said.

It would be recalled that the world broadcasting system has been changing from the analogue to digital system of broadcasting, which started in the United Kingdom in 2011.

The Nigeria Government had set Jan 1, 2015 as deadline for digitization of the country’s broadcast industry, to join the rest of the world in migrating from analogue to digital mode of broadcasting.

After the deadline, analogue television receivers will no longer receive signals as the broadcasting stations would be transmitting via digital interface.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Broadcasting

CCPT Dismisses Class Action Suit against MultiChoice over Tariff Hikes

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Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja has dismissed a class action suit filed by one Uche Diala and 961 other DStv and GOtv subscribers against MultiChoice Nigeria and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), citing lack of jurisdiction.

CCPT Dismisses Class Action Suit against MultiChoice over Tariff Hikes

The suit challenged MultiChoice’s subscription price increases in November 2023 and May 2024, which the claimants described as arbitrary, exploitative, and unfair.

Diala and others sought to reverse the hikes and compel the company to adopt a more flexible billing model, such as a pay-as-you-view system used in other countries like South Africa.

They also accused MultiChoice of price discrimination against Nigerian consumers.

MultiChoice, through its counsel, raised a preliminary objection, arguing that pricing decisions do not fall within the tribunal’s remit and that the suit was improperly filed as a class action without first seeking the tribunal’s leave.

In its ruling on Thursday, the tribunal’s three-member panel led by Justice Thomas Okosun held that the core issues raised, which were pricing and tariff regulation, fall under the exclusive purview of the executive branch, particularly the President, as stipulated under the Price Control Act.

“The issue of price regulation is a matter that falls within the exclusive purview of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okosun stated.

While the tribunal acknowledged it holds both original and appellate jurisdiction under the FCCPC Act, it emphasized that such authority does not cover general price control unless abuse of market dominance is established—a point the claimants failed to prove.

On the procedural matter of filing a class action without prior approval, the tribunal noted that although it is ideal to obtain leave, failure to do so was not fatal in this instance since the claimants demonstrated a shared grievance and common interest.

Nonetheless, the tribunal upheld MultiChoice’s objection, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.

“The preliminary objection of the first defendant succeeds,” the panel held. “This suit is accordingly struck out for want of jurisdiction.”

This ruling follows a similar outcome on May 8, when a Federal High Court in Abuja upheld MultiChoice’s price increases after the company sued the FCCPC.

In that judgment, Justice James Omotoso declared that the FCCPC lacked the authority to fix or suspend subscription rates.


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Broadcasting

MultiChoice Nigeria Slashes Decoder Price by 50 Percent, Offers Free Upgrades

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MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder from N20,000 to N10,000, representing a 50 percent drop, in a aim at attracting attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.

MultiChoice Nigeria Slashes Decoder Price by 50 Percent, Offers Free Upgrades

The campaign, titled “We’ve Got You,” was launched on June 16 and will continue until July 31.

Also, as part of its efforts to ease economic pressure on households and improve access to digital TV services, the campaign offers a free upgrade for both active and returning customers.

Speaking on the campaign, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and enhancing daily viewing experiences.

“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” Ugbe said.

“The ‘We’veGot You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.

“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.

“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.”

The development comes amid MultiChoice Nigeria’s legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over price hike.

 


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Qatar Airways Top Brass Face Court Action in Nigeria Over FCCPC Charges

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Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.

The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.

Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.

Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.

When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.

FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.

Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.

The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.

They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.

In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.


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