Broadcasting
Panellists to discuss digital culture, democracy at unveiling of book on Cyber Politics
A panel is set to discuss the implications of digital culture for democracy during the public presentation of a book by the Head of Media Relations at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Omoniyi Ibietan, on Tuesday, 25 July 2023, the publishers of the book have said.
The panel discussion will follow the review of Cyber Politics: Social Media, Social Demography and Voting Behaviour in Nigeria, by Azubuike Ishiekwene, the editor-in-chief of Abuja-based Leadership Newspapers.
Discussions during the session will dwell on ‘The Cyber Context of Political Communication and its Implications for Democracy in Africa’.
Listed as panellists are Mr Ibietan, Majeed Dahiru, writer, public affairs analyst and CEO of Orascom Properties; and Abiodun Adeniyi, a professor of Mass Communication and deputy dean, Postgraduate School, Baze University, Abuja.
Chido Onumah, social entrepreneur, journalist, writer, author and Coordinator, African Centre for Information and Media Literacy (AFRIMIL), will moderate the discussion.
The panel will focus on how cyber politics played out and shaped the last two general elections in Nigeria. The possible implications of cyber politics in future elections will also be x-rayed.
Published by Premium Times Books, the book publishing arm of the Premium Times Group, the 460-page book, spread over 12 chapters, interrogated a critical phase in Nigeria’s democracy through its elections.
In this new title that has been widely praised, Nigeria’s 2015 presidential election is used as the sounding board from which analyses that offer great insights into the future of voting behaviour in the country were made.
The study that culminated in the book has been described as both skilful in its rendition and ground-cutting in its intellectual approach.
At the planned Tuesday event, the book will be formally unveiled by Umar Danbatta, a professor, and executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), where Mr Ibietan works. Danbatta is also the writer of the foreword to the book.
Among prominent personalities who have commented on the book and the author is Mr Danbatta.
In a foreword he wrote for Cyber Politics, the NCC CEO praised the book for situating the historical context of Nigerian politics and democracy and for exploring the nexus between social media and voting behaviour, and the influence of the social media ecosystem and other variables in the electoral process.
He described Cyber Politics as a “compelling narrative, a scholar’s guide and companion on the various political communication themes it interprets”.
“It is difficult to put down this work once you are drawn by its alluring and free-flowing prose and incisive analysis,” the NCC boss added.
Cyber Politics has been available in hardback and paperback versions in bookstores across the country since 12 June 2023. The electronic copies of the book can also be purchased on online platforms, including Amazon.
Prominent Nigerians and stakeholders within the Nigerian politics cycle and cyber/digital ecosystem are billed to be at the public presentation of the book.
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
Paramount Africa is officially shutting down at the end of December 2025, drawing the curtain on more than two decades of operations in South Africa and Nigeria.
The company, which once reached over 100 million viewers across 52 African territories, confirmed it will close its doors as part of a massive global restructuring at its parent company, Paramount Global.
This is the same Paramount Africa behind channels like BET, MTV, MTV Base, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and more.
Its digital footprint has also been significant, with millions of monthly page views, social media engagements, and content partnerships across Africa.
But despite that scale, rising costs and a global strategic reset have caught up with the business.
Paramount’s retrenchment has been building for months.
Earlier this year, plans to launch a standalone Paramount+ app in South Africa were quietly shelved.
Then in August, the company said its content would remain available only via DStv and Showmax.
And last month, MultiChoice confirmed that BET Africa and MTV Base will disappear from DStv and GOtv on January 1, 2026, as Paramount Africa winds down entirely.
The shutdown is tied to aggressive cost-cutting after Paramount’s merger with Skydance. The company is targeting a 15% reduction in global staff and $3 billion in savings.
International divisions, including Africa, have taken the hardest hit as the business pivots away from linear TV and doubles down on a more streamlined streaming-first model.
At the same time, the global media landscape is being shaken by Warner Bros. Discovery’s chaotic auction. Netflix, Paramount, and Comcast have all submitted fresh bids for WBD, with some offers reportedly focusing on the studios-and-streaming division, home to HBO, HBO Max, DC, and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Analysts say the crown jewel bundle could go for as much as $70 billion, a deal that would reshape Hollywood and accelerate the decline of traditional TV.
DStv subscribers may lose access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels, including CNN International, Discovery Channel, TLC, and Cartoon Network, from Jan. 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to conclude a new distribution agreement.
DStv
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, issued a notice to customers on Monday, warning that its current carriage deal with WBD will expire on Dec. 31, 2025, and negotiations to renew the contract remain inconclusive.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from Jan. 1, 2026,” the company said.
The channels at risk include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
The development comes amid subscriber losses for MultiChoice, which has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the last two financial years.
This includes 1.2 million customers lost in 2025 alone, representing an 8 per cent decline across South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million subscribers in the past two years, largely due to repeated subscription price increases, according to Nairametrics.
The broadcaster is also set to lose additional content in the coming months. Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from Jan. 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on Dec. 31, 2025.
Senate Considers Bill to Empower CBN to Regulate Fintech
It is Official, DStv Confirms Termination of 16 Major Channels
Paramount Africa Shuts Down after 20 Years
Afreximbank Taps Nigeria to Lead Africa’s Digital Trade Revolution
GenAI Adoption Among African workers Outpace Global Peers
Oluwaseun Dania Unearths How AI will Shape Africa’s Creative-AI Future @ World Bank Forum
Kaspersky Introduces Cyber Pathways to Support Career Development in Cybersecurity
Nigeria’s $618m Tech Incubator Debuts
NITDA DG Tasks Youths to Drive Africa’s Digital Transformation
Firm Urges Organizations to Check Protection of their Websites Amid Search Engine Optimisation Attack Schemes
E-Business3 days agoReport says Human Error Fuels Breaches as Only Half of Professionals Receive Cybersecurity Training
E-Financial3 days agoFBNQuest Merchant Bank Confirms New Ownership Structure, Sets Stage for Future Growth
E-Business3 days agoCyber Tsunami Hits Nigeria as Breaches Surge 1,047%, esentry Q3 Report Reveals
General News3 days agoNigeria’s GDP Rises to 3.98% in Q3 2025, Driven by Agriculture, ICT, and Finance
E-Business2 days agoJumia’s Data Shows Nigerians Turning to Digital Retail to Navigate Inflation Pressures
General News3 days agoIHS Nigeria Leads Gender Based Violence Awareness Walk, Reaffirms Zero Tolerance with Advocacy Seminar
E-Financial3 days agoMoniepoint MFB Launches Moniebook to Transform MSMEs Operations
Telecom3 days agoAfrica Data Centres Partners CSSi SA to Boost Data Sovereignty in South Africa