MEDIA IN NIGERIA #01 - 35(04 NOVEMBER 2002)

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MEDIA IN NIGERIA is a weekly publication on developments within and
affecting the media/communication/freedom of expression sector in Nigeria.

It is an initiative of the Institute for Media and Society (IMS), a
non-profit,
non-governmental organization based in Lagos, Nigeria.
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NEWS

MEDIA-GENERAL
-OBASANJO FAULTS MEDIA TOUR AWARDS
-GOV TASKS JOURNALISTS ON DEMOCRACY

PRINT MEDIA
-DAILY TIMES' PRIVATISATION BEGINS

BROADCAST MEDIA
-NTA AT 43, ROLLS OUT NEW PROGRAMMES
-STUDENTS ATTACK ANAMBRA RADIO
-TV AFRICA IN DEAL WITH NIGERIAN PRODUCERS

INFOTECH
-INTERCONNECTIVITY: PTOS GIVE MTN, ECONET ULTIMATUM
-MD FAULTS NITEL'S PRIVATISATION

THE ARTS
-COPYRIGHT COMMISSION MOVES TO REGULATE VIDEO CLUBS

MEDIA-GENERAL

OBASANJO FAULTS MEDIA TOUR AWARDS

Echoes of the controversial 2001 national media tour, sponsored by the
Nigerian government reverberated in Ogun State, South-West Nigeria, as
President Olusegun Obasanjo described the award of marks to states by the
tour organizers as "misleading".

The president who was speaking during his three-day visit to his home state
said the result of the tour created the impression that a lot was being done
in the new states because new infrastructure had to be provided while
neglecting the challenges of the older states where the rehabilitation of
existing infrastructure will command more attention.

He said that what was paramount was not the score but, the fact that money
received was prudently utilized based on the priorities of each state.

GOV TASKS JOURNALISTS ON DEMOCRACY

Nigerian journalists have been called upon to help sustain the country's
nascent democracy.

The governor of Lagos State, South-West Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the
appeal while declaring open the Lagos State Correspondents Association
(LASCA) press week.

The governor said that the media had a pivotal role to play in enthroning
democracy and struggle for sustainable development.

He charged journalists to refrain from sensationalism and focus on issues
that would benefit the populace.

Delivering a paper at the week, Ademola Afolabi, Deputy Director (news) of
Radio Nigeria, Ibadan urged Journalists to resist any attempt by the
political class to turn them into milling tools.

According to him, journalists must not be part of any design to stiffle the
voice of the opposition, adding that democracy allows all shades of opinions
to be heard.

PRINT MEDIA

DAILY TIMES' PRIVATISATION BEGINS

The privatization of Daily Times, Nigeria's oldest newspaper has entered its
final stage with the commencement of a public offer for subscription of a
total of 944 million shares of 50k each, representing 93.8 percent of
Nigerian government's stake in the company.

The public offer packaged on behalf of the National Council on Privatization
(NCP) by First Interstate Bank Plc opened last Monday.

Proceed of the offer is expected to be invested in the purchase of
state-of-the-art printing and communication equipment as well as meeting
some of the company's working capital requirements.

According to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Daily Times shares are
to be offered to the public at a premium of N1.25k per share on the basis of
equity of Federal constituencies to ensure even spread across the country.

The BPE explained that the privatization of DTN is not just to divert
government interest, but to focus the company and make it viable.

Daily Times was incorporated as a private printing company in 1926. But the
federal government had acquired a 60% stake in the company in 1975 to turn
it into a state-owned enterprise.

BROADCAST MEDIA

NTA AT 43, ROLLS OUT NEW PROGRAMMES

To mark its 43rd anniversary, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA),
Ibadan, South-West Nigeria, the first in Sub-Sahara in Africa is rolling out
twenty new programmes.

According to its General Manager, Grace Alomoge, the programmes on the
station's menu list is to further set the pace and satisfy the yearnings of
the station's viewers. She also dropped hints of 24 -hour operations.

NTA, Ibadan was 43 on October 31,2002.

STUDENTS ATTACK ANAMBRA RADIO

Angry students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, South-East Nigeria
have raided the Anambra State Broadcasting Service (ABS).

The students who stormed the ABS with dangerous weapons destroyed office
equipment and assaulted some staff of the broadcasting outfit.

The action of the students was reportedly triggered by an alleged misleading
report by the station that the institution's Students' Union Government
(SUG) President had been impeached and an interim President appointed by the
union.

In another development, the Gombe State government in North-Eastern Nigeria
has signed a contract for the procurement and installation of television and
radio studio accessories at a cost of N492 million.

The state's FM Radio and Television, currently under construction are
expected to commence test transmissions in few months time.

TV AFRICA IN DEAL WITH NIGERIAN PRODUCERS

As part of efforts in improving local contents of its programming,
continental free to air television broadcaster, TV Africa is working out a
programme that will add Nigerian productions to the list of programmes on
the channel.

The South Africa based outfit's channel's Director, Simon Camerer was
recently in Nigeria to discuss with acclaimed Nigerian producers.

Some of the Nigerian producers that are said to be enjoying priority
attention in TV Africa's plan are Tunde Kelani, Albert Egbe, Wale Adenuga,
Tajudeen Adepetu and Charles Igwe.

Camerer who described these producers as "prolific", said the new initiative
is designed to build relationship across different countries where the
channel's programmes are being broadcast.

TV Africa operates a 24-hour broadcast of programmes in 28 countries on the
continent, with viewership oscillating between 100 to 120 million.

INFOTECH

INTERCONNECTIVITY: PTOS GIVE MTN, ECONET ULTIMATUM

The lingering interconnection problem between operators of
telecommunications services is not about to be over. Last week, a new
dimension was introduced into the disagreement with a group of fixed
wireless operators threatening to aggravate what is already a national
nightmare, if Econet wireless Nigeria and MTN Nigeria fail to address their
problems.

The group, acting under the platform of Association of Local
Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), had on October 29, given
the two GSM operators a seven-day ultimatum to enter into negotiation with
their members or risk being dragged before an arbitration group.

An interconnection meeting earlier scheduled by ALTON was ignored by both
MTN and Econet, claiming ignorance of the meeting.

Members of ALTON which include Intercellular Nigeria Limited, Multilinks
Wireless Technologies Limited, Reliance Telecommunications Limited, Cellcom
and others believe that their recent interconnection price deal with NITEL
makes a complete review of existing interconnection price imperative.

Currently, fixed wireless telephone traffic is terminated on GSM networks at
N18 per minute. On the other hand, GSM calls terminate on fixed wireless
telephone networks at N12 per minute. PTOs pay N12 per minute to terminate
calls initiated on their network on NITEL GSM network.

Ezekiel Fatoye, ALTON's spokesman said the new rate approved by NITEL should
be the benchmark for the industry, and should be adopted by MTN and Econet.

MD FAULTS NITEL'S PRIVATISATION

Even as Nigerians await the re-opening of the botched attempt at privatizing
the Nigerian Telecommunication's Limited (NITEL), its Managing Director,
Ganiyu Adegbuji has expressed misgivings about the on-going plan to
privatize the company.

In a paper presented at the Nigerian Economic Development Forum in Geneva,
Switzerland, Adegbuji said the plan to sell 51 per cent government held
equity in NITEL was fraught with dangers.

"Predicated on the strategic influence and position, NITEL occupies in our
telecommunications landscape today, the idea of selling a majority share
(51%) to a group/individual-foreign or indigene-is fraught with a lot of
economic slavery and totalitarian dangers," he argued.

Instead of allowing NITEL to be acquired by a group or a privileged
individual, the MD suggested that NITEL fragmented into directorate units
would be well positioned to facilitate the required pace of infrastructural
development.

He said the states, local governments, individuals and NITEL staff should be
encouraged to acquire shares from the fragmented NITEL units that are
invariably going to be located close to them.

THE ARTS

COPYRIGHT COMMISSION MOVES TO REGULATE VIDEO CLUBS

Complaints by home video producers about the activities of video rental
outlets whom they accuse of sundry copyright violations may soon become a
thing of the past.

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) is reviewing copyright (Video
Rentals) regulations " to discourage the proliferation of illegal rental
activities by establishing guidelines for the operation of rental outlets in
a manner that will guarantee compensation of right owners for commercial use
of their works."

According to the Commission's Director-General, Eyinna Nwauche, the areas of
the copyright regulation that will be reviewed are rental prescription,
renewal fees and accreditation processes.

He disclosed that henceforth, films intended for rental should be produced
in regular paper jackets but both the cassettes and the jackets shall carry
NCC logo as well as a rental code number.

Also, all rental copies of films should be affixed with hologram supplied by
the NCC.

Nwauche said the measure is to guard against illegal duplication of films.

-----ENDS----

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