ONLY communities or groups, and not individuals, are eligible to apply for licence to operate community radio in the country, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has stated.
Director-General, NBC, Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa, who disclosed this at the launch of GOTV in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at the weekend, however added that his commission has not been able to convince the Federal Government on the merits or otherwise of the community radio platform.
His words: “The NBC is waiting for the approval of the Federal Government to start issuing licences for the setting up of community radio stations in the country.
But we cannot start issuing licences on our own due to its security implications.
“While we are waiting to get approval from the Federal Government, the same government has to be convinced by the NBC that setting up community radio stations in the country will not be harmful to Nigerians.”
Represented by Director of Broadcast Policy and Research at the commission, Mr. Tom Aliyu Chatta, the NBC chief said due to uncertainty surrounding the establishment of the community radio stations, no licence had been issued so far.
Commending GOTV for forcing down the cost of subscription for pay television viewers in the country, Bolarinwa promised that the commission would continue to encourage service providers to make their services available to both the rich and the poor.
General Manager, GOTV Nigeria, Mr. Mayo Okunola, said the pay television provider was the only one in the country that uses the DVB T2 technology, which is the most advanced technology available worldwide.
