Citizens of Kogi State have expressed displeasure over the blacklisting of Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Their views came against the backdrop of recent release of the list broadcast stations that are indebted to the commission, one of which is Kogi state owned outfit.
A civil society activist, Hamza Aliyu told TheNewsGuru that the local/indigenous media in Kogi State has fared the worst under the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello, insisting that the decision of the government to direct solely online broadcast was ill – advised as it began the moribund nature of the station.
He noted that with the policy, many no longer have access to the station as people hardly have enough data to access information on the internet, talk more of listening to the radio.
He therefore called on Governor Bello to re – evaluate the decision, use the opportunity of the extension granting the indebted stations by the NBC and pay up and then allow the station to return to traditional transmission as well as online.
“We understand that the world is now a global village and technology has made it possible for information dissemination to be done using both traditional and online media. But considering the peculiarity of our people, government should rethink and provide the necessary avenue for the state broadcasting corporation to transmit using both methods.”
Also speaking, a former staff of the organization, Batholomew Omale expressed displeasure with the way the government has handled both state and other local media, saying it was a shame that they are now shadows of their old selves.
“Both print and electronic media in the state – public and private owned, are not close to doing well since this administration came to power and it is unfortunate.
“That a state owned broadcasting corporation would not have a transmitter to transmit its programmes is such a sour taste in the mouth. I am sorry for the media spectrum as it currently is in Kogi State.”
On his part, ace broadcaster, Nathaniel Joseph said the broadcast sector within Kogi State is currently comatose because the administration of Governor Bello does not have regards for the state media.
“It is funny that it was under the current administration that Kogi State was able to host the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA) and the media within the state is nothing to write home about. This is a shame. We have to bury our heads in shame because other states created alongside Kogi and those created after Kogi State are doing far better while the government fritters away Kogi State resources on things that don’t have any impact on citizens.”
Other respondents who shared the same view, enjoined Governor Yahaya Bello to ensure the state’s broadcast station gets back to reckoning as it was in the past.
TheNewsGuru reports that the state broadcasting corporation had gone online under the current administration, a policy that has affected the traditional broadcast of programmes with many of its listeners complaining of lack of access as they do not have the data to listen and many who have the data complain of lack of technical know-how to access the station online.
Others told our correspondent that the station was not online throughout the day as the online item they have is the regular news bulletin recorded and fed to the online platform.