Digital migration will open up job opportunities for Nigerians, says ITS GM

As Nigeria continues to make efforts to transit nationally from analogue to digital broadcasting, Rotimi Salami, the General Manager at Integrated Television Services, ITS, examines various perspectives including the prospects and challenges  in the digital transformation broadcast media from the viewpoint of operator. Salami is a strong believer that digital broadcasting revolution would open up the broadcasting terrain with more opportunities. ITS  is one of the signal distributors licensed for the digital switch over (DSO) in Nigeria. Excerpts

Nigeria has come a long way in implementing the digital switchover, while StarTimes and its partners, especially, Integrated Television Services, ITS, have been in the forefront of the migration, can you explain what the whole partnership is about and what it means for Nigerians?

The partnership is about building the DTT platform  in line with what is envisaged   in the DSO project. ITS  is expected to build a platform and make same available to     broadcasters to transmit their content to the general viewership. Given the enormous financial cost in building the platform, which ought to come from the government, the partnership had afforded ITS the capability of developing the capacity in a PPP arrangement as encouraged by Government. Hence taking the burden off Government  of   funding the project.

The ITS said it will have on its platform over 30 channels on its Free TV bouquet. Could you explain more about those channels?

We have the capacity to deliver much more channels. However, these 30 programs are those presently approved by the NBC for the exercise. It is believed that in the nearest future, this number will rise. Each BSD is projected to operate four multiplex.

It is  alleged that the federal government may not be able to provide set top boxes for every home because of cost implications, to what extent is this going to limit the ability of Nigerians to switchover, and what is your company  doing about it?

Set top boxes enable backward integration of the millions of analogue TV sets, we currently own, to the transmitted digital signals. Non-availability of this item will definitely slow down the citizen’s ability to enjoy our services. However, there are ways around this, one of which is the direct purchase of  IRD, This negates the spirit of free TV. The most ideal which the ITS sought from inception is that of simulcryption. This implies the simultaneous encryption of the free TV. Nagra CAS and that of our technical partner StarTimes Conax CAS. Recall, Star Times already has about 4 million decoders subscribed on its platform with simulcryption. These sets of decoders can decipher the free TV services on the Star Times decoder and they would be made to fulfill their social obligations, that is pay DAF and other charges as may be necessary on the free TV STB.

One of the advantages of digital broadcasting is that it opens up the terrain for     players, and one will observe that in Ilorin presently there are only two players available for the six places earmarked for local broadcasters. Could you expatiate on these opportunities for more players?

The licensing regimes as designed by the NBC in the digital era for the 30 channels is that there would be 20 national broadcast, 6 local broadcast  and the other 4 regional broadcast. In Ilorin, there exist only NTA Ilorin and Kwara TV as local contributor on the platform. It will really  open up opportunity to other four players to come on board. The challenges are  that over time, may be for lack of information, no one had  expressed interest to be a local contributor on the platform to the NBC. However since our verification tour, I have been contacted by one or two who are interested in being on the platform and we have directed them to the appropriate authority, the NBC.

Digital migration is said to open up more job opportunities for Nigerians, what are the benefits of DTT for Nigerians in terms of job creation and ancillary services?

Job opportunities abound in the creative and technical sphere. As the network expands, engineers and computer experts would be engaged to man the system. Content creation would increase, necessitating opening opportunities for actors, producers, creative writers to fill the now available platform. Apps are to be developed for use. Similarly as the networking optimized, other value added services that I trust Nigerians would explore as revenue generating concerns would spring up.

StarTimes has been in Nigeria since 2010, how would you access pay tv business environment, especially in the area of regulations?

Paid subscription affords the platform the financial muscle to acquire rights to properties that the viewership would want to subscribe to. Football matches for example, sports fiestas, soaps, etc. knowing Nigerians, our quest for things trending is almost insatiable. There is so much business for the PayTV operators to thrive. Contents and creating awareness would also be key. For example, StarTimes acquired rights to Bundesliga, Ligue1, Eredivisie ETC but awareness of the presence of these properties is rather poor. Subscribers on their satellite services who are football fans are entertained round the clock on about six sport channels. The MLS, CSL the UFC Championship. The list is limitless and the cost is a bargain. Awareness is key for Paytv and the market is huge. They have the facilities and platform to create this awareness unlike in the free tv. They are in charge of their destiny

Infrastructure expansion has been a major financial drain on pay tv firms, but these infrastructure are the backbone for efficient operations and quality signals, what difficulties have been encountered so far, especially, expanding to the northern parts of Nigeria?

You have to qualify which class of the pay-tv operators are having to invest in Infrastructural development on the ground here in Nigeria. They are the DTT Pay-TV platform Operators have to ingest local programs onto its platform across the nook and crannies of the country. This only could talk of the enormous cost of infrastructural development. They give the community a sense of belonging in addition to this prohibitive cost given the recent exchange regime. The only challenge in expansion across the country is only peculiar with the North East Borno and Yobe states. These are the only states in which StarTimes is not present and their absence is down to the security challenges associated with these areas. Things are getting better now, and the NTAStar network is making arrangements to have its presence established there.

What is StarTimes expansion drive now for nationwide coverage?

Nationwide coverage for StarTimes had already been achieved via their starsat operations. While I can’t speak for StarTimes, what I believe you have in mind is their DTT operations. The FreeTv project will dovetail into total nationwide DTT network operations for both the NTA Star network and The ITS given our strategic alliance

One of the questions agitating the minds of Nigerian subscribers is whether there will come a time when they will pay as you watch? Is it possible in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world?

Truly I don’t Know if pay as you watch is operational in any part of the world. But then you already have VOD services; this is a form of pay as you watch. But if what you are saying is like what obtains in the Pay as you go telephony services, I don’t think you will be realising that anytime soon. The operational cost borne by network operators is huge. Whether you watch or not this services are running. It is just fair they recoup this cost.

Giving back to the society has been a corporate philosophy for many organizations, which   areas of Corporate Social Responsibility have you identified so far for your CSR efforts?

Our CSR would be particularly geared towards educating the people. We have recently supported some performing theatre arts units of our tertiary institutions, we will definitely invest in intellectual development.

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