From Victor Osula, Abuja
The National Broadcasting Commission on Friday announced that it would temporarily suspend the shut down of indebted broadcast stations over N2.6 billion debt.
Broadcast regulator had on August 19, 2022 issued a shutdown notice to licensee that are indebted to the Commission. They debtors numbering 52 private and public radio and television stations across the country were later given up to Tuesday, August 23 to meet their obligations.
According to Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Director General, the NBC had a rethink because , “following the ultimatum, the Commission received positive responses from the debtor Licensees, including big players in the broadcast industry.
He said that sequel to a follow-up meeting held with Executives of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and other critical stakeholders in the industry, “the Commission has decided to temporarily suspend the shutdown of the indebted Broadcast stations all over the country.
“We express our profound appreciation to the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, the affected licensees and Broadcast Stakeholders for their responses and interventions. We, specifically, thank DAAR Communications Ltd and Silverbird TV/Rhythm FM for their responses.
“The Commission is not unaware of the difficulties this shutdown must have caused the operators and other stakeholders, but must state that the Commission will always operate within the National Broadcasting Commission Act, Cap. N11, Laws of the Federation, 2004,”
