Today February 13, the world is commemorating World Radio Day. The day was proclaimed on 3rd November 2011 during the 36th General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
It was originally proposed by the Spanish Kingdom. The first procedure was in January 2008 by the President of the Spanish Radio Academy, Mr. Jorge Alvarez. The day, 13th February was chosen in recognition of the day the United Nations Radio was established in the year 1946.
Afterwards, in December 2012 precisely, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) endorsed the Proclamation of World Radio Day, thereby enabling it to become a day to be celebrated by all the UN Member States, agencies, as well as their partners.
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Various radio industry bodies around the world have hitherto been supporting the initiative by encouraging radio stations in developed countries to assist those in the developing world.
Presently, the radio set seems to be the easiest and most affordable means of telecommunication. Until the invention of social media, it was widely regarded as the only handy medium for information dissemination.
It is the easiest, in the sense that most current electronic devices such as GSM among others have access to radio signals. Most affordable, in the sense that anyone regardless of his/her status can boast of an access to radio communication.
For instance, a portable radio set can currently be obtained at the rate of two thousand naira (N4000) in any local market in Nigeria, and the Direct Current (DC) battery, which could be used to power the said device, can be purchased at about two hundred naira (N200).
But a GSM, which could guarantee access to a certain social media such as Facebook, can never be obtained at less than five thousand naira (N10,000).
In most cases, it takes only Symbian phones such as Android, Phantom, iPod, iPhone and Blackberry for one to gain access to most recent social media like Whatsapp, Telegram, Twitter, Instagram, BBM and what have you, and such phones cannot be obtained at less than twenty thousand naira (N25,000) or thereabouts.
The television communication system is not left out in this analysis or comparison. In an average electronics market in Nigeria, a 14-inch television set is sold at about thirty thousand naira or above.
After purchasing the TV Set, the consumer still needs to obtain an outdoor antenna to enable him to boast of absolute clarity while using the device. Sometimes, he may still need to buy a Power Generating Set to aid power supply since there is no assurance for steady power supply anywhere in Nigeria.
This implies that another remarkable phenomenon to be considered while comparing a radio communication system with other means of telecommunication is that due to instability of power supply in most developing nations like Nigeria, acquiring information through the communication system in question (radio) has remained the only reliable means of telecom in existence.
On the other hand, considering other means of communications such as the print media, how many Nigerians can afford a two hundred and fifty naira (N250) newspaper or a two hundred naira (N200) tabloid, as the case may be, on a daily basis, or even a five hundred naira (N500) newsmagazine weekly?
It’s needless to say that the print media is not just expensive to an average Nigerian but no doubt an exorbitant means of communication, compared to radio broadcasting service.
As the global society celebrates the annual World Radio Day, there is need for the totality of the Nigerian Radio Broadcasting industry to be overhauled. In this regard, the concerned bodies should as a matter of urgency, be mandated to switch over from the ongoing analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting.
In view of this, the recent mandate of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in line with the directive of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) regarding migration from analogue to digital broadcasting by all the broadcasting firms in the country, ought to be taken very seriously by the concerned authorities.
On their part, the members of the National Assembly are expected to enact a formidable law that would mandate the closure of any media firm that fails to meet the stipulated deadline as well as sanction anyone that attempts to return to analogue broadcasting in future.
The proposed law should also mandate NBC and other relevant authorities to ensure that provision of digital broadcasting equipment by any upcoming or intending media firm is a prerequisite to issuance of license to the company in question.
In addition, the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) ought to in its capacity assist the government in conscientizing their members on the significance of digital broadcasting. Thus, they should at all times maintain a cordial relationship with the NBC with the aim of actualizing a totally digitized broadcasting industry in Nigeria.
The generality of the civil society is as well expected to follow suit in this sensitization crusade. Every relevant body needs to be holistically intimated on the innumerable benefits attached to digital broadcasting.
Yes, radio broadcasting service remains the most reliable and affordable means of communication in the world, but it is worthy to note that its reliability or affordability is liable to become a thing of the past if abused or if adequate attention is not given to the sector.