FG To Begin Digital Transition, Startimes & GoTV Affected 

The Federal Government intends to adopt the DSO whitepaper, which would prevent pay TV companies from self-carriage of their signals, according to the honorable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Mohammed disclosed this information while an MOU was being signed between Integrated Television Services (ITS) and NTA-STAR.

The projected switch from analog to digital television broadcasting will be made possible if the DSO is implemented and it is designated as the FG-licensed signal distributor.

The DSO will have an impact on digital terrestrial pay TV services like Startimes and Govt, while all state-owned TV stations that fall under the analog stations category, including Channels, NTA, AIT, and TVC, will transition into content providers.

Mohammed said that the changeover will enable users to watch both free and premium material because all Star Times decoders will have dual encryptions.

Additionally, this will allow the station to become a floodgate for stations that will be granted NBC licenses.

The country missed the deadline for the switchover over a 10-year period, therefore the implementation of the DSO was put on hold for a while.

When several other African nations with fewer resources finished theirs, there were windows of opportunity in 2007, 2012, 2015, and 2017 for the execution of the switchover.

The National Broadcasting Commission has received criticism for this lapse.

Prior to now, various concerns regarding the program’s ability, such as the lack of a legal foundation, were voiced.

To grant the DSO operating authority was suggested.

However, Lai Mohammed made hints that the DSO was a worldwide initiative that was supported by agreements and was intended to usher in an all-digital terrestrial broadcast service with the goal of building an informed society that is oriented toward the needs of its citizens.

While recalling the four occasions Nigeria missed the date for the switchover, NBC’s Director General, Balarabe Ilelah, made a pledge that the organization is now ready to start a 70% signal penetration to reach Nigeria’s geographical limits.