Zamfara Radio, TV ready for digital transmission -MD
The Managing Director of Zamfara State Radio and Television services, Alhaji Adamu Muhammad, has said the state is ready for the National Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) deadline on the digitization of all radio and television stations operation in the country.
He said the NBC’s deadline on stoppage of the use of analogue equipment, before June 17, 2015 is achievable given the fact that they have gone far in digitalizing their services even before the announcement.
“We have digital transmitters, as such we can start digital transmission any time and contrary to what majority of people are thinking, by going digital, the need for manpower will not drastically reduce. Let me make it clear here that digitization will make the work effective, easier and qualitative,” he said.
He posited that what are television viewers, is nothing other than quality pictures, while radio listeners look for quality soundwave. He argued that Aljazeera, BBC and CNN television stations transmit quality pictures because they are digital, and viewers here in Nigeria can receive quality pictures through our local television stations if they are digitalized.“We are in the era of technological miniaturization or convergence. What I mean by this is that with a small object, supported by technology, we will be able to do as many things as possible and we can receive as many stations as possible using a small gadget, as being witnessed today. About 20 or more television channels could be received at a time,” he added.
The managing director of the state radio and television services also said the state has a digital television transmitter that can work under any condition. “Remember that in digitalization you are expected to work with only one studio, and programmes can only be channeled through signal distributors and we already have these digital studios. We are longing for a standard television studio that can work with the signal distributors”, he submitted.
Muhammad explained that the state television station was hit by a thunder some years back and this caused minor problem to the transmitters and the government was afraid the transmitters might not work again. “I went there and found out that the transmitter could be put to use again with slight repairs of some things here and there and I’m now compiling my report to present to the state government. I’m optimistic that the government would look into the issues raised and bring the television back to work again”, he assured.
He assured that with this the radio and television staff are acquainted with digitalized facilities and as such they need little or no training to work with the facilities effectively. “But regarding television operation, I have discussed with a friend who is a television station manager in Sokoto State and I will have to seek for permission officially from the state government that if we want to revive the station I will select two engineers, one producer and one news caster and send them there for a two week training exercise.
“I will also send some of these staff for training at Television College Jos, so that they can learn digital operation very well,’’ the MD said.