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Lagos, Jan. 9, 2024 (NAN) The National Boardcasting Commission (NBC) has expressed displeasure over the inability to sort out the boardcasting right issue for the 2023 Africa Nation's Cup (AFCON)with four days to go before kickoff.
A query sent to the Managing Director, New World Television, Mr. Nimomka Kolani and the Managing Director, Media Business Solution, Mr. Richard Dimosi, signed by the Director General National Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Charles Ebuebu the commission is seeking an explanation into the alleged irregularities that transpired during the bidding process of the broadcast rights for AFCON 2023.
With four days to go before AFCON'S kickoff, confusion reigns as to how fans will watch the sports competition in Nigeria.
According to the letter dated Jan. 5 2024 and written by NBC's Director-General, Charles Ebuebu, in a letter dated and sent to Nimomka Kolani, the Managing Director New World Television (NWTV) and Richard Dimosi Chief Executive Officer of Media Business Solution.
" We're concerned that there are breaches of the NBC Broadcast Code, designed to safeguard the interests of the Nigerian TV industry and viewers. The code prohibits the practice of international rights being “bundled”
" In a way that negatively impacts the transmission and availability of rights in Nigeria. Bundling refers to the practice of rights being sold on a multi-territory or continental basis instead of a national one, where multinational interests are allowed to take precedence over national ones.
"It has emerged that Pan-African pay TV broadcasters such as Startimes, who claimed last week to have the exclusive rights to the event and SuperSport, have insisted to NWTV and CAF that they must have Pan-African rights in order to serve their markets outside of Nigeria," he said.
Ebuebu, said the decision to award the right met a setback with NWTV.
"The decision to award rights to them has delayed the finalisation of NWTV/CAF’s exclusive award of rights on Free-To-Air (FTA) after a completed bidding process won by a local Sports Broadcaster.
"Free-to-air platforms are where every fan can access the games for free and with just 4 days remaining to the start of the competition, the delay hampers the efforts of any FTA broadcaster to secure the requisite broadcast sponsorship to cover the cost of the rights to the event.
"The NBC has written to NWTV and CAF to express its displeasure as well as raise concerns around the potential violations of the broadcast code, stating that unless the issues they have raised are given expedited considerations, there is an imminent possibility of a blackout in Nigeria.
The Director General of the NBC said, “We are troubled that with 4 days until what we expect is one of the most eagerly awaited TV events of 2024, there is the possibility of no coverage for millions of football fans of the Super Eagles.
"There has been little coverage so far of build-up programming. To know that this may be as result of interests that ride rough shod over the interests of Nigerian broadcasters and fans is not something that the NBC is prepared to sit-back on”
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