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Broadcast licenses granted to institutions of higher learning could be regarded as experimental community broadcasting stations, since campuses are actually communities in their own rights. It is up to the institutions, therefore, to make them work.
Engr Bolarinwa pledged that the Commission would honour its commitment of funding the endowment it instituted for the department because of its desire to ensure excellence in the quality of mass communication students produced by the Benue State University, as they will eventually man the broadcast sector in the country.
The DG also promised to look into the application for broadcast licence made by the BSU, as such a campus radio would give the students a chance to practice the theories they were learning in class.
He added that the Commission was prepared to collaborate with the department in improving the broadcast law content of the mass communication curriculum at the university by sending competent persons to lecture the students on the content and operations of the nation’s broadcast laws and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The Director General also explained that the Commission was preparing the grounds for collaboration with the National Universities Commission and other relevant bodies in order to harmonise the mass communication curriculum in the higher institutions of learning as required by the NBC Act.
The Director General also acknowledged Prof Igyor as a loyal friend of the Commission and appreciated his contributions to Africast and to our publications over the years.
Earlier Professor Igyor had introduced the new Head of Department, mass communications, Benue State University, Dr. Tyotom Keghku, a fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, and appreciated the Commission for its determination to put in place a world class broadcast industry in Nigeria and for the friendship he enjoyed over the years.
The new Head of Department of Mass Communication, Benue State University, thanked the Commission for receiving him so well, and particularly appreciated the DG’s commitment to excellence in broadcasting.
He explained that the purpose of the visit was to renew the ties between the Commission and the University, and to follow up on the Commission’s endowment of a Prize for Best Student in Broadcasting Journalism, as well as find out the position of their application for a broadcast license.
He announced that the next convocation of the university would be holding in October, and would like the Commission to be a part of the event.
Dr. Keghku expressed the hope that the relationship that had existed between the Commission and his department would continue even as they look forward to the approval of their campus broadcast licence.
The DG NBC later presented the visitors with some of the Commission’s publications.
The Director Broadcast Policy and Research, Mr. Mark Ojiah, the Director Broadcast Content and Zonal Coordination, Mr. Tom Chatta and the Head of Public Affairs of the Commission, Mallam Awwalu Salihu, assisted the DG to receive the visitors.
The Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, Engr Yomi Bolarinwa made this remark when he received the head of department of mass communication, Benue State University, Markudi, Dr Keghku, at the Commission’s headquarters. The delegation of two was led by Prof Gerard Igyor, a US-based professor of mass communication and also a visiting professor to the university.
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