Edo Broadcasting Service Edo State Television/Radio
COMMISION OF TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS AT EDO BROADCASTING SERVICE TELEVISION:
CONSOLIDATING THE GLOBAL HISTORY OF BROADCASTING
THE BROADCASTING PHENOMENON
What has come to be known as broadcasting today originated from the development of telegraph in 1844, by an American Inventor, Samuel Morse and also the telephone in 1876 by Scottish American Alexander Graham Bell.
Also in1894, Guelielmo Marconi an Italian teenager fired the salvo that energized research efforts into the development of wireless medium. This was immediately complemented by the breakthrough recorded in 1906, by a Canadian American engineer Reginald Fessenden who perfected voice communication over the radio. The vacuum tube which was introduced by Lee De Forest in 1907 refined the technical qualities of the radio and in 1916, using radio to broadcast to mass audience was perfected by David Sarnoff an executive of the American Marconi Company.
BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA
The origin of Broadcasting in Nigeria dates back to the early years of colonial rule and the indirect system of administration. In order to achieve perfect control and mobilization of their colonial subjects, the colonial masters introduced education and radio. With the radio, the colonial governments were able to keep their subjects adequately informed of their policies & programmes. This prompted the British colonial government to build a radio relay station in Lagos to receive the signals of the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) under the empire service. In 1951 the Nigerian Broadcasting Service was established mainly to relay the programmes of the BBC.
However in 1956, the Nigeria Parliament in cap 39, enacted a law establishing the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
In 1959 An indigenous full-fledged radio and television outfits were established at Ibadan in the defunct western region by Late chief Obafemi Awolowo. The Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, (WNBC) and the Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) at Ibadan were soon followed in 1960 and 1962 respectively by the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (ENBC) and the Broadcasting Commission of Northern Nigeria (BCNN).
In 1978, the federal Military government of General Olusegun Obasanjo took over regional stations, dissolved the NBC and replaced it with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
THE UNIQUENESS OF TELEVISION
The unique peculiarity of television as a medium of communication is overwhelming. Though people may actually be excited into the action by radio simply by hearing the words of an impassioned leader, but television stops people from listening to the words and draws their attention much more to the actions, personality and even clothes to the speaker.
Television thus appears to be a very powerful means of influencing people and its effect is definitely visual rather that verbal.
After an assessment of the effect of newspapers, radio and television on their audience. Peter H. Harris, a communication expert and Historian wrote: Newspapers and radio depend upon the word for their impact, and many people today, believe that a message is best conveyed by actions, which explains the growth of protest movements and even of riots. While the word is in evidence only in placards or posters in television the medium is the message.
The television therefore has an input which has surpassed all other medium. The element of urgency immediacy and combination of sound and vision has made its impact encapsulating and at the same time electrifying.
Due to the desire of the federal government to constantly inform its over 140 million citizens of its policies and programmes and realizing that government alone cannot meet these challenges, it decided to encourage private participation in the broadcasting industry.
Therefore, on the 20th of August 1992, the defunct military regime of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babagidda punctured the balloon of government monopoly of the broadcasting industry by promulgating decree 38 of 1992. This decree established the National Broadcasting Commission which today regulates the activities of the sector.
Also decree 38 of 1992, gave NBC the powers to receive, process, consider and approve applications and requests for licenses in the industry. By the said decree, NBC may also receive, consider, and investigate complaints from any quarter regarding the content of a broadcast or even the conduct of a broadcasting station in addition to its regulatory and supervisory roles.
Furthermore, NBC is required to undertake research and development in broadcasting as well as establishing a National Broadcasting Code, Promote Broadcasting audience measurement and penetration and approve transmitter power. It is also required to determine the location of stations, area of coverage and the types of equipment to be used.
To achieve maximum success in its monitoring assignment, the commission has established seven zones located in Benin, Lagos, Umuahia, Jos, Abuja, Kano and Maiduguri.
The Benin zone monitors Broadcasting activities in Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo, and Ekiti.
To date the NBC has several satellite transmission stations, Radio and Television Stations and Global Satellite stations to its credit.
EDO BROADCASTING SERVICE IN THE LEST 25 YEARS
Edo Broadcasting Service has a rich and long history that could be traced way back to 1965 when the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation was established in the then mid-West Region of Nigeria. So the NBC can be said to be the fore runner of what is today known as Edo Broadcasting Service.
The NBC at that time, was established to meet the Information and enlightenment needs of the people of the mid-western region. In January 1978, NBC became known as FRCN.
However, in September of 1978, the FRCN gave way to what became known as Radio Bendel when the then Federal Military Government enunciated a policy of handing over its NBC station in the states of the state governments.
The station then adopted the name Radio Bendel to reflect the defunct Bendel state. In 1980, a Television arm was added to complement what used to be known as Radio Bendel. This was made possible by the pioneering leadership of the then Governor of Bendel State, Prof. Ambrose Alli of blessed memory.
As far back as 1980, the Government had designated a parcel of land measuring several hectares of land at the present day Corporate Headquarters of the service at Aduwawa with the vision of building a broadcasting complex that will house Television, Radio and support facilities including accommodation and guest houses for staff.
Actual test transmission started in the early days of November 1980, the governor had the singular honour making his maiden broadcast on Bendel Television in the then Bendel state. The Edict No 11, 1986 empowered the name Bendel Broadcasting Service.
In 1990 and with the creation of new states in the Federation, Edo and Delta state were carved out of the now defunct Bendel state. As a result of this Edo and Delta state had ownership of the Broadcasting Corporation and was so designed until the establishment of Delta Broadcasting Service later in Asaba. This left Edo state with sole ownership of the then Bendel Broadcasting Service which is today known as Edo Broadcasting Service.
Today, Edo Broadcasting Service is solely owned by the state Government and it is a parastatal under the Ministry of Information.
Its Radio and television stations are received state wide and beyond. The service has two sub stations or booster stations at Ivue-Uromi and Ihievba near Afuze.
The booster substation at Ivue-Uromi re-transmit television signal while radio signal are re-transmitted from Ihievbe. The service operates form two frequencies, it transmits F.M. signal from 75.7KHZ frequency modulations, while the television can be accessed on channel 55 on the ultra-high frequency band at 743.25 MHz.
The service, both Radio and Television is headed by a general manager under the direct supervision of the board of directors appointed by the state government. Under the leadership of the General Manager, the following departments are all headed by Assistant General Managers. The departments are as follows:
- ADMINISTRATION
- ENGINEERING
- NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS, TV
- PROGRAMMES
- COMMERCIAL SERVICES
- PRESENTATION
- EBS ENTERPRISES
- CORPORATE AFFIARS
- FINANCE
- NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS, RADIO
- TRAINING & MANPOWER DEVELOPMENT
Together these departments are responsible for the collection, collation, packaging and dissemination of information on government activities, programmes and policies. It also carries out social services in keeping with its corporate social responsibility mandate of informing, entertaining and enlightening the good people of Edo state.
PAST GENERAL MANAGERS OF EBS
- BANKOLE BALOGUN
- P.O. CHIAZOR
- ENGINEER N.O. ILUOBE
- MR MARTINS EKPE
- TUNDE EBEZOJIE