The Society of Nigerian Broadcasters has commended information minister Mohammed Idris for directing the suspension of broadcast licence fee reviews.

President of SNB, Umaru Pate, gave the commendation in a statement on Tuesday.

The minister had on Monday announced the suspension of all reviews of broadcast licence fees until further notice, as part of measures to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.

Mr Pate described the minister’s intervention as a clear demonstration of constructive engagement and a willingness to translate the concerns of broadcasting stakeholders into practical action.

While welcoming the suspension of fee hikes, the SNB president noted that securing presidential assent to the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters Bill remained the ultimate milestone needed to safeguard the future of the sector.

He urged the minister to leverage his office to expedite processes for the bill to be signed into law.

According to Mr Pate, the legislation is critical to establishing a statutory framework to enforce professional standards, promote ethical conduct and institutionalise continuous professional development across the broadcast industry.

“Enacting the SNB Bill into law will grant Nigerian broadcasters a stronger professional identity, legal recognition and the necessary structure to safeguard the integrity of the profession,” he stated.

Mr Pate also acknowledged other initiatives led by the minister, including plans to review the National Broadcasting Code, resolve lingering digital switch-over challenges, enforce the 45-day advertising payment policy and address broadcast spectrum allocation.

He, however, emphasised that operational sustainability must go hand-in-hand with practitioner welfare.

The SNB president called for fair remuneration, improved working conditions, continuous training, and expanded support for community and educational broadcasting.

The SNB boss charged broadcasting stations across the country to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance, and strict ethical standards throughout the electoral cycle. He reaffirmed the society’s commitment to collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Information, the National Broadcasting Commission, and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria to modernise the industry.

(NAN)