Olusola, who was a stabilising force
for me, would also do a lot work. In
those formative years, I would drop
a lot of the equipment at home in
my car. It was all hands-on.
Channels TV will be starting in the
UK this year.
Yes. We hope to settle everything
by February or March 2015. We’ve
pretty much done everything. We
are waiting for Ofcom to give us a
licence. Every other thing is in
place. There have been some
challenges and we have had to
tweak our application but I think
now we’ve got things right. And
we’re just waiting for the approval.
Where is Channels TV available now?
Channels is on many platforms. In
Africa on satellite we’re on My TV.
On DSTV we’re on Multichoice. In
eastern Africa we’re on IPTV. In the
UK we’re on Freeview TV and
IPTV. In the US, we’re on cable
through USAfricaTV. Those are the
ones taking us outside the country.
In Nigeria, we’re on so many
platforms. We have our four
different UHF platforms. We’re also
on the DTT platforms.
How has digital switchover affected
Channels TV and what has been the
response in Nigeria generally?
First of all, I think it might be
difficult for us to make the cut off
dates in Nigeria - just as it is in the
rest of Africa, and in other parts of
the world. A lot of things need to be
done and I don’t think that they’re
being done. We need to prepare
more. There are so many questions
that are unanswered.
But what the switchover has
done is make sure we are
completely technologically
compliant and that we’re ready to
take advantage of the benefits that
come with it.
For instance, we’re going to be
providing multiple channels. We’re
on the verge of launching DTH
services this year.
It also helps us since it ups the
ante as far as production and
programme quality is concerned, so
we can measure up to international
standards. We’re doing a lot to
make sure that our production
meets those standards. We’ve
involved some trainers and we’re
asking more people to be trained
within Channels TV.
THE CHANNEL
|
IN CONVERSATION
What has been the reason for
Channels TV’s success?
I think it’s a combination of the fact
that we’re very blessed, very lucky,
and that from the onset, we carved
a niche for ourselves. What I did
when I set up Channels was to get a
new crop of broadcasters, so there
would be a departure from the
government-controlled
organisations. We tried new ways
of doing things, in modes of
dressing, presentation, production.
We introduced graphics for the first
time, we introduced sets. We were
doing a lot of things that hadn’t
been done before, and that put us
in the eyes of the public. It was 24/7
in those formative years, and even
up to now. It’s been one long
journey, with a lot of hard work
and a lot of dedicated staff.
Did those early years of learning
everything you could at NTA help in
building Channels?
Initially I had to take the lead. I
used to go out with a camera, put it
on my shoulder and shoot, go back
to the studio and edit, then read the
news. Sometimes the newscasters
would direct. And my wife,
”
We want to
try to reach
Africans of
thediaspora
all over the
world
“
18
|
ISSUE 1 2015
|
THE CHANNEL
