Minister advocates creative industry framework, installs audience measurement team

* Objective, scientific Audience Measurement System articulates content to consumers, adds value to advertisers ─Alhaji Lai Mohammed

* Says DSO of television from analogue is well underway

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Towards meeting the global standards to fully realise the huge potential in the Nigerian creative industry, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Information and Culture, has inaugurated the Task Team on Audience Measurement in the nation’s Advertising industry.

Mohammed in Abuja, FCT, Tuesday, June 2 charged the team to develop an industry framework that would serve as a catalyst for putting in place a robust Audience Measurement System that meets international standards for the advancement of the creative industry in the country, according to the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

The Honourable Minister stated that “the absence of a world-class measurement regime has resulted in under-investment in the sector, which is necessary to foster the growth of the industry.”

The advertising community, he said, continues to rely on subjective factors when making decisions on the content they want, as against how many viewers the content truly attracts.

Mohammed said: “Today, television platforms are subjected to renting out space on their channels to sustain their businesses, and content producers are at the mercy of sponsors which, unfortunately, skews the authenticity of their creative output in favour of a few decision makers, instead of the millions of TV viewers.”

He emphasised the need for an objective and scientific Audience Measurement System that articulates the value of the content to consumers, while creating value of the audience to advertisers, especially in the television sector.

For the Digital Switchover (DSO) in broadcasting to be effective, the Minister stated that there has to be a robust Audience Measurement System to make it sustainable for Signal Distributors, Channel Owners, TV Content Producers and Advertisers.

Mohammed said: “Ladies and gentlemen, with this Task Team, we are today heralding a new dawn in our Broadcast Industry.

“The Digital Switchover (DSO) of our television from analogue is now well underway, and we are set to announce a new, accelerated agenda, in order to ensure that the DSO becomes a veritable tool to help lift the Creative Industry out of the crippling effect of COVID-19.”

He therefore, urged the committee to identify best practice Audience Measurement System that would support the sustainable growth of the Nigeria Creative Industry, and recommend a Framework for supporting the sustainability of the Audience Measurement System, independent of the Federal Government.

Mohammed recommended a Payment and Disbursement Framework among the key stakeholders in the industry, including the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) and Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

Alhaji Bello Kankarofi, Chairman of the Task Team on Audience Measurement, said the inauguration of the Committee was a watershed in the annals of the broadcast and advertising industry in the country.

Other members of the Committee are Mr. Obi Asika; Hajia Sa’aa Ibrahim; Mr. Mahmoud Ali Balogun; Mrs Pauline Ehusani; Mr. Tolu Ogunkoya and Mr. Joe Mutah as Secretary.