SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND NATIONAL ORIENTATION, MOHAMMED IDRIS, FNIPR, AT THE FORMAL LAUNCH OF THE AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM IN NIGERIA HELD IN ABUJA ON 6TH JUNE, 2024
Protocol. It is with great pleasure and a profound sense of accomplishment that we gathered here today to mark the formal launch of Nigeria's first scientific-based audience measurement system in broadcasting. This milestone represents a significant leap forward in the country’s media landscape and is a testament to our commitment to innovation, adaptability and the enhancement of the media industry in general.
The introduction of this sophisticated audience measurement system is a groundbreaking achievement that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's vision for a more prosperous and technologically advanced Nigeria. This system will serve as a cornerstone for reliable data, by providing accurate and comprehensive insights into media consumption patterns across various demography.
This System we are launching today, holds immense importance in ensuring that our broadcasting endeavors are not only impactful but also reflective of the diverse preferences and needs of our audience. It is a tool that empowers us to understand and respond to the dynamic nature of our media consumers, providing valuable perception into their viewing habits, content preferences, and engagement patterns. It is therefore gratifying to note that this project, which started in 2020, has finally come to fruition.
The introduction of the system becomes very necessary because our current Audience Measurement still uses age old Diary Method (pen and paper) of collecting data on TV Viewership and Radio Listenership, which does not reflect the true picture of what and how manypeople are watching or listening to a particularcontent.
Similarly, Station Owners, Content Producers, Artists, essentially the entire supply ecosystem, was not benefiting in many ways; more important, they are neither motivated or challenged to produce more and better content that caters to the ‘demand’, as the measure of who likes it, what they like, how much they like, etc. This has clearly stunted the growth of the entire Entertainment and Media ecosystem in Nigeria.
It is disheartening to note that in spite of having more than three times the eyeballs in South Africa, Nigeria’s television advertising market revenue is low compared to that of South Africa, and Kenya; as we’re third on the continent. It is therefore incumbent on us to reverse the trend and adopt the system that will ensure that the advertising spend in Nigeria grows exponentially in the next couple of years.
To achieve this, the Federal Government inaugurated the Ministerial Task Team on Audience Measurement comprising relevant stakeholders in the industry, to design the implementation plan for the introduction of the system. Subsequently, the National Broadcasting Commission and the Advertising Regulatory Commission of Nigeria, appointed First Media and Entertainment Integrated (Nigeria) Limited, a marketing research company based in Lagos, to deliver a scientifically based audience measurement services in Nigeria.
I am confident that a transparent and reliable audience measurement system will attract greater investment into the media sector, driving economic growth and creating job opportunities. It will also enhance Nigeria's reputation as a market with robust and trustworthy media analytics.
With this scientific-based system, advertisers can have greater confidence in the accuracy of viewership numbers, leading to more strategic and impactful advertising campaigns in Nigeria.Broadcasters will also benefit from clear insights into audience preferences, which will help in enhancing the quality and relevance of their programming. This will ultimately lead to a more engaged and satisfied audience.
I am also informed that in its full operation, the Audience Measurement System is projected to directly employ up to 500 Nigerians and 2,500 people indirectly.
This project will jumpstart the repositioning and financial re-birth of Nigeria’s broadcasting industry and better prepare it for the digital era as the Federal Government is still on track towards the implementation of the Digital Switch Over.
Let me restate here, the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to developing the entire media landscape in Nigeria as amply demonstrated in his recent directive to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Bank of Industry to extend financial facilities to the media industry at a single digit interest rate. I will therefore enjoin the media owners to develop bankable proposals and take advantage of this offer.
In conclusion, as we move forward, let us harness the power of this system to create a more vibrant, responsive, and successful media landscape in Nigeria. Together, we can achieve a media environment that not only meets the expectations of our audiences but also sets new benchmarks for excellence.
Let me also urge the Service Provider to mount an aggressive public sensitization and advocacy to all the relevant sectoral groups in order to adequately harness the potentials of the Audience Measurement System.
Thank you for your attention, and congratulations to everyone who has played a part in making this vision a reality.
Thank you. Mohammed Idris Minister of Information and National Orientation
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