NTA signs pact with Chinese firm, over digital transmission

THE Management of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has entered into agreement with a Chinese international firm, StarTimes, to boost its operations in the country from the current analogue to digital broadcast transmission.This was disclosed yesterday, by the Zonal Director, NTA Kaduna, Alhaji Bala Hassan, at a press briefing by StarTimes officials in conjunction with the NTA.Hassan said that at the time the television station was discussing how to go digital on its broadcast, the Chinese firm, StarTimes came into its rescue by introducing digital transmission through decoder to the station.The zonal director pointed out that in striking the deal, NTA had no option than to grab the opportunity since it came at a time the NTA management was in need of the digital outlook.The effect of the partnership with StarTimes, according to the NTA Zonal boss was the introduction of channel 24 by the NTA which is a 24 hours transmitting station, operated digitally and viewed globally.According to Hassan, 'it is a kind of business actually, there was a time the director-general of the NTA was briefing us on how to go all digital. Some officials from StarTimes visited Nigeria and the idea was discussed with the director-general, and honestly that was the time when the NTA was struggling to expand.'We were struggling to have new 24 channels, sports channel, entertainment channel, and by the time the officials came from the StarTimes, we realised it was a big relief for us, because they were coming in with digital transmission signals while we were all struggling to expand, and at the same time struggling to digitalise.''So by the time they met the DG, it was a good idea and an opportunity and it was discussed by the management with the Ministry of Information and the government bought the idea. It was not done by NTA alone, government came in. So that was how it all started, and later it became something great for us because it helped us, in the digitalisation effort.'The General Manager, StarTimes, Kaduna, Mr. Jess Jing explained that the choice of partnership with NTA was borne out of the fact that the station was more experienced, exposed and has management skills and capability than any television station in the country.
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