The Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, BON, has called on the Federal Government to approve a stimulus package for the broadcast industry through tax rebates, as well as an intervention fund to access long term capital at single digit interest rate.
BON in a statement titled “Difficult Moment for Broadcasters to Sustain Broadcasting”, stated that despite economic downturn and low revenue generation occasioned by the total lockdown as a result of COVID-19, the media cannot afford to shut down because of its importance in information dissemination.
It, therefore, called on government to assist its member stations to access facilities by providing guarantees to de-risk the loans they require to restructure their operations.
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BON expects government to inject the funding through advertorial and public campaigns running on broadcast organizations.
It pleaded for the government support for fund to conclude the process of digital migration after the COVID-19 pandemic.