DSO: Federal Government Gives New Directive To GOTV, Star-Times | READ DETAILS

Disclosing this development in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the directive was in line with the Digital Switch Over (DSO), process.

The minister said, the laws of the land recognizes a single frequency network that is being operated by two licensed signal distributors; Integrated Television Services (ITS) and Pinnacle Communications.

He explained that Star-Times and GOTv, goes contrary to the law as they are currently running their individual signals. He added that the PayTV's must migrate to any of the licensed signal distributors of their choice.

" We have directed National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) to ask GOtv and Star-Times to go to either Pinnacle of ITS.

"They cannot carry their signals and that is the only way the licensed signal distributors can survive" the minister said.

The Federal Government set April 29 for the resumption of the roll-out of the second phase of DSO in the remaining 31 states.

Recall, the first phase of the roll-out covered the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Osun and Enugu.

Speaking further, Lai Mohammed said, with the approval of N9.4 billion by the Federal Government and the setting up of a 14-member ministerial task force to drive the DSO process, the remaining 31 states would be successfully and effectively covered.

He assured that the DSO would enable Nigerians to have the opportunity to have choices of many TV stations as well as have access to quality pictures and programs with little annual cost and no monthly subscription. He added that no state would be left out without a DSO signal before the final Analogue Switch Off.