Date Published: 10/16/11

Delta Broadcasting Service begins test transmission

The Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) in Asaba has commenced the test transmission of its digital facility installed at the cost of N1.6 billion.

The test transmission, which began about two weeks ago, came two months after the projected period of completion of the station’s digitalisation process.

Mr Austin Mowah, the Acting General Manager of DBS, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Sunday that the longer period spent on the station’s digitalisation programme was because of the need to follow the due process.

Mowah said that contract for the broadcast digitalisation programme also covered the state’s two other broadcasting stations at Warri and Ubulu-Uku.

He said that the state government embarked on the project, in compliance with the directive of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) to the country’s broadcasting houses to digitalise their operations before the end of 2012.

Mowah said that although the project at the Asaba station had not been fully completed, ``it now has improved signals and wider coverage, which gets as far as to Lagos, Port Harcourt and all the eastern state.

``By our estimation of the time for completing the project, we thought it will be completed in one month but as you know, public sector contracts have to adhere to due process rules.

``When the project initially took off, we found out that there was no ‘earth-wiring’ at all in DBS, Asaba. The ‘earthen’ resistance was almost zero and the Ministry of Information had to approve another contract to ‘earth-wire’ the station.

``But the original contract sum of N1.6 billion will still cover the projects for the three stations in spite of the noticed challenge.

``We currently run a test transmission but I must tell you that our picture quality has improved, while our coverage area has expanded.

``We currently get signals from Lagos, Kogi, Port Harcourt and all the eastern states and this is good for our business,’’ he said.

Mowah, however, said that that the station was still awaiting the installation of new studio equipment to make it a fully digitized system, adding that when the project was fully completed, work would start at the Warri station.

``I am happy to say that the new digital transmitter has been installed, although the complementing digital studio has not been installed for it to become fully digitized,” he said.

The acting general manager, however, expressed optimism that by December, the Asaba station would become fully digitized and urged the people to be patient with the state government.

``Government is committed to giving the people the best, so I call on the people to be patient with the government, as it will deliver the project before the end of the year,” he said.

Mowah, nonetheless, noted that Delta was the second state, after Ekiti, to comply with the directive of BON on the digitalisation of the country’s broadcast stations.

``I must say here that the digitalisation has also inspired the staff for a better service delivery and commitment to duty.

``The only way to justify the government’s effort in providing equipment and a conducive work environment is for the workers to become more creative and productive,’’ Mowah said.

(NAN)