CROSS RIVER ODDITY: STARCROSS, EBONY TV stations dominate C/River airspace Posted by: legis admin Posted date: August 8, 2013 | 10:51 pm In: ODDITIES LEGISREPORTS NG - There has been an influx of investments and other businesses coming into Cross River State in the last two years. Governor Liyel Imoke confirms that over Two Billion Dollars worth of such has come in within the period. Two of such are the STARCROSS and Ebony Television stations now operating from the state capital. They are owned by Nigerians. These are changing the face of the state hitherto regarded as backward and sleepy by key decision makers in entertainment, politics, religious and especially in business matters. The city which was renowned for entertainment and relaxation before now seems to be coming back to live with these businesses and influx of famous entertainers. Many are left in doubt as to what could really be the magic that is propelling many consequential people in Nigeria even multinational firms to now turn to Calabar for investments. Just last month, President Goodluck Jonathan conducted the groundbreaking ceremony at the Free Trade Zone in Calabar for one of the five topmost companies in the world, General Electric who are investing One Billion Dollars in the state economy. But inspite of this level of investment which has attracted influx of Nigerians and foreigners into the state, the Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) even the The Nigerian Chronicle newspaper, one of the oldest publications in the country which has churned out the likes of Ray Ekpu, Paul Bassey and former governor of the state, Dr Clement Ebri, owned by the state government, do not make any appreciable impact beyond Calabar at all. Can they be regarded as comatose? Be that as it may, the government instead of pumping desired funds to revamp the capacities of these media outlets prefers to dump millions of Naira into avalanche of drain pipes called in-house publications which circulate within the state ministries, departments and agencies. Much of mass media influence and entertainment have rather come in from other states. Reflecting over the plight of the state in this regard, about a year ago, minister of information, Labarun Maku came into the state and promised that the national radio FM would be established since the equipment meant for it were moved to establish Radio Nigeria Atlantic FM which has become a broadcast force in Akwa Ibom State and environs. To the rescue, two powerful satellite private Television Stations have now been established in the state. These are making tremendous impact in and out of the state. Several residents no longer bother to watch or listen to CRBC programmes. They are now mostly hooked to Ebony TV and STARCROSS TV which are operating from the state capital, Calabar. They are owned by Nigerians. Mrs Mo Amudi is the visible personality said to be behind Ebony TV in Calabar. Based outside the country, she used to present the popular ‘Mo Talk’ on many Tv stations in Nigeria. With mostly contract staff, Ebony TV started transmission few months ago from Studio Tinapa. Some of the contract staff who are said to be well-paid however lament that some of them were asked to sign three to six months contracts but that such are hardly renewed. Ebony is mostly an entertainment station and can be received on DSTV. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cross River State government early this year, meaning the station has a sort of support and funds from the Governor Liyel Imoke led administration. The reason for the state collaboration, aside from boosting state’s revenue and investment profile, it is hoped that the TV stations would help to project the state’s tourism and the month-long Christmas Festival, now a global attraction. The other is the STARCROSS TV, owned by an influential and respected spiritual leader, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu but headed by one Bishop Samuel Friday Akpan, a former deputy chairman of PDP in Akwa Ibom State, whom many think is favoured by political forces in that state and Obu himself to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio by 2015. The station which has become very popular amongst residents in Calabar and beyond is also received through satellite network system around the world. Although it is operating with foreign partnership from the world headquarters of Leader Obu’s sprawling compound at 34 Ambo Street in Calabar, it has booster stations in Pretoria, South Africa and United Kingdom. They do not broadcast political programmes but mostly gospel music, interviews, general interest discussions. They however devote greater chunk of airtime to the sponsor of the TV stations for stream of endless gospels based on love, forgiveness, truth and ‘arrival of the kingdom of God on earth’. But STARCROSS has presently engaged mostly very young Nigerian fresh graduates and all are new to broadcast journalism. An exception might be a lawyer and former general manager of NTA channel 7 in Lagos, Dr Adedeji A. Ayinde who manages the TV outfit. Watching this stations, you see an insight into this once dreaded religious outfit now the toss of all and sundry. Perhaps one of the chief aims for the establishment of the stations is to clear some doubts and fears people had about the organization. Speaking to journalists about STARCROSS TV and the upcoming twin celebration of ‘Supreme Signature Day/ETON DAY MARCH in Calabar last week and their significance to the world, spokesman of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, his lordship Bishop Princely Ibeabuchi flanged by two other bishops, Joe Dike who is director of information & media of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star and Winston Nakanda bishop of Cross River State, said “The major aim for the establishment of this TV station in Calabar, apart from creating a balance between government, the people and religion, is to project the presence of God Almighty and to graphically show the importance for humanity to practically exhibit virtues of peace, forgiveness, truth and love for one another.” He said the TV station will help not only to project the significance of Eton Day and Supreme Signature celebration by the fold to the nation but to promote Nigerians. He emphasized that the fold has to annually mark the Signature Day to draw attention of the world to the fact that there are signatures that have the divine and conventional capacities to upturn situations, just like signatures of Mr President or Barack Obama or other presidents of the world. But he said that there is a particular signature that has ‘overall supremacy’. “Those who are gifted with this knowledge have come to accept that wherever the ‘supreme signature’ is appended either as consent, authorization, directives all angels, spirits, all creatures in heaven, the earth, the abyss and the ocean are bound to give heed to the emanating divine order without questions” Reacting on the coming of private broadcast outlets into Calabar, Senior accounting lecturer at University of Calabar, Bassey Bassey and another lecturer at Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), Bassey Akisot commended the private initiatives, saying such would kick life into CRBC radio and TV which never saw competition before now. “We welcome the establishment of private broadcast stations in Cross River State. This way, we can have better alternatives like in such states like Lagos, Rivers and Abuja.” Inyang Ekpenyong Ene, a member of Tricycle associations in Calabar said, “I have been hearing about these Television stations but they are all ‘big men’ TV stations because common man cannot afford to buy decoder or DSTV to be able to watch their programmes. I am happy about the STARCROSS tv.” Chief Press Secretary and media adviser to Governor Liyel Imoke, Christian Ita also expressed happiness over the establishment of these media outlets in Calabar, hoping that they would run programmes that would not only bring about harmony, peace and progress amongst the people of the state and Nigerians but should help to draw significance and quality business to the state. This report was prepared by our report from calabar.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 22:09:02 +0000
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