By Uche Mbah
Within one hour of it being reopened consequent upon a Court order, African Independent Television, AIT, a subsidiary of DAAR Communications Ltd, which was shut down by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, earlier this week, recorded over twenty million viewers within one hour.The viewership cuts across all continents of the world.
AIT was off the air for about twenty four hours.
Checks monitored in Lagos indicate that the media house has benefited more from the closure than expected. The closure has inadvertently become a strong brand advertisement for the media house.
During the closure, Sky news shut the door against the Nigerian Television authority, NTA. NTA latches on their bandwidth for international connections. Though there was no official link of the action to the DAAR ban, it is believed to be in reaction to the Federal Government ban.
AIT had been through troubled waters before, and is still going through more. Of the over fifteen branches opened nation wide, only four of them are reportedly still functional. They also had to close down other stations opened in the West African subregion.
Recall that Justice Ekwo inyang of the Abuja High Court had ruled that Status Quo before may 30 should be maintained pending the resolution of the substantive suit filed by DAAR communications against NBC. Hours after the judgement, AIT was reopened. Raypower and Faaji Radio Stations were also reopened.
This Magazine had reported that the Department of Security Services, DSS, were on hand to enforce the close down of DAAR Communications. The NBC, had sent a letter to DAAR communications intimating the organization of the close down. Police and DSS were on hand to enforce compliance.
The case between DAAR Communications and NBC will come up for hearing After June 12, the new Democracy Day.It comes up on June 13.
