Nigerian Media Urged to Brace up for June 17 Digitization Deadline

By Oby Okeke
Media practitioners especially broadcasters have been called upon to brace up and  ensure that they are fully set for the June 17 2015 deadline to move to digital media.
Making the call recently at a one day seminar of media
digitization organized by students of National Open University of
Nigeria at Palm groove Lagos state, Eustace Dunn , the online editor of
Nigeria’s weekly, TELL magazine, reminded communicators, print and
broadcast media houses that they are barely two weeks away from the
deadline.
Dunn wondered if media houses are ready for the move.
Wanting to know how much efforts have already been put into the move, he
asked the question “how many media houses are ready? How many radio
stations and how many newspaper houses are really set?” adding that
‘digital media is here, let’s go digital.’

The digital media expert clearly differentiated
digitalization from digitization explaining that digitalization is the
idea and process of gearing towards a world where digital technologies
are integrated into everyday life whereas digitization is the actual
state of an everyday life where digital technologies are part of every
single human activity.
Emphasizing on the need for journalists and media
organizations to have been digitized on or before deadline,  Dunn noted
that as much as digital media brings with it a truck load of advantages,
it also does have its demerits.
The online editor, who is also a graduate of mass
communication at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, listed some of the
advantages of digital media to include vast simultaneous reach,
unlimited audience, flexibility leading to more accuracy, fast speed,
currency and timeliness, diversity of exposure, easy access to
information, less expensive accessibility amongst others.
Dunn however warned that maintaining a digitized media
house could bring with it technical and financial challenges, little or
no time to meet deadlines, poor power supply, knowledge gap among users
especially between upwardly mobile class and illiterate population,
information apathy resulting from excess information, information
overload and the social implication of reduction in communal
co-existence among others.
The experienced digital media expert, however, said that
with a proper knowledge of both sides to the coin on the issue of
digitization, practicing and prospective media practitioners can put
digitization to proper use whilst putting in efforts at overcoming its
challenges.

Oby G. okeke
Social PR/Writer/Blogger
Lagos
Mobile: 08089269743
             08170656491
Twitter: @itxlexie
IG :          itxlexie

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