University of Lagos ( UNILAG ) announced on November 9 that Federal Government has approved its request to start Unilag Television. The television station is said to be the first campus television in West Africa. With the approval, the university can now transmit live to the general public.
According to the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, “We are ready to go on air, as we have all it takes to float a world-class television station. Right now, we have the cameras and other gadget with a world-class studio.”
“The approval to operate a television station will improve our branding. We are going to bring in professionals to help in kick-starting the station. For the university to pay as much as N10m to acquire the television licence, you should know that we will make adequate use of it (the TV station), ” Ogundipe stated and disclosed that the station will commence operations this February.
Chairman, Centre of Excellence in Multi-Media/Radio UNILAG and Television, Professor, Ralph Akinfeleye, in an interview stated that about $5 million was used to set up the studio for the station’s operations. He promised that the station would assist in producing world-class broadcasters, adding that the station’s productions would go beyond the Direct Satellite Television.
“We are happy to see the realisation of this dream. We bid for a World Bank grant of $5 million for the purchase of equipment alongside 19 other universities and we won it.
“I am glad to state that we have taken delivery of the various equipment, such as cameras, tele-prompters and other broadcast materials worth that amount. This makes our studio more sophisticated than most television stations in the country.”
With the above declarations, it is believed the institution is ready to take the television broadcasting industry by storm. To what extent can this experiment go?
It will be noted that in 2002, the University was granted a licence to start radio broadcasting. It consequently launched Unilag Radio 103.1 FM. The station has largely been successful, thereby opening doors for other institutions in Nigeria to obtain their radio licences. As at the last count, there are about 50 campus radio stations in the country after the trail blazer, Unilag Radio.
However, can the University wand the magic stick to achieve success with television broadcasting as she is doing with radio broadcasting? For top players in the industry today, their staying power has being the ability to understand their audience and adequately utilise the new media space. In an interview granted by Akinfeleye to a newspaper, he noted: “we have more than 200 edited content. If we start broadcasting today, I have enough that would carry us 24/7.” Inasmuch as content is available, the station must strive to broadcast only that which will be of interest to her target audience, hence this experiment might not live.
In terms of making use of the new media platforms, the current website and social media platforms of the station needs a total overhaul. The current quality available on www.unilag.tv actually points to a faulty start for this television experiment. There is a need to constantly update the website according to industry best practice. For a start, the website layout needs urgent work. It is below the standard expected for starters at least.
In this age, no one can afford to gloss over quality digital output. It is also expedient that a section dedicated to LIVE TV, where viewers can monitor the station’s activities from the website is included and made active. The social media platforms must possess the ability to gain traction and attract quality conversation. For an institution like University of Lagos, excellence has always been its watchword. For this reason, the institution cannot afford to muddle this ongoing experiment. It is a worthy cause capable of launching her into more prominence. As such, those at the helm of affairs must see the station as an important project which requires the best.
In order to fulfil her vision of being “a top-class television station targeted at raising the standard of community broadcasting in Nigeria and beyond,” UNILAG Television must set a high standard for campus broadcasting in the country.
With the February date on us, it’s expected that the institution will live up to all the promises made.