Nigerian media: the more you look the less you see

If the spirit and character of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution regarding press freedom were to be adhered to, then the country's media would have emerged as one of the freest in the world. It gives me the impression that the architects of the document had good intentions by modelling the provisions after the American First Amendment, which the UN has put under its famous Article 19 of 1948.
Sadly, what section 1 of the law has generously given is taken away by subsections 2 and 3, leaving the media practitioner with little or nothing to cheer about. It is even worse when the same law vests the president with the power to give radio and television licenses at the recommendation of the National Assembly. President Obasanjo's government allegedly approved licences to his cronies under this law.
In Nigeria, radio and television have come to be seen by the political elite as a status symbol and instrument of suppression. That is why the Nigerian Television Authority, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and Voice of Nigeria with the largest coverage and national spread, are covetously guarded by any government that comes into office. These outlets funded with public resources have over the years been turned into the personal property of top politicians of the party in power. They have no room for opposition. Government messages are aired free while those of opposition must be paid for and duly approved by the ruling party or its organs.
At the state level, governors control what goes into their respective public radio and television station because they are empowered to hire and fire the operatives of such stations. They use such terms as 'commercialisation and privatisation' to justify the need for the opposition to pay for even public service announcements while they use the media free of charge. This is modern day apartheid, which has been silently supported by both the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC and the National Communications Commission. On paper they are seen as media regulators but in reality they are 'yes men' for the government in power.
The print media, which are set up in most cases by politicians and business-conscious persons, hold the only hope for the masses and they have become the champion of human rights and investigative journalism. Ask former president, Olusegun Obasanjo what they did to him when he wanted the now infamous 'third term' in office
Check these out: they hold the ace for the country's crusading journalism: The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Independent, ThisDay, Vanguard, The News and Tell.
The only concern however is that if any of the politicians/publishers has a matter that borders on them directly, it may not be very easy for the editors to publish and be damned as journalism pundits expect. Some of the media, it has been alleged, sometimes pander to the economic interest of their owners by engaging in self-censorship just to make ends meet.
The country's broadcast media has been put asunder by undue commercial interest selfishly being pursued at the expense of public service with the full support of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigerian, BON and some elements in government circles. But with a station like Rhythm 93.7 in Port Harcourt, which has been standing up for the people at all times, there is hope that one day, the voiceless will have a say in Nigeria. In all, there are many flourishing media in Nigeria but if one were to use the example of the broadcast media to judge the country's performance, it would amount to a situation whereby 'the more you look, the less you see'.There is an urgent need to review media ownership in the interest of the people.