The Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, SNB, South East Zone has been inaugurated.
Performing the inauguration at the Boardroom of Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS, the Executive Secretary of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, BON, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose said that the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters was formed as a result of the yearnings by broadcast professionals in Nigeria to have their own professional association, and called on all broadcasters in the South East to register with the association.
Dr. Bamgbose encouraged Chief Executives and station managers of both government owned and private radio and TV stations in the region to encourage their staff to register, as the SNB is now the sole authority in the broadcast industry to register practitioners, regulate practice, prescribe qualifications and admit members into the various membership categories.
While stating that SNB will help to professionalize the broadcast industry, improve standards as various SNB state councils and hold regular trainings for members, Dr. Bamgbose also noted that it will look after members welfare in a lot of ways even as he lauded the work done by senior statesmen, and broadcasters, who in 1994 registered SNB with the CAC.
He disclosed that the bill for the establishment of SNB will soon be passed by the National Assembly, having passed the second reading and encouraged practitioners to register with SNB as it will soon become the basic standard for promotions and employment in the broadcast industry.
Welcoming the participants, the Director General of ESBS, Mr. Chukwuma Ogbonna, said the organization was proud to be hosting the inauguration and pledged that management will encourage staff of ESBS to become members.
In his own remark, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, Chief Uche Nworah PhD, who is a member of SNB Implementation Committee said that SNB will help broadcasters to have their own identity promising to support the growth of SNB in the South East region.
The chairman of BON, South East zone, Engineer Okey Igbonekwu, pledged their readiness to work with all the broadcast media in the zone to ensure that their staff become members of SNB.
Performing the ceremonial unveiling and distribution of the forms to broadcasters in the South East, the Director General of Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State, BCA, Sir Anyaso Onyekachi, presented the membership forms to those present.
Practicing broadcasters with experience of five years in the South East zone are eligible to apply for Associate membership, while those with ten years-experience can apply for full membership.