NIGERIA MEDIA MONITOR

{------


#03-08 MONDAY, February 23, 1998.


*	JOURNALIST ARRAIGNED FOR ALLEGED COUP PLOTTING
*	ARMY WARNS JOURNALISTS AGAIN
*	DETAINED JOURNALIST GRANTED BAIL
*	JOURNALISTS CRY OUT OVER UNPAID SALARIES
*	EU DEMANDS RELEASE OF DETAINEES
*	JAILED JOURNALIST WINS UNESCO PRIZE
*	POLICY ON TELECOM SECTOR DEREGULATION OUT
*	MORE TELECOM FIRMS BEGIN OPERATION
*	NEW WAVE OF INTEGRATED GLOBAL MEDIA: WHAT DOES IT POR
TEND?

NEWSREEL
JOURNALIST ARRAIGNED FOR ALLEGED COUP
Niran Malaolu, editor of 'The Diet' Newspaper, is to face trial for
allegedly plotting a coup.  On 14 February 1998, Malaolu was among 27
suspects listed and paraded at the inaugural sitting of the Special
Military Tribunal (SMT), which is trying persons accused of
involvement in an alleged coup plot which the military government
claims to have uncovered in December 1997.  Malaolu was arrested by
security operatives, along with three of his colleagues at The Diet
on 28 December 1997. The other three were later released.  The
military authorities have given no details regarding Malaolu's
offence.

Although "The Diet", like other newspapers, had carried stories on
the alleged coup, there has been nothing spectacular about its
stories. While Malaolu remained in detention, at The Diet said the
paper's management kept getting assurances from military authorities
that he was not being held in connection with the newspaper's stories
on the coup, although they refused to say why he was being held.
Before the Special Military Tribunal (SMT) event of 14 February, a
military spokesman had said, that no journalist was on the list of
those to be tried for involvement in the alleged coup.  Malaolu, like
the 26 others, was brought to the venue of the trial handcuffed. If
declared guilty, Malaolu may receive a death sentence, which is
usually carried out by firing squad.

Malaolu's case is not the first in Nigeria. Four journalists are
currently serving a 15-year imprisonment for being "accessories after
the fact of treason" in the alleged coup of 1995. They are Kunle
Ajibade (The News), Chris Anyanwu (The Sunday Magazine (TSM)), Ben
Charles Obi (Classique) and George Mba (Tell).

ARMY WARNS JOURNALISTS AGAIN
Military authorities have again warned journalists to be careful in
reporting issues of the alleged coup plot and the proceedings of the
Special Military Tribunal (SMT) trying the suspects in Jos, Plateau
State.

The Acting Director of Defence Information (DDI), Col. Godwin Ugbo,
told reporters in Lagos 17 February that the SMT, as a properly
constituted court, is vested with power to subpoena anybody.

He said "the press should be careful about what they write and ensure
that they don't insinuate-  Write only what you know and confirmed by
the authorities.  If you write out of context, the law of accessory
is there and the tribunal may invite you to say what you know about
the matter".

A journalist, Niran Malaolu, editor of The Diet, a Lagos-based daily,
has already been arraigned before the SMT.

He was arrested some days after the army issued its first warning to
journalists in December 1997.

The "law of accessory' to which Col. Ugbo referred in his statement
was used to jail 4 journalists in 1995. They were accused of being
"accessories after the fact of treason"

THE NEWS MAN WINS ROUND 1
The detained correspondent of TheNEWS, TEMPO and P.M.News in Jalingo,
Taraba State,  Ben. Adaji has won the first round in his battle to
breathe air of freedom. A court granted the bail applications filed
by his lawyer, Mr. Yusuf Akirikwea.

The detained journalist had earlier prayed the court to declare his
arrest and subsequent detention by the state commissioner of police
illegal and unconstitutional and order his immediate and
unconditional release.

Adaji was rearrested after he was first detained, on new year's eve.
He insists he and Mr. Adaji is being persecuted by the state police
boss over a publication concerning two warring communities - Chambas
and Kutebs in Takum LG, a story which was written by another
journalist, Mr. Hassan Abubakar.

Adaji was earlier reported to have been moved out of the first
detention camp to an unknown place on the orders of the police
commissioner, as he (the police commissioner) was said to have been
uncomfortable with the fact that Adaji's lawyer and relatives were
having access to him.


JOURNALIST COLLAPSES IN DETENTION
The Defence Correspondent of The News/TEMPO/PM News, Tokunbo Fakeye,
collapsed in military detention on 18 February 1998.

He was rushed to the military hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he
received treatment for 3 days. He was discharged and returned to
detention on 20 February 1998.

He was arrested on 4 November 1997 while on duty at Army Headquarters
in Lagos and detained in the dreaded military detention camp on Park
Lane, Apapa, Lagos.

His paper's administration manager, Rafiu Salau, who went to enquire
about his welfare at the camp, was also arrested and detained.  They
were both there until this latest incident.

DEMOCRAT STAFF CRY OUT OVER SALARY ARREARS
Journalists with the Kaduna-based Democrat Newspaper which suspended
publication early September last year, have appealed to the
management of the company to settle their unpaid salaries to enable
them sustain themselves and their families.

In a statement signed by eight of the journalists on behalf of all
editorial staff of the rested paper, they lamented that since the
closure five months ago, there has been no official communication
with them by the management.

EU ASKS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE DETAINEES
The European Union February 12 in Abuja called on the Federal
Government to fulfil its promise to release immediately all political
detainees.

The call came three months after the Head of State, General Sani
Abacha, had in his 17 November, 1997 national broadcast promise to
release some political detainees, a promised that is yet to be
fulfilled.

European Union Unit for West Africa, led by its head, Mr.. Hans
Allden, while on a working visit to the National Human Rights
Commission demanded the immediate release of all political detainees,
saying "the EU would welcome an immediate release of all political
detainees".

Mr. Allden stated that the release was a  major ingredient for a
fruitful democratic endeavour and for democracy to thrive in Nigeria
explaining that, "there must be openness and transparency in the
political system and a stout observance of human rights law".

He enjoined the Federal Government to allow the United Nations
Special Rapporteur scheduled to visit Nigeria access to investigate
the allegation of violation of human rights in the country.

JAILED JOURNALIST WINS UNESCO PRIZE
The 1998 UNESCO/Guillerno Cano World Press Freedom prize has been
awarded to the jailed editor-in-chief/publisher of The Sunday
Magazine (TSM), Mrs Chris Anyanwu.

The $25,000 prize, announced in Paris on February 16 by the UNESCO
Director General Federico Mayor, is awarded yearly based on the
recommendation of an independent jury of 14 news professionals from
all regions of the world chaired by French Journalist Claude Moisy
who is the President of UNESCO's Advisorg Group for Press Freedom. In
giving his committee's decision Moisy noted that "For nearly three
years, Christina Anyanwu has been suffering of extremely harsh prison
conditions in (Nigeria) a country where the independent press and
freedom of information have almost disappeared".

The award which will be presented on the occasion of World Press
Freedom Day coming up on May 3 1998, joined series of award received
by Chris Anyanwu since her incarceration in 1995.  It will be
recalled that Anyanwu was arrested and tried along with other three
journalists on the charge of being accessory after the fact of
treason in a coup d'etat allegedly uncovered by the Nigerian military
junta in March 1995.  She was consequently condemned to life
imprisonment by a special military tribunal in a trial held behind
close doors on July 4, 1995.  Her sentence was commutted to 15 years
on October 10, 1995.

MORE TELECOM FIRMS BEGIN OPERATION
The Nigerian Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) has signed an
inter-connectivity agreement with two new private telecommunication
firms.  They are: Bourdex Telecommunications Limited (BTL) which will
operate in Aba in the Eastern part of the country and VGC
Communications Limited is expected to start operation in the Victoria
Island of Lagos.

According to NITEL's Deputy General Manager (Public Relations), Mr.
Tayo Ekundayo,  Bourdex Telecommunications Limited will commence
business with about 2,000 lines while VGC communication has already
been linked to NITEL inter-connection complex with 1,000 lines for a
start.

In addition to about 700,000 telephone lines currently being provided
by NITEL, the deregulation of the telecommunication subsector has
witnessed the licencing of more than 26 companies to operate
different type of communication services in Nigeria.  In this
respect, the communications Minister, Major General Partrick Aziza
has opined that Nigeria's present marginal share of the world's
tele-communications industry which stands at about N40 billion
($3,400 billion) may be doubled within two years. 

FEATURE
THE NEW WAVE OF INTERGRATED GLOBAL MEDIA - WHAT DOES IT PORTEND? by
Mike Ajegbo
Background
Communication is the most important factor regulating the pace and
direction of development for all of mankind.  Various media have
arisen to satisfy the basic human needs of information and
entertainment.  Technological advancements have enabled these media
to reach larger audiences as well as exercise the freedom of choice.

With the advent of satellite technology, media operators and
telecommunications firms now possess  the capabilities of
communicating and relaying broadcasts on a global basis employing
multimedia and the Information Superhighway.

Multimedia involves the combination of different types of media. Text
pictures, animation, narration, video and music are presented as one
package to the audience while Communications Media Industries such as
telephone, motion picture and electronic publishing companies merge
to form a communications network known as the Information
Superhighway.

The Information superhighway possesses the capacity to bring such
services as On-line and Internet Services into the offices and homes.
The Internet is a vast network of computers composed of smaller
networks all over the world providing people with access to software,
electronic magazines, journal articles, pictures, video clips and
animations.

It also enables users to exchange electronic mails, take part in
discussions and obtain up-to-date news and preferred entertainment
from information pages known as Websites. The Internet is essentially
a loose association of networks in contrast to Commercial On-Line
Services, the largest of which is Compuserve.

The ultimate aim of the Information Superhighway is to provide its
users with instant access to an extensive array of up-to-date
materials tailored to their interests.  This will, to  a large
extent, eliminate the need for a personal collection of video films,
music CDs, newspapers, games and books since these are available
through Multimedia On-line.

Interactivity remains the most outstanding feature of Multimedia
since it enables the users to manipulate available material with a
user interface instead of merely accessing it. In this "Communication
Age," the Information superhighway Services to facilitate
inter-connectivity in relation to trade, politics and communications.
Multimedia  concerns are essentially composed of computer,
television, and telecommunications companies working together to
construct the Superhighway and direct the traffic flowing through it.

Global communications is on the verge of being made available to an
even wider global audience through the activities of such
organisation as World Space that is pioneering a satellite digital
radio technology that will eliminate the use of satellite dishes and
enable reception of satellite signals by portable radios, Global
Mobile Personal Communications Services (GMPC) which is involved in
the provision of telephone, fax, data and voice signals plans, the
provision of Broad-band multimedia connectivity in a few years time.

A major constraint to the Multimedia experience on a global basis is
that every home/office will need a high capacity fibre optic cable to
link up with networks of even high capacity fibres optic cables...

The African Position
Integrated Global Media as typified by the Internet is available in a
varying degrees from full Internet Connectivity to Dial-up Access.
Currently, about 36 African nations have full Live Internet
Connectivity including Egypt, Tunisia, Malawi and South Africa.

There are certain Network Development Projects sponsored mainly by
International donor agencies.  The World Bank is presently working
with African Non-government Organisations through its knowledge
Centre for Africa and Africa Internet Forum to introduce the Internet
throughout the continent. Countries targeted for help include Malawi,
Ghana Senegal and Mozambique.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Leland
Initiative has an objective of getting the Internet to as many
sub-Sahara Africans as possible. Under this initiative, 20 African
countries are to be linked to the Internet. Projects such as the
Fidonet established in 1984 to handle electronic mail using Public
Switched Telephone Networks involving 26 countries, Pan- Africans
Documentation Centre, Network (PADISNET) aimed at interconnecting
research centres in 34 African countries and Canada are example of
initiatives aimed at globalising news and information exhange.  In
Nigeria, the Nigerian Internet Group (Nig) is at an advanced state
for the establishment of an Internet Gateway.

Rascom, a regional African Satellite Communications project was
initiated in 1992 to realise a satellite system that will address
African needs.  This project however, have not been actualised.
North African countries have however, made substantial commitment to
the Arab Satellite (Arabsat), which satisfy their global
communications needs.

Key Issues for Africa
Bilateral/Multimalteral cooperations Deregulation-government
monopolies
Free Market Economy
Investor friendly policies
Manpower development 
Infrastructure.

In all these areas, the African continent is lagging behind and
unless there is a deliberate rethink and prioritisation of issues
enumerated above, we would have a problem coping with advancing with
the rest of the world into the next century.  In terms of
infrastructure - Africa has one of the lowest Telephone Density rates
in the world.  Few African countries have International Transmission
link capabilities greater than the standard requirement.

The South African Experience.
The Internet is increasingly being utilised not only as educational
and research tools, but as a source of up-to-date local and
international news.

South Africa, in addition to Egypt, have transmission capabilities
far in excess of 64 kbps which is the minimum requirement for
meaningful Internet Connectivity.  This guarantees among other
things, speed and efficiency in down-loading the required
information.

In addition to MNET channels that are broadcast on global satellite,
the South African broadcasting Corporation (SABC), plans live
broadcasts of radio and television programmes on the Internet.

Competition
The interesting thing about these development is that apart from
MNET, Multichoice and African Music Channel all other interest and
competition have come from outside Africa:-
CNN/Turner Broadcasting System Inc. (US-based), Berlusconic-Italy,
CFI Canal (France) International France
ITN Independent  Television Network-United States and the United
Kingdom.

Within the next eighteen (18) months, Africa's playing field will be
very exciting as these communication conglomerates scramble for
attention and dominance of our continent.

Our Creation
We cannot just fold our hands and let this happen.  It is gladdening
to note that a sister company (AIT), will commence satellite
broadcast text transmission come October 1, 1997. We as Nigerian
should be proud of this gigantic step, commend and support DAAR
communications efforts. 

As you may have heard, I am the executive Chairman of a
multidisciplinary communications company Minaj Systems Limited.  On
May 10 1996, Minaj system was granted a global broadcast licence by
the National Broadcasting Commission.  The granting of this licence
immediately signified the growth of the company from one operating
within the territory limits to worldwide multinational company with
offices in the UK and United States.  The Minaj Group commitment to
integrated global media has informed the development in portfolios
such as terrestrial and satellite broadcast, printing, electronic,
publishing and music.

Our satellite broadcast unit has commenced test transmisison since
August 1997, four to five hours daily. Minaj Broadcast International
(MBI) will commence 24 hour satellite transmission before the end of
the year and we are down-linking to more than twenty (20) African
countries. That is the first of its kind in Africa and as pioneers of
the free and open channel the investment has been heavy.

To stay competitive, we need support and your understanding
Nigerian-based advertising agencies must support our effort.  They
must develop necessary capability to sell and portray us to this
outside world with the attendant valued added of afrocentricity.

They must develop a business environment-friendly code of conduct
amongst which must be "survive and let's survive."  It does not make
any business for any creditor to be carrying debts over 180 days and
the business is expected to grow and survive.

I am glad to note that the theme of your 1997 IAA African Conference
Nairobi this year is "Creating Borderless Continent - Africa's 21st
century Communications Challenges."

One of the challenges must be how to tackle the debt burden and
remove the obstacles in the triangle of Client/Agency/Media
buck-passing using Nigeria as a case study.

Finally, let me restate that Africa, and particularly Nigeria, must
strive to belong and be relevant to the international business
community which is nowadays characterized by stiff competition  and
globalisation.  Business and communications are increasingly being
driven by (information) technology and prone to frequent but positive
changes resulting in shorter product life-cycles.
Mike Ajegbo, chief executive officer, Minaj, Systems presented this
lecture last September, in Lagos.
Source: The Post Express, February 18, 1998.


TO OUR DEAR READERS: Media Monitor is a dialogical project. We expect that its contents will elicit reactions from its readers. Consequently, you are all encouraged to share your feelings with one another on its pages. Letters not longer than 200 words marked for the attention of the Editor, Media Monitor, should be e-mailed to: ijc@linkserve.com.ng

MEDIA MONITOR IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY AND CIRCULATED WORLDWIDE BY INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM CENTRE (IJC), TEJUMOLA HOUSE, 1ST FLOOR, 24 OMOLE LAYOUT, NEW ISHERI ROAD, P.O.BOX 7808, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL/FAX 234-1-4924998; E-MAIL: ijc@linkserve.com.ng


Media Monitor