Obaigbena, Mahloele, Others to Grace ICIR 10th Anniversary
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The Chairman, THISDAY Newspapers/Arise News Channel, Chief Nduka Obaigbena and the Chairperson of Arena Holdings, Tshepo Mahloele, a newspaper publisher in South Africa, among others, are the dignitaries that would grace a conference in Abuja, to mark 10th anniversary of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
While Obaigbena alongside Ms. Chris Anyanwu, CEO, Hot Fm; Mallam Kabir Yusuf, CEO, Daily Trust Newspapers; Ms. Kadaria Ahmed, CEO, RadioNow and Professor Abigail Ogwezzy – Ndisika of the University of Lagos, would act as panelists at the conference, Tshepo Mahloele would deliver a keynote speech.
In a statement made available yesterday to journalists, the Managing Editor, ICIR, Ajibola Amzat, stated that the event would hold on Wednesday, at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, with the theme: “Sustainability Imperative for African Media.”
Amzat who explained that the issue of financial viability and sustainability was one that media organisations around the world grapple with daily, stressed that the challenge was exacerbated by the erosion of advertising revenues through the rise of technology platforms and others, leaving the media business in a fragile condition.
He added: “In the last two years, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened the misfortunes of global media enterprise in ways never imagined before.
“But while the Western Media to a large extent seems to have found winning formulae to do business profitably, the media in the Global South, particularly countries in Africa, is still struggling to stay afloat.
“It is in view of these multiple challenges that the ICIR is inviting media practitioners and other stakeholders to a conference on media sustainability in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the planned conference, the Executive Director and Founder of the ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan, observed that, “the time is now to have a conversation on the future of the media in Africa, particularly its viability and profitability.
“Many news organisation are not profitable because of dwindling sales and ad revenue, many media companies cannot pay salaries and are laying off staff. The media in Nigeria is hemorrhaging,” he said, adding that “industry leaders must discuss how to find profitable ways of running media businesses.”
The statement noted that the keynote address would be delivered by Mahloele.
Mahloele was also described as an entrepreneur who holds major investments in many projects in South Africa and other countries.
Meanwhile, Managing Director of Guardian Newspaper Limited, Martins Oloja, would moderate the conversation while Euginia Abu, a TV personality, would compère the event.
