Abuja- The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday began the training of some of its staff in preparation for the take-off of its planned NAN TV project.
Speaking at the opening of the training programme in Abuja, the Managing Director of the agency, Mr Ima Niboro, said the television project was a response to the need to open up new opportunities that would ensure the future of the organisation.
The managing director, who was represented by the Head of Editorial Operations, NAN, Malam Yusuf Zango, said the project would enable the agency to compete with similar organisations to meet its competing demands.
“What we look to do is to add to advantage (that we have) so that we do not go out of relevance in NAN; that is the most important thing.
“And I think if we give it all the seriousness it deserves, we are really sure or certain to open a new vista and make our survival much more assured.
“As we are all aware, last year has been a difficult year for NAN; getting money from government has been very difficult.
“And since our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has not been much, if we can open as many vistas as possible, it will be in our interest.“
Zango appealed to the trainees to use the lessons from the training to contribute to the success of the TV project.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]
According to him, this is a defining moment for NAN especially as it is presently not doing anything different from what its competitors are doing.
He said, “If you rely on text almost everybody can do that.“
In his remarks, the Training Consultant, Mr Christian Ogodo, said the NAN Television project would add value to the agency’s chain of operations.
According to him, the television arm of the multimedia unit will further enhance the agency’s status as the continent’s leading provider of wire service among other benefits.
He said establishing a television component would make NAN truly multimedia and rank it among its peers.
“All news agencies have become multimedia and I know the television aspect for NAN is the latest phase.
“And it is going to add value because now NAN as the widest media organisation in Nigeria can bring pictorial or visual activities of its coverage to its audience.
“And it will help again in improving its IGR (Internally Generated Revenue), which is of course sine qua non to running a television station.“
NAN reports that a total of 44 pioneer staff of the NAN TV are expected to undergo the training in tow venues – Abuja and Lagos.
In Abuja, 24 of the agency’s reporters and editors will participate in the first phase of the training, which will last three months, while the second phase of the training is expected to see 20 of the agency’s reporters and editors based in Lagos participating. (NAN)