.Digital Terrestrial Transmission Failure in Nigeria: Implications for Sustainable Development

Abstract

International Conference on Information and Communication Technology and Its Applications (ICTA) 2016 Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria November 28 – 30, 2016 Digital Terrestrial Transmission Failure in Nigeria: ImplicationsNigeria quest to join the committee of nations operating Digital Terrestrial Transmission was conceived in 2008 with a target date of 2015. In the light of the governments’ failure to meet the deadline, the study sought to ascertain the implications of the failure on sustainable development. Anchored on the mediamorphosis theory and the technology determinism theory, the study used a mixed research design to generate data from 400 respondents, using questionnaire and focus group discussion guide as instruments. The analysis of the data generated show that the digital transition failed as a result of poor funding, politics and absence of relevant infrastructure. The result further shows that Nigeria may lose ITU’s protection against signal interference and may be sanctioned by the ITU; Loss of revenue from sale of freed spectrum and Nigeria may become a dump site of obsolete analogue broadcast equipment. The capacity of content creators and future broadcasters will become hampered. The study recommends the need for government to fund the project while encouraging total compliance.