Society of Nigeria Broadcasters Holds 2nd Annual Conference, Inducts New Members in Kano

By Muslimat Itopa

The Society of Nigeria Broadcasters (SNB) on Saturday held its second annual conference and induction ceremony for new members with a promise to prioritize partnerships with universities, training institutions, and national bodies to ensure broadcasters remain globally relevant in the digital age.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Broadcasting Ethics and Professionalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

The event brought together veteran broadcasters, media executives, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to elevating standards in Nigeria’s broadcast industry.

In his opening remarks, the National President of the Society of Nigeria Broadcasters, Professor Umaru Pate, expressed profound appreciation to the Governor of Kano State, for approving and supporting the hosting of the conference.

According to Professor Pate, when the Society approached the Governor through the state’s digital media structures with a proposal to hold the conference in Kano, “he willingly, expressly and appreciatively gave us an unflagged approval.”

He noted that the Governor has consistently shown exceptional commitment to ethical information dissemination, professionalism, and responsible broadcasting.

Professor Pate emphasized the urgent need for stronger ethical and professional standards, especially in an era where digital tools allow virtually anyone to disseminate information often without adequate training.

He warned of the dangers of misinformation saying Information is critical, and misused information in certain environments will be existentially hurting, toxic, and dangerous to national stability.

Professor Pate noted that Nigeria has over 1,000 broadcast stations, raising concerns about credibility, funding, safety, and the technological readiness of practitioners.

He reiterated, the aims of SNB to include strengthen Professional competence, Technological capacity, and Ethical conduct,Credibility of broadcasters and safety of media practitioners.

The Society, he said, will prioritize partnerships with universities, training institutions, and national bodies to ensure broadcasters remain globally relevant in the digital age.

“It is either you shape up or sheep out. You must digitalize or remain stagnant,” Professor Pate stressed.

The National Secretary of the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON), Yemisi Bamgboshe praised the SNB for unifying media practitioners and elevating professional standards.

He noted that the broadcast media remains crucial in addressing national insecurity, especially given its reach even among groups fueling unrest.

“Even those who perpetrate insecurity carry small communication devices. Using the broadcast media to talk to them directly can help in engagement,” he said.

Bamgboshe urged government agencies to leverage the expertise within SNB to explore non-kinetic approaches to addressing insecurity.

The Governor of Kano State, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf represented by the Director-General of Media, Alhaji Sanusi Bature, highlighted the administration’s dedication to improving welfare, infrastructure, and human capital including journalists.

He outlined major investments in youth and media-related institutions noting that the institutions have already begun training young people in relevant skills, strengthening Kano’s position as an emerging academic and media training hub in Northern Nigeria.

Throughout the conference, speakers emphasized the role of broadcasting in preserving national unity, promoting development, and preventing conflicts citing examples from Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia, Congo, and recent global crises.

One of the inductees from Kogi State, Labran Aminu, expressed satisfaction with the quality of knowledge gained during the event.

He described the sessions as highly impactful and said the new skills and insights acquired would be put to effective use in his professional activities and service to his state.

Aminu also extended appreciation to the Kano State Government for hosting the conference, noting that the well-organized event created an enabling environment for learning and professional interaction.

The conference concluded with the induction of new members committed to upholding ethical broadcasting standards across the country.

The Government House Correspondent of Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation, Muslimat Itopa was among those inducted during the conference.