Media Sustainability Remains Biggest Challenge — Prof. Pate

Media Sustainability Remains Biggest Challenge — Prof. Pate

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, Prof. Umaru Pate, has identified sustainability as one of the biggest challenges confronting media organisations, saying establishing a media outfit is relatively easier than keeping it afloat amid funding, technological and market pressures.

Pate stated this in his keynote address at the first anniversary celebration of Azama TV, held on Saturday at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi.

He said media organisations across the world, including major global outlets such as CNN and the BBC, had invested heavily in transitioning from the analogue era to digital broadcasting, while investment in Africa's media industry remained comparatively low.

"If you ask Alhaji Ilelah or the founder of Azama TV what challenges they face in operating their media organisation, what kind of competition they experience and how they manage to succeed and remain on air, the answers will be complex and diverse," he said.

According to him, funding, technology, quality content, credibility, safety and press freedom, competition and changing audience preferences are among the major challenges confronting media operators.

"Establishing a media organisation is not a big issue, but sustaining it is," Pate said.

He noted that despite Nigeria's population of about 234 million, based on UNFPA estimates, the country's newspaper industry has continued to experience declining circulation, with no newspaper reportedly printing up to 10,000 copies daily.

Pate's remarks highlighted the growing pressure on traditional media organisations to adapt to changing audience behaviour, technological disruption and evolving business models while maintaining professional standards and public trust.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Azama TV, Alhaji Danlami Kawule, said the station, established on September 25, 2025, and operating via satellite, had continued to grow since its launch.

"To have Azama TV on satellite wasn't an easy task, but we are happy that today we are here to celebrate success with our stakeholders, our audiences and partners," Kawule said.

He expressed appreciation to broadcast veteran Halilu Ahmed Getso, whom he described as his "grandfather in the broadcast industry", for his contributions to journalism in Nigeria and globally.

Kawule also called on the government to increase investment and support for the media sector to strengthen effective information dissemination.

He commended the station's partners and advertisers for their patronage and pledged that Azama TV would continue to improve its services and provide content that serves the public interest.

According to him, audience feedback indicates growing acceptance of the station's programmes, including Wildlife, Barka da Safiya and its news bulletins. He added that the station's entertainment programmes had particularly attracted strong engagement from female audiences.

In his remarks, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, commended the management of Azama TV for providing content that reflects the interests and aspirations of the people of the state.

The governor congratulated the station on its first anniversary and urged its management and journalists to maintain strict adherence to professional ethics.

He stressed that television remains an important platform for educating, informing and entertaining the public, urging media practitioners to uphold their responsibility to society.