UNILAG FM: Beyond Campus ‘junk’

Though established to take care of affairs within the University of Lagos, nature and doggedness of its managers has taken UNILAG FM beyond expectation to the extent that is giving operators of commercial stations a run for their monies, Raheem Akingbolu reports.

For many years, stakeholders in the broadcasting industry yearned for the establishment of community stations to strengthen democratic rules and aid development but successive military administrations saw it as a threat to their unbridled used of power.  During the second term in office of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission gave community radio license to a few higher institutions to aid learning and serve as information center to the schools. Though this is not the community stations being pressed for by the agitators, they saw it as a step towards achieving it. Thus, on on 14 November, 2004, UNILAG FM was inaugurated.

 

Speaking with this reporter early in the week in her office, the acting coordinator of the FM Stattion, Mrs. Bisi King-Paul explained that  “In line with broadcasting law, which recommended the establishment of community specialized Radio Stations, University of Lagos, along a few higher institutions of learning was given license to operate FM stations by the regulatory agencies eight years ago,”

The Reach of the station

Like other campus stations, Unilag FM was given 100 transmitters, which ordinarily should restrict its coverage to within the campus environment, but Mrs. King-Paul,  stated that two factors helped the station to reach the entire Lagos and some part of Ogun State.

She said; “Unilag FM broadcast to entire Lagos and part of Ogun State, because its antenna was mounted on top the School Senate building, which is obviously the tallest building on Campus. Another factor is the fact that the school is located in the water area, which makes the water waves to help the transmission to reach Epe, Badagry, Iyana Ipaja and other areas in Lagos and part of Ogun State.

Structure

Unilag FM has two Studios; Live studio and production studio. The live studio takes care of live programmes, while the production studio is mainly to air recorded programmes.  Aside the studio, it has a newsroom and a technical department.

Personnel

All over the world, community stations are meant to take care of news and stories t related to their area of operations. To avoid interference and influence of government people in that community are recommended to work there. On this note, Mrs. Paul explained that students form the largest chunk of the personnel in the station. Employed staff however includes; three people in charge programme, three studio managers and two technical officers.

On this note, the News Editor of the station, Mr. Tayo Takuro further stated that; “Unilag FM was instituted to serve as laboratory center to students of Mass Communications but it has in recent time included students of English who handles presentations, Electrical and Electronic Engineering students, who are involved in the technical services. 

Funding

Again, to avoid unnecessary government interference, the station is majorly run by the University of Lagos authority. Though, it accept a few adverts but this is also censored so as to avoid political adverts, alcohol and tobacco ads, which could badly influence students.

CSR Activities

As a medium that create awareness and disseminate relevant information to the university community, the news editor of the station, Mr. Tayo Takuro said the station often air announcement about some important things that could endanger lives. Among other things, he cited the case of an electrical pole that fell in Yaba, which was brought to the notice of the station and was subsequently announced to members of the public and especially technical staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

Threat to Commercial stations

As a result of its influence on the youth sector of the Nigerian economy, further findings reveal at the station that it has become a torn in the flesh of some commercial stations that saw it as competitors