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Corporate Profile

Channels Television is a multiple award winning 24-hour news and media organization which was founded in 1992 by Nigerian veteran broadcasters and business moguls: John Momoh and Sola Momoh. The Company commenced operations in Lagos, south western Nigeria and has since grown to include three other Stations in Abuja, Edo and Kano states. The Company also has bureaus in almost every state in Nigeria, including stringers and affiliates in other parts in Africa.

Operating in Nigeria’s hugely popular broadcast media market, Channels Television is the first and only thriving national TV brand, dedicated solely to the dissemination of news.

Channels TV was established with the aim of cultivating and upholding the highest ideals in reporting the news with objectivity and fairness, as well as satisfying the right of the individual to be informed. The Company was licensed in June 1993 and allocated a frequency on UHF (channel 39). It began transmission two years later under the name, “Channels Television”, and now broadcasts to a well discerning audience of over 20 million people. The Station has earned a reputation as an aggressive news outlet, which provides a balanced account of news coverage.

The establishment of Channels Television as a news Station was in response to the yearning of Nigerians for a TV Station that will among other things:

Give an alternative medium of communication to the government and its policies, and hold public officers accountable to the people;

  • Accommodate opposing views;
  • Inform and educate the general public on how they are governed, as well as educate them on their civic responsibilities to the state;
  • Uphold the ideals of balanced reporting, objectivity, fairness and the right of the individual to be informed.
  • Committed to presenting the news with proven facts
  • Airing divergent views, irrespective of differences and circumstances.
  • Airing News that affects Nigerians.
  • Ensuring we give the people a voice

Channels TV takes enormous pride in its role of an unbiased, candid observer of events in Nigeria, and its indisputable position today, as market leader, in its chosen but exclusive sphere, is an eloquent testimony to its unceasing innovativeness and remarkable evolution. The Company Is home to award-winning and outstanding broadcasters who have remained one of its key strengths.

Channels’ Market Position

Channels is the market leader in independent news in Nigeria. BBG-Gallup research shows Channels attracts 17% of Nigeria’s adult population weekly, or nearly 20 million people. Channels has received the Best Television Station of the Year” award from the Nigerian Media Merit Award Trust fourteen of the last nineteen years. It was the first Nigerian and African media organization to stream its news and programs live, the first and only TV station in Nigeria with over 2,000,000 YouTube subscribers, and the first and only TV company in Nigeria with almost 7,000,000 social media followers, fans, and subscribers.

As Channels already enjoys wide popularity for its English-language content and operates a professional news organization with a nationwide reporting network, it is positioned to extend its franchise into northern Nigeria in Hausa and subsequently into Southern Nigeria in Yoruba and Ibo languages. Its flagship programs, News at Ten, Sunrise Daily and Politics Today are the most popular and most watched television programmes in the Country.

ACHIEVEMENTS (AWARDS AND MILESTONES)
A media Company well known for its enviable records in the media industry in Nigeria, Channels Television has among other trail blazing achievements:

  • Won for 16 times, the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), as Best Television Station of the Year.
  • Only Nigerian television station to have been recognized at the International Emmy Awards (nominee for the UNICEF category International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Production in 2002).
  • Only African TV Station to be recognized by UNICEF for Outstanding Production at the 2008 Edition of the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting
  • First Nigerian media organization to stream its news and programs live.
  • First Nigerian TV Company to interface with followers via Twitter.
  • Channels TV App has been ranked Best App (Apple Store, Nigeria) in all categories
  • In the News and Magazines category (Android store (Nigeria), the premier App is ranked number 1.
  • Only App (Channels TV App) in the Nigerian Android store region which has reached the 100,000 to 500,000 installs mark.
  • First and only Television Company in Nigeria with almost 7,000,000 (one million) followers, fans, and subscribers on social media.
  • First Television News organization in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • First point of reference and confirmation of breaking news stories in Nigeria, by Nigerians, and Africans in diaspora.
  • First media Company to incorporate the use of Skype and Google hangouts in its news and programs.
  • Channels TV has been recognised as ‘Convergence Leader’ in News Media Broadcast (conferred as one of the Top 20 West African Convergence Leaders by Knowhow Intelligence Unit).
  • Rated the most RELIABLE and TRUSTED source of information by the BBC/REUTERS (2006).

MILESTONES

* Channels TV began operations July 1, 1995 as a full-fledged TV Station with about 25 staff.

* Its first main news anchors were ace broadcasters, John and Sola Momoh.

* In 2000, Channels TV launched its website: www.channelstv.com.

* In 2003, through its new agreement with Multichoice, the Station began to air on satellite, on DSTV.

* In recognition of its professionalism and excellence, the Kwara State Government invited Channels TV in 2004 to help revive and operate its State television Station, Kwara TV.

* In 2009, Channels TV was invited by the Imo State Government to help upgrade and improve its radio and TV Station.

* Covered US Presidential election in 2009.

* In 2011, moved to its own corporate headquarters on Channels TV Avenue, Isheri north, Lagos state.

* Channels TV began 24-hour broadcast in 2011.

* In 2012, covered Ghana and US Presidential elections

* In 2012, Channels TV launched its first mobile app (on Nokia symbian phones and subsequently, Microsoft Windows phones)

* Currently produces about 95% of its programs in-house.

* Has covered notable international events (sometimes exclusively). These include:

  • 2013 21st AU Summit in Addis Ababa.
  • Coverage of funeral of Nelson Mandela (South Africa and Lagos), 2013.
  • Coverage of the first Nigerian President’s visit to China for a bi-lateral meeting, 2013.
  • Summit on Peace and Security in Africa, held in Paris, France.
  • Coverage of the deployment of the first set of Nigerian troops to Mali.
  • Exclusive Nigerian coverage of the 2013 National Independence Day celebrations in London.
  • Only West African TV Station to cover the 2013 George W. Bush African First Ladies Conference in Tanzania.
  • Only West African TV Station to participate in the 2013 Hilary Clinton international farewell ‘Townterview’.
  • Only West African TV Station to participate in the 2013 United States of America’s 43rd (and 44th) President town hall meetings (President Obama’s African ‘Townterview’

* Has bureaus across Nigeria

* Has over one million (1,000,000) followers on YouTube.

* The only Nigerian TV Company to have mobile apps on every platform (Nokia store, Microsoft Windows store, Google Play store (for Android phones), Apple (iOS) store, Blackberry).

* The only Nigerian and indeed African TV Network whose programmes are available on Smart TVs – Apple, Android, Fire and Roku.

* In 2014, Channels TV selected as exclusive host broadcaster of the World Economic Forum on Africa, scheduled for Abuja, Nigeria for May 2014.

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