Our correspondent
Planet Radio, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State has rolled out drums to celebrate its strides in its 10th year of existence.
The Chairman of TAF Media Group, Mr. Tony Afia speaking in Planet Radio and other subsidiaries said the radio station is the first privately owned radio station in Akwacross region.
Afia noted ‘‘Today Planet Radio, the first privately owned radio in AkwaCross began 10 years as the commercial broadcasting station. The decision to establish the station was borne out of the desire and need to establish engaging platform in governance for constructive criticisms and in other spheres of human development. It was to establish a platform to influence and help people do their business.’’
According to him, ‘‘The aim was to engender a paradigm shift and to use the platform to contribute to the collective effort aimed at building a better society for our people. The desire saw the light of day when in 2010 TAF & Associates Ltd was awarded an FM broadcasting licence by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on assigned frequency of 101.1 Megahertz in Akwa Ibom.
‘‘On April 28, 2013, Planet Radio took the first step and tested their transmission. On Sunday, June 9, 2013, Planet Radio began full operations, the first private radio station in the Akwacross region.
‘‘Since its inception, Planet Radio has tailored its operations in line with the regulating commission through carefully crafted flagship programmes with which we have maintained our pride of place in the media industry. Ten years of operating in the sector such as ours consistently and rapidly evolving is an achievement we are particularly proud of.’’
Planet Radio has maintained a robust Corporate Social Responsibility especially in our immediate operation community. In 2017, we embarked on two laudable projects. Of particular significance was the fund raiser for the collapsed Reigners Bible Church and families of the deceased headed by Barr. Clifford Thomas and N3.5 million was collected from well-meaning people and disbursed to the 55 victims and some families that lost their loved ones.
‘‘In March 2019, Planet Radio in collaboration with foreign partners successfully carried out five medical missions in our operation communities and environs.
‘‘In scholarship, we flew three lucky winners of our 6th anniversary during university quiz in Ibom Air, the first state-owned aircraft in Nigeria. The radio paid expenses in an all-round trip to those who never flew in aircraft.
‘‘In line with our Corporate Social Responsibility during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, Planet Radio FM disbursed N5,000 each to 250 selected from Ibiaku Uruan, Emana Uruan and Utit Uruan villages to cushion the effects of the economic lockdown.
‘‘The emergence of Planet Radio has engendered the proliferation of privately radio stations in Akwa Ibom State. As at the last count, there are 13 radio stations in the state and within our 10 years of operation, Planet Radio has created a platform for primary and subsidiary employment to over 1,000 Nigerians, a high per centage of those who were either trained or cut their broadcast teeth in Planet FM.
‘‘Interestingly, quite a lot of them form the cream of our sister radio stations in Akwacross region. We have created economic value-change because of the presence of communities as small businesses have sprung up.
In 2022, TAFF Media Group added some stables to the Planet Radio by establishing Tang Sio Radio, purely indigenous radio station and Spectrum TV to bolster broadcasting industry in the region.
In interview with Straightnews online reporter on Monday, Mr. Anietie Usen, Senior Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom Governor on Media and Publicity, congratulated Afia on the strides made by the station in the past 10 years.
Usen, also a former General Editor of Newswatch magazine, Lagos, described Afia as a trailblazer in broadcast industry in that he began the first privately owned radio station, cable television and indigenous radio station where vernacular is broadcast in the state.
”He is a trailblazer. He is a visioner. He has done well. I am proud of him for taking the initiative. He deserves national award. Of course, we will start with the state award. Government appreciates his effort.
”He is a good businessman. Governor Umo Eno is a businessman too and he knows how to encourage him. Afia runs a successful business enterprise. He has lifted the image of Akwa Ibom beyond human expectation. Through his initiative, many privately radio stations have sprung up. I congratulate him on the impact he has created so far. We will do more to encourage him remain in the business.”
In another telephone interview with Straightnews, the state Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Amos Etuk, extolled Planet Radio for setting history as the first privately owned radio station in Akwa Ibom and for setting a template for the emergence of a flurry of other privately owned stations.
‘‘The station has become a trail blazer in objective reportage and excellence in broadcasting in the state,’’ he said.
Etuk said station has expanded by introducing Tang Sio and other media platforms, describing this as a welcome development.
‘‘By this, the station has added value to the government and the media industry in the face of challenging economic environment borne out of rising equipment and operational costs.’’
The station has maintained its ideology and keeps the pace in the industry, calling on the state government to construct the road leading to the station to aid movement of people going to, or passing through the station.
Tony Afia
Mrs Otobong Billy, a former news editor with Planet Radio lauded the management for the strides recorded by the station through expansion of facilities in the station and training of more media professionals.
Billy who is news editor with XL FM Radio, Uyo urged the station to keep doing excellent work by setting the broadcast pace for other stations to follow.
