By Obeten Godfrey
The Chairman and CEO of FAD Group, Mr. Fidelis Duker, has said that his organisation, FAD 93.1 FM Calabar, has never sought government funding since its inception in 2017.
Duker disclosed this at a media parley held last Thursday at the station’s headquarters in Calabar, to commemorate the organisation’s two-year anniversary.
Duker who is also the Regional Secretary General, Federation of Pan African Filmmakers, said the station was not set up for government patronage, and that the organisation have been running independently since its inception and would continue to do so in the years to come.
“This place was not set up for government patronage. We’ve gone past that stage. We’ve run this place independently, and we will continue to run the station independently.
“FAD FM is owned by the people, the people have the right to talk. FAD FM does not belong to the owners, it’s owned by the public and we are open to supporting as many as possible to air their views.
“This station was created for the people, it’s not for any individual, it’s not for any politician,” said Duker who is also the CEO of Abuja Film Festival.
Continuing, the CEO said the emergence of the station has redefined broadcasting and has brought pride to the state.
“FAD FM has brought pride to Cross River State, FAD FM has come and it’s doing its own bit, giving the people the mic to say their minds; and for me, I believe that is the platform that the people, Cross Riverians need to follow,” he reiterated.
Throwing light on the economic patronage of the station in the last two years, Duker said: “We have never sought government funding since we started operation. I have never for once in the last two years influenced the editorial policy of FAD FM.”
He went further to disclose that FAD 360 TV, a subsidiary of FAD Group will begin operations before the end of the year with its headquarters domiciled in Calabar.
On the level of preparedness for the takeoff of the TV station, He said: “Television is so technical and cumbersome. For the TV we don’t want to rush into it. We are definitely starting this year. We want to make the quality and standard local but an international standard. Equipments are on the ground, we are building capacity. We need to train people to handle those equipment before we finally take off.”
When asked whether the station has broken even throughout its two years of existence, Mr. Duker had this to say:
“We have not broken even, not yet because no profit yet, we will! Our target is 5 years. we are not at a loss, and we are not regretting, For us, we have seen it; we have a bright future, and we will get to our destination in due course.”
“That the station is a commercial station established for profit making, there are times the organisation looks for major issues that affect the society and the populace.
He assured that the station will witness a new face as it lifts up towards the years to come.
On what the future holds for the station, the Marketing Manager, Mrs. Temitokpe Duker said, “In the last 2 years, it has been pretty challenging, but we have persevered. We used to have problems paying salaries, but right now we have a plan – a master plan on how we take care of the bills.
She attributed the success of the station to perseverance and value addition, a feat she said has sustained the station.
“We have never put money in front of what we’re doing. If you provide value, the money will come. We are here to give value, we are here to serve the people, and we are unshaken in terms of survival.
“This is the basement of the scene for FAD. In the next couple of months, our Lagos and Abuja stations will open, and in the next few years we will have physical offices in virtually every station,” Mrs Duker said.
The station which began transmission in September 2017 will be marking it 2 years anniversary by September 1.