The United States is financing a new 24-hour satellite TV channel in
\nnorthern Nigeria meant to counter insurgencies by the militant Islamist
\nBoko Haram and other groups in the region, the New York Times reported on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
A U.S. official confirmed the project was under way but did not give full
\ndetails. The official said the United States would “support Nigerian
\nefforts to provide an attractive alternative to the messaging of violent
\nextremists.”<\/p>\n
The project is a result of discussions with Nigeria dating back to late
\n2012 on ways to cooperate against Boko Haram and the content of the
\nchannel will be produced by Nigerians in Nigeria, the official said.<\/p>\n
The United States has in recent months increased its collaboration with
\nLagos in response to violence from Boko Haram, including surveillance and
\ncommunications help after the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in
\nApril.<\/p>\n
The Times said the TV channel, which is not yet broadcasting but is near
\nto completion, is financed by the State Department’s Bureau of
\nCounterterrorism and is expected to cost about $6 million.<\/p>\n
The project is run in Nigeria by Equal Access International, a San
\nFrancisco-based government contractor that has managed media programs
\nsponsored by the State Department in Yemen and Pakistan meant to encourage
\nyouth participation in politics and counter Islamist extremism, it said.<\/p>\n
The paper quoted foreign policy experts saying the project faced several
\nchallenges in a region with low levels of infrastructure, public services,
\nliteracy and security. Access to electricity is limited and few people own
\ntelevisions.<\/p>\n
In addition to the broadcasts, the Times said the project would provide
\ntraining to journalists in the region. (Reporting by David Storey; editing
\nby Andrew Hay)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The United States is financing a new 24-hour satellite TV channel in northern Nigeria meant to counter insurgencies by the militant Islamist Boko Haram and other groups in the region,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n