The Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Bayo Onanuga, has warned bloggers and other online publishers illegally using NAN news materials to stop forthwith or face sanctions.
Onanuga, who gave the warning over the weekend in Abuja at a meeting with marketing staff of the agency, said that NAN has begun compilation of a list of culprit bloggers, which would be forwarded to Google for redress and sanctions.
Google had recently warned of its readiness to shut down any blogger or website found infringing on copyright of others as a means of sanitising the online news business.
Onanuga disclosed that NAN has strengthened its tab on the culprit bloggers and online users, noting that their unlawful actions were impacting negatively on the revenue drive of the agency.
He said: “After a grace period of one month from today, any blogger or online publisher still found using NAN news stories, photo news etc, without subscription will be reported to Google.
“The offenders should know that NAN is always ready to assist any media outfit, online or otherwise, that approaches us with genuine request for assistance and possible rebate to enable them grow and consolidate.
“Everyone in the media industry knows that the business of news gathering and processing to a high quality output as NAN does is capital intensive.
“We expect all NAN stakeholders to help the agency by paying the publisher-friendly token NAN is charging as subscription fee for its products.”
While commending NAN marketers for being hardworking, Onanuga urged them to redouble their efforts and generate more revenue to enable NAN serve the Nigerian Media Industry and Nigerians better.
Onanuga promised to provide more logistics to assist NAN marketers in the discharge of their functions.
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