The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has asked the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to call the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to order over what it described as the continuous display of ‘’flagrant violation of Nigerian Broadcasting Code”.
In a letter dated April 3, 2023 with the title “Urgent Need for Minister of Information and Culture to call NBC to order”, and signed by its Executive Secretary, Dr Yemisi Bamigbose, BON stated that recent decisions taken by the NBC show that the commission has refused to follow its rules as stipulated in the code on the investigation of infractions as well as the imposition of fines on broadcast houses on alleged infractions.
The Broadcasting Organization argued that Section 14.3.1(a) (b) (c) (d) stipulates how to hand complaints and section 15.3.1 (a) (b) (c) stipulates categories of fines and what constitute infractions in each category.
‘’In the recent times, NBC provides no opportunity to the broadcaster to see the complaints against it not to talk of allowing any form of explanation nor following due process at arriving judgements.
This was the situation of all multiple allegations of ” severe” infractions levied against Channels Television, Daar Communications, Arise TV and Daily Trust Television among many others.
The recent case was the imposition of N5m fine on Channels Television on alleged “severe ” infraction committed during a live interview programme titled Politics Today which featured Mr Datti Baba Ahmed, the Vice Presidential candidate of Labour Party and professionally anchored by Mr Seun Okinbaloye in its episode of Wednesday 22nd March, 2023.
NBC as usual imposed a fine of N5m for alleged “severe” infraction that was never substantiated nor stated the area of code violated by the station.” the letter in part read
The Broadcasting Organization says it found it very absurd that NBC as a regulator, ‘’could on a petition from a campaign organization of a political party impose illegal fines on a broadcast station without employing all avenues to investigate the complaint nor give room for defense from the station so accused.”
‘’The Honourable Minister, Sir, the attitude of NBC towards broadcast stations in the recent past are not only arbitrary but smacks of high handedness which is almost suffocating the broadcast media in the country. It is saddened and regrettable to report that broadcast stations in particular and broadcast professionals in general unlike in the past no longer trust the professional judgement of the National Broadcasting Commission when it comes to allegations of infractions and imposition of fines.
It is in the light of the above and for many other reasons that we are passionately calling on the Hon Minister of Information and Culture as the supervising Minister to urgently call NBC to order in other to avoid total decimation of the hitherto respected regulatory body.”the statement read in part