The Federal Government through the National Broadcasting Commission NBC has sanctioned 25 Broadcast stations while giving 16 final warning over violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
In a Press Briefing on Wednesday, NBC Director-General Mall. Balarabe Shehu Ilelah who stated this, classified that a total number of 41 broadcast stations received sanctions for the violation.
He reiterated the Commission’s position and re-affirmed the call for stations to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
According to him, “17 broadcast stations received sanctions for the broadcast of partisan content 24 hours prior to election, 1 broadcast station for announcing results before the authorized returning officers made them public.
“3 broadcast stations were sanctioned for inciting comments, 4 stations were sanctioned for divisive ethnic/religious content, while 16 broadcast stations were given final warnings for various infringements”.
The DG noted that in the course of the Commission’s monitoring, it observed with dismay that some broadcast stations allowed their platforms to be used by guests, callers and analysts to score unhealthy political points inimical to the country’s corporate existence.
He added, that broadcast stations have a duty to protect the nation’s unity, and punctuate our diversity as a distinctive mark of pride, as well as, promote sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
Mall. Ilelah called on all broadcast stations to exercise freedom of expression as agent of society, and not for any personal or promotion of sectional right, privileges or further their own, that of their proprietors, relatives or supporters as highlighted in Section 3.1.3 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The DG, NBC, re-emphasized the need for all broadcasters to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code as the country prepares for Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the next three days.
Earlier, the NBC has warned broadcasters covering the general elections to desist from using or allowing their platforms and facilities to be used for the broadcast of content that may lead to breakdown of law and order in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, gave the warning in a statement titled, “Warning to broadcast stations”, obtained by journalists in Abuja on Monday, February 27, 2023
While reminding all broadcast stations that they have a duty to promote sustainable democracy in Nigeria, the commission also warned that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to any erring station that operates outside the confines of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
