The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned all broadcast stations in the country to desist from using, or allowing their platforms to be used by politicians, supporters or sympathizers, for the transmission of content that may lead to breaking the law. and the order.
The commission also urged all broadcasters covering the upcoming general elections to take note of the provisions of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code and other relevant regulations governing the broadcasting of elections in Nigeria.
Noting with deep concern how politicians have blown up the ethics of using broadcast media platforms, the commission said it was against the provisions of Nigeria’s Broadcasting Code, which state that when using material for news and broadcasts news, the station should Avoid inflammatory, derogatory and divisive hate speech, comments or allusions.
CEO, NBC, Mall. Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, who revealed this in a statement made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja, denounced a situation where some stations are now glorifying these activities on their platforms. Ilelah stressed that such stations will pay for their misconduct.
For the avoidance of doubt, it advised broadcasters to note the following sections of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, which states that the broadcaster shall:
“3.1.2 Promote human dignity, therefore hate speech is prohibited.
“3.11.1(a) ensure that no language or scene is transmitted that may encourage or incite crime, or cause disorder; 3.11.1(b) ensure that no program contains anything that subverts constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of Nigeria as a sovereign state; 5.4.1(f) not to transmit divisive material that may threaten or compromise the indivisibility and indissolubility of Nigeria as a sovereign state.
“5.3.3(g) ensure that a political broadcast is clearly identified as political and is not presented in a way that misleads the audience into believing that the program is of any other type;
“5.3.3(j) ensure that the transmission of a partisan political campaign, jingle, advertisement and any form of identification or symbol of a political party ends no later than twenty-four hours before the day of the vote; 5.3.3(k) not use any votes obtained at a polling station or from an exit poll to project or speculate on a candidate’s chances; 5.3.3(1) broadcast election results or winner declaration only as announced by the authorized election official for the election;
“5.3.4 In exceptional circumstances, a government official may perform a service related to his or her position within the 24-hour campaign restriction period, provided there are no overtones of partisanship on the part of the official or the broadcaster.”
It further noted that NBC ACT CAP N11, Nigerian Federation Laws, 2004, also prescribes, in Third Schedule 12(6) that “A Licensee shall be responsible for the content of the Station Broadcast”.
In short, he said that the commission urges all broadcasters to desist from using or allowing their platforms and facilities to be used by politicians, their followers and/or sympathizers, for the transmission of content that could lead to the breakdown of public order.
“Therefore, broadcasters are expected to play the role of peacekeepers by adhering to the principles of responsibility, accuracy and neutrality,” he added.
