Director-General of NBC, Balarabe Shehu llelah, gave the warning in a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global Limited and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.

In the letter titled “Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: Final warning”, Ilelah said the commission had observed with concern, the preponderance of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise News.

“This letter once again seeks to underscore the tremendous responsibility put on the broadcaster to manage array of guests that may feature on the station from time to time.

“For the benefit of doubt, on Oct. 5 during the programme – ‘The Morning Show’, anchored by Reuben Abati, Rufai Useni and Ayo Mairo Ese, featured Oladotun Hassan and Dele Farotimi as guests.

“The programme contained unguarded incendiary remarks by Dele Farotimi against the legislature, executive, judiciary and Mr President.

“Similarly, on Oct. 6, during the programme “Newsday”, it featured Kenneth Okonkwo (Spokesperson for Labour Party) who used derogatory remarks on air.

“Your attention is therefore drawn to the relevant sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code for compliance please,” Ilelah said.

The NBC boss explained further that section 1.10.3 says the broadcaster shall ensure that its presenter does not express his or her opinion in the programme, as a matter of professional standard.

He said section 3.3.1 (a) stipulates that the broadcaster shall ensure that any information given in a programme, in whatever form, is accurate.

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Ilelah said 3.3.3 (c) provided that the broadcaster shall be above inherent biases, prejudices and subjective mindsets.

According to section 3.3.1(e), the Broadcaster shall not treat any individual or organisation in an unjust and unfair manner in any programme.

The NBC boss further explained that section 5.3.3(b) of the code stated that the broadcaster shall, in using political materials for news and current affairs programmes, avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory, and divisive remarks of allusions.

“Section 5.5.6 says, the broadcaster shall have a delay mechanism to guard against possible undesirable content.

“Arise TV is advised to install a delay mechanism to guard against possible undesirable contents as prescribed in Section 5.5.6 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“Please note that henceforth, your station shall be held liable for any infraction on your platform and applicable sanctions shall be imposed as prescribed by Law,” Ilelah stressed.

Source: NAN

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Its spokesman, Mr Ekanem Antia, stated in Abuja on Friday that NBC’s Director-General, Malam Balarabe Ilelah, gave the avowal at a meeting with broadcast stations on the coverage of the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

“The NBC is giving its last warning to broadcast stations and will not hesitate to shut or revoke the licence of any when convinced that its activities are capable of undermining the peaceful co-existence of the country.

“Any further breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and Act will no longer be tolerated,’’ he warned.

He said the commission monitored the coverage of the elections by some broadcast stations and noted how they availed unpatriotic individuals their platforms to make subversive, hateful, and inciting utterances, particularly post-election.

Antia stated also that Ilelah commended the media for their efforts in ensuring a peaceful pre-election coverage, especially for their selfless service to keeping the citizens informed.

He noted, however, that the coverage of the elections and post-election matters were “marred by unguarded statements, divisive and dangerous comments.’’

Ilelah stressed that the media had a role to play in ensuring national development by publishing or broadcasting narratives of national reconciliation and healing in the unsettling times.

He called on broadcast stations in particular to avoid the promotion of negative conversations which were not only dangerous to democracy, but posed threats to Nigeria’s corporate existence.

He acknowledged that using broadcast platforms to incite supporters or create enmity would not help in deepening the nation’s democracy.

“In as much as the commission believes in the freedom of expression, it is also seriously constrained to act decisively on any broadcaster that exploits the fragile peace of our nation,’’ he stressed.

Ilelah appealed to broadcast stations to abide strictly by laid-down rules of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, the Act and other extant laws guiding broadcasting in Nigeria.

He stressed that the media had responsibility to ensure that national issues discussed on the airwaves were done with decorum, civility, patriotism and a sense of fairness.

Source: NAN

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The Director-General of NBC, Malam Balarabe Ilelah, who made the disclosure at a news conference on Friday  in Abuja, ordered the affected stations to shut down in the next 24 hours.

Ilelah directed NBC offices nationwide to collaborate with security agencies to ensure immediate compliance.

He explained that in May 2022, the commission published in the national dailies, the list of licensees that are indebted to NBC, granted them two weeks to renew their licenses and pay their debts or consider their licenses revoked and frequencies withdrawn.

“Three months after the publication, some licensees are yet to pay their outstanding debts, in contravention of the NBC Act CAP N11, laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10 (a) of the third schedule of the Act.

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“In view of this development, the continued operation of the debtor stations is illegal and constitutes a threat to national security.

“Therefore, after due consideration, the NBC hereby announces the revocation of the licenses of the under-listed stations and give them 24 hours to  their operations,” he said.

The D-G said that the other stations affected were Zuma FM, Suleja, Niger State, Bomay Broadcasting Service L.td., Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Gombe, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers States Broadcasting Corporations and Stations.

He listed other stations to includes; Katsina Broadcasting Corporation, Kaduna State Broadcasting Corporation, Jigawa Broadcasting Corporation, Kebbi State Broadcasting Corporation, Zamfara State Broadcasting Corporation and Yobe State Broadcasting Corporation.

Similarly, Ilelah said Imo State Broadcasting Corporation, Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Borno State Broadcasting Corporation and Crowther FM Abuja were among the affected stations.

He urged all broadcast stations who have not renewed their licenses for the current duration to do so within the next 30 days to avoid sanctions.

He also called on all Internet Protocol Television and all other broadcast stations that are streaming online to register with the commission to avoid disconnection

“Broadcasters should note that, having a DTT or FM license doesn’t warrant a broadcaster to stream online; they are two different licenses,” he said.

Source: NAN

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