The Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), Mall. Balarabe Shehu Ilelah has stated that “a total number of 41 broadcast stations received sanctions for violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code .
According to him, the breakdown are as follows: 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”.
He made this known on Wednesday 15th March 2023, at a press briefing to reiterate the Commission’s position and re-affirm the call for broadcast stations to be professional in the discharge of their duties.
The Director General further noted that in the course of the Commission’s monitoring, the NBC 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.
In Conclusion, 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 the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in the next three days.
