NBC fines 45 stations for violating broadcast code, cautions BBNaija

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has cautioned African
Independent Television, (AIT) against continuous violation of the
Broadcasting Code.

Malam Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, Director-General of NBC gave the
warning during a media briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that despite the suspension of AIT in June and the
subsequent efforts by Nigerian Press Organisation and other
relevant stakeholders that culminated to the resolution of the
issues, the station has continued to violate the Broadcasting
Code.

“In the last few months, our monitoring reports indicate that
AIT has continued to air programmes that dwell on the on-going case
of the presidential elections, and issues relating to matters in
law courts, without regards to the provisions of the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code and extant laws.

“On Monday Aug. 19 to Sunday, Aug. 25 the station aired
different documentaries centered on matters before the 2019
Presidential Election Tribunal; the action was prejudicial and
could be termed contempt of court.

“Specifically, on Monday, Aug. 19 a documentary titled “Who is
Nigeria” was aired between 10:00 pm to 10:47 pm. It centred on how
the former provinces of Northern Cameroun became a Nigerian
enclave.

“Track ups were given to some respondents who made statements
like “Atiku is indeed a Nigerian”.

“This came a day after the APC had asked the Presidential
Election tribunal to strike out Atiku/PDP petition on the basis of
Section 131(a) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that a
presidential candidate must be Nigerian by birth.

“On Tuesday, Aug. 20 between 10:00pm to 11:00pm, AIT aired
another documentary titled “The Many Troubles of INEC: A
Documentary on Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the chequered Road to
2019”.

“This documentary contained an allegation that the 2019
Presidential Election was marred by a well-organised manipulation,
violence and intimidations. It alleged that some actions taken by
INEC were premeditated and schemed to favour the APC.

“It ended with Atiku’s petition seeking relief to be declared
winner of the 2019 Presidential election on the nullification of
the election.

“Then on Wednesday, Aug. 21 from 10:00 pm to 10:36pm, a similar
documentary on “Who is a Nigerian” was also broadcast.

“References were made to how some communities, like Daura
Emirate, were allegedly formerly part of Niger Republic, and have
now become part of Nigeria.

“It queried what becomes of persons whose citizenship has been
declared to be non-Nigerian.

“The programme also appeared to promote the cause of the
proscribed IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) saying their
agitation is legitimate, under the United Nation Charter on
Universal Declaration of Human and People’s Rights,’’ Kawu
said.

The NBC boss further stated that on Aug. 22 between 10 pm and
10:30 pm, there was a repeat of the documentary “Nigerian Judiciary
on Trial: Lessons from Kenya” first aired on May 23 for which the
station was warned.

Kawu alleged that AIT again aired a documentary on INEC and the
Agony of a Nation on Aug. 24, and it made assertions that
“manipulations” of 2019 Presidential Election, have not only
disrupted democratic consolidation in Nigeria but have robbed the
people of their fundamental right to make choices.

He stressed that in the documentary, Yakubu’s tenure was also
described as the worst in the history of INEC.

Kawu further alleged that on Aug. 25, AIT aired another
documentary titled “INEC and Qualification Requirements; The facts,
The Issues” from 10:40 pm to 10:56pm.

According to him, the documentary called on the court, as the
last hope of the common man, to correct an alleged dereliction of
duty on the part of INEC.

“The station management was invited for a discussion at the NBC
headquarters on Sept. 5, over their flagrant disregard of the
Nigeria Broadcasting Code and consenting court settlement, between
the regulator and licensee, from July, 2018.

“This was borne out of the station’s repeated airing of various
offending documentaries, and a persistent pattern of discussing
matters pending in court.

“In spite of this effort, on Sept. 10 during the highlight of
the News hour, there was a Vox Pop taken that centered on the
outcome of the Presidential Election judgment.

“The standpoint of the station was clear from what the
newscaster said, “Residents of Enugu State, South-East Nigeria
express concern on the inability of the Nation’s Judiciary to serve
justice to the people.

“They already questioned the judgment of the tribunal before it
was declared, even when they know that there should be no comments
on any matter that is before the law court.

“Section 1.16.1(f): The law of contempt, relating to a matter
pending before law court’s and Section 5.1.12 News and current
affairs programme shall be guided by the ethical standards of
journalism.

“These actions of AIT are in contravention of Sections 1.3.4,
3.3.1a, 3.3.1b, 3.11.1, 3.11.2 and 5.1.2 of the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code,’’ Kawu said.

He further emphasised that the commission had seen several
twitter postings and other materials on several social media
platforms, accusing the NBC of an inability to reign-in AIT, in its
persistent breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“I want to assure Nigerians that we do not relate with any of
our licensees outside of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting
Code.

“AIT’s continuous with wilful disregard for regulation and
persistent breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code will be met
with the very severe sanctions that the new, Sixth Edition of the
Code has prescribed.

“We also want the Nigerian people to know that the NBC had given
AIT enough opportunity to walk the straight and narrow path of
compliance with the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“AIT may, unfortunately, be the architect of its own fate, if it
persists with the breaches of the instrument of regulation of the
Nigerian broadcasting industry. And that is the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code,’’ Kawu said.

“Thus as many as 45 stations were fined, the second quarter
indicates that the trend has continued among certain stations,
especially in political programmes.

“Therefore 20 stations were fined in the 2nd Quarter, for
breaching provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code on hate
speech.

“Other breaches were in the area of obscene and vulgar lyrics- a
total of 10 stations were fined for infractions related to use of
vulgar lyrics and obscene content.

“It is worth mentioning that the program Big Brother Naija was
cautioned against unwholesome content on its broadcast,” Kawu
said.

According to the NBC boss, the use of unsubstantiated and
misleading claims by advertisers especially trado-medic advertisers
also dropped significantly from the last quarter, but that a total
of 30 stations were fined for infractions related to same.

He added that ten broadcast stations were fined for breaches
related to station announcers turning themselves to advertisers,
hypers and promoters of product.

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