The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed
says no amount of attacks, sponsored or otherwise, will stop the
implementation of approved recommendations on reform of
broadcasting code.
Lai Mohammed stated this on Sunday at a meeting with Online
Publishers in Lagos.
“Let me be straight: No amount of attacks, sponsored or
otherwise, will stop the implementation of the approved
recommendations.
“Only non-patriots and anarchists will kick against measures
aimed at putting an end to fake news and hate speech, especially in
our broadcast industry.
“Only those who are guilty should be afraid of the efforts to
sanitize the broadcast industry. Responsible broadcasters have
nothing to fear.
“This is not a move to stifle free speech or gag anyone. But
purveyors of fake news and hate speech should not expect to sleep
easy,” he said.
The Minister had on October 10 announced President Muhammadu
Buhari’s approval of the review of National Broadcasting Code and
extant broadcasting laws to reflect stiffer penalties for violators
of broadcasting regulations.
Mohammed, who inaugurated the National Broadcasting Commission
(NBC) Reform Implementation Committee, added that the President
also endorsed the implementation of reforms to end monopoly in the
sector.
The minister, however, noted that since the inauguration of the
committee, there have been attacks, many of them sponsored, from
some quarters.
“As I speak, plans are ongoing to launch more coordinated
attacks, with a view to truncating the implementation of the
approved recommendations,” he said.
He stressed that no responsible government would sit by and
allow fake news and hate speech to rule the airwaves.
Lai Mohammed stressed that fake news and hate speech have the
capacity to exploit the national fault lines and trigger a national
conflagration.
He reiterated that the federal government would continue to
evolve ways to tackle the menace.
The minister recalled that he launched the National Campaign
Against Fake News in July 2018 in Abuja.
“While the national campaign has succeeded in putting the issue
of fake news and hate speech on the front burner of national
discourse, the menace has yet to go away.
“Let me be clear: we didn’t think the issue will suddenly
disappear, but we also didn’t think it will get worse, which is
what it is now.
“In fact, it remains a clear and imminent danger to the polity.
It is in this light that we are once again asking you to join us in
pushing this campaign,” he said.
The minister enjoined the Online Publishers, to lead the
campaign against fake news and hate speech, which he tagged as “the
Siamese twins of evil”.
“Gentleman, we expect you to remain in the vanguard of the
efforts to tackle fake news and hate speech.
“We expect you to educate our people on the efforts being made,
especially by the government, in this regard.
“This administration has no intention of muzzling the media or
stifling free speech.
“Our campaign is against fake news and hate speech. And we will
not rest until our media space has been rid of fake news and hate
speech,” he said.
NAN reports that the President had underscored the need to
inject sanity into the nation’s broadcast industry, following the
unprofessional and unethical conduct of some broadcast stations,
especially before and during the last general elections.
Highlights of the terms of reference of the reform
implementation committee inaugurated by the minister included
upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5 million for breaches
relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.
“Wilful repeat of infractions on three occasions after levying
fine on a station to attract suspension of license
“Upgrade of breach of political comments relating to hate
speeches and divisive comments to ”Class A” offence in the
Broadcasting Code.”
The committee is also saddled with the responsibility of
ammending the NBC Act to enable NBC license WebTv and radio
stations, among others.
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