From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Management of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has slammed a fine of N5 million each on Trust TV, Multichoice and NTA-Startimes.
The Director-General of NBC, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, in a statement released in Abuja, said the fine for Multichoice and NTA-Startimes was for their carriage of the documentary by the BBC AFRICA EYE titled, “Bandits Warlord of Zamfara” which glorified the activities of bandits and undermined national security in Nigeria.
Ilelah also said Trust TV was fined for its documentary titled: “NIGERIA’S BANDITARY-THE INSIDE STORY.”
The NBC boss said: “The National Broadcasting Commission, today, August 3, 2022, imposed a Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) sanction, each, on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV, TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); NTA- Startimes Limited; for the carriage of the documentary by the BBC Africa Eye titled, “Bandit Warlords of Zamfara which glorified the activities of Bandits and undermines National Security in Nigeria. Trust-TV Network Limited was also fined Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) for its documentary titled: “NIGERIA’S BANDITARY-THE INSIDE STORY.”
The NBC, while appreciating the need for educating, informing and enlightening the public on issues bordering on developments and happenings within and outside the country, advised broadcasters to be circumspect and deliberate in the choice and carriage of contents deleterious to Nigeria’s National security.
“Consequently, the airing and carriage of these documentaries, contravened the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Sixth edition, especially, the underlisted Sections: “3.1.1: “No broadcast shall encourage or incite crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity”;
Section “3.12.2: says “The broadcaster shall not transmit a programme that incites or likely to incite violence among the populace, causing mass panic, political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder; and “3.11.2: “The Broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a manner depicting that law and order are socially superior to, or more desirable than crime or anarchy.”
“The imposed penalties on these Broadcast Media platforms and stations are to be remitted not later than August 30, 2022. Failure to comply with this will lead to the imposition of a higher sanction as provided in the Code,” Ilelah also warned.
NBC further said broadcasters are enjoined to be instruments of National unity and desist from falling into antics of using their platforms to promote and glamorise subversive elements and their activities.
“Please note that every Broadcast Station or platform is responsible for the Content it transmits or transmitted on its platform, and shall be held liable for any content in violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code,” he stated.