Guild of Editors rejects ‘punitive’ NBC N5m fine on ChannelsTV
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The Nigerian Guild of Editors has Friday rejected the N5m ( five million naira) fine imposed on Channels Television and Inspiration FM respectively by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, for alleged infractions, describing it as punitive.
The Guild of Editors described the NBC as playing the role of an accuser, the prosecutor and the judge insisted that both stations involved haven’t been given enough time to defend themselves.
Recall Vanguard had reported that NBC imposed a 5million naira fine on Channels Television for an alleged infraction of the NBC broadcast code after ChannelsTV interviewed the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra’s spokesperson, Mr Emma Powerful on its politics programme, Politics Today.
The second phase rollout of Digital Switch Over, which commenced in Lagos last week, with over 60 digital channels, is expected to boost job creation through digital content development, writes Emma Okonji
Last week, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, launched the second phase of the country’s Digital Switch Over (DSO) from analogue broadcasting to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcasting.
With the Lagos launch of free DTT viewing, analogue broadcasting in Lagos will be switched off by October this year and for the entire country, analogue will be switched off by December 7, 2022, if the rollout plans are fully implemented.
Views: Visits 13 The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has finally slammed Channels TV and Inspiration FM, Lagos N5 million each for alleged breach of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. The acting Director-General of the commission, Prof Armstrong Idachaba, noted that the NBC had served Channels TV a letter stating that the station was liable for infractions of the code following the broadcast of its programme, ‘Politics Today’ of April 25, in which the station granted an interview to one of the leaders of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra. Idachaba said both stations accepted culpability for the infractions and earlier offered unreserved apologies for the breaches.
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In a statement on Thursday, Armstrong Idachaba, NBC acting director-general, said the sections of the code breached by the stations are “class A” offences which attracts the “immediate order of suspension of broadcast services; suspension of licence and immediate shut down”.
“Section 3.11.1(b), the broadcaster shall ensure that no programme contains anything which amounts to subversion of constituted authority or compromises the unity or corporate existence of Nigeria as a sovereign state,” NAN quoted Idachaba as saying.
“(In) 15.5.1: the following penalties shall apply in respect of a breach committed by the broadcaster: light, N200,000 to N500,000; heavy, N500,000 to N4,999,000; severe, N5,000,000.”
National Broadcasting Commission Fines Channels TV, Inspiration FM N5million Each Over IPOB Interviews
The Commission has, however, directed both stations to pay N5 million penalty each to serve as a deterrent.
by SaharaReporters, New York
May 06, 2021
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Channels TV and Inspiration FM, Lagos N5 million each for alleged infractions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The media houses were on Thursday directed to the fines.
Acting Director-General of the commission, Prof Armstrong Idachaba, announced this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.
According to Idachaba, NBC had served Channels TV a letter stating that the station, because of its broadcast its programme, Politics Today of April 25, was liable for infractions of the Code.