Views: Visits 15 By Emmanuel Elebeke Despite widespread criticism that trailed its earlier reprimand of Channels TV for granting leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has finally asked Channels Television to pay a fine of N5 million for breaching the broadcast code. Also fined N5million alongside Channels Television is Inspiration FM Lagos. Recall that the Commission had last week queried Channels Television after Emma Powerful, a leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was interviewed on its live programme, ‘‘Politics Today’’, on Monday, April 26th. Following the news of its action, NBC faced wide condemnation by many Nigerians who viewed the alleged suspension of Channels TV by NBC as an attack on media freedom and independence.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has asked
Channels Television and Inspiration FM in Lagos to pay a fine of N5 million
each for breaching the broadcast code.
The commission had queried Channels Television after Emma
Powerful, a leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was
interviewed during one of its programmes in April.
Similarly, Inspiration FM Lagos reportedly aired a broadcast
of IPOB wherein it made “secessionist claims”.
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
Despite widespread criticism that trailed its earlier reprimand of Channels TV for granting leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has finally asked Channels Television to pay a fine of N5 million for breaching the broadcast code.
Recall that the Commission had last week queried Channels Television after Emma Powerful, a leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was interviewed on its live programme, ‘‘Politics Today’’, on Monday, April 26th.
Following the news of its action, NBC faced wide condemnation by many Nigerians who viewed the alleged suspension of Channels TV by NBC as an attack on media freedom and independence.
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The duck test, a fairly popular abductive reasoning form, is what I have elected to start this piece with. In case, just in case, you have no familiarity with the duck test, this is what it says in its most elementary form: “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”
The test implies that one can identify a subject by observing its/his or her habitual characteristics and actions. With the duck test, I am scrutinizing the role of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who, in February, announced himself the chairman of the Ministerial Task Force on the Federal Government’s Digital Switchover (DSO) programme. Since then, and, of course, before, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which should drive the DSO programme, has become an extra in its own movie.
FG Launches Digital Switch-Over in Lagos
The NBC said within six months, analog broadcasting will be switched off in Lagos, and all households need to purchase the set-top box to view channels. 3 min read
The Nigerian government has launched Digital Switch-Over (DSO), a switch from analog television to digital television, in Lagos State.
The event, which held on Thursday, at Ikeja, Lagos, marked the beginning of the second phase of the rollout of DSO across the federation.
The first phase of DSO rollout held in Jos, Abuja, Ilorin, Kaduna, Enugu, and Osogbo between April 2016 and February 2018.
The DSO, which was delivered with the brand name ‘FreeTV,’ signifies the transition from analog to digital television across the country.