BON Urges Lai Mohammed to Curb NBC’s Excesses

•Warns that regulator becoming agent of media suppression

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (BON) has written the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, asking him to urgently call the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to order over the flagrant violation of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.

The letter, with reference ON/G/53/Vol.6/119, dated April 3, 2023, was addressed to the minister by the Executive Secretary, BON, Dr. Yemisi Bamgbose.

In a separate letter it addressed on the same day to the Director General, NBC, Malam Balarabe Ilelah, BON warned the NBC that it may lose its credibility as an unbiased regulator because it was gradually becoming an agent of media suppression.

BON also accused the NBC of deliberately refusing to follow its rules as stipulated in the code on investigation of infractions as well as imposition of fines on broadcast houses on alleged infractions. It described the attitude of the NBC towards broadcast stations in recent past as not only arbitrary but one that smacks of high handedness which is almost suffocating the broadcast media in the country

It alleged that the Commission refused to follow its rules as stipulated in the code on investigation of infractions as well as imposition of fines on broadcast houses on alleged infractions.

“Section 14.3.1(a) (b) (c) (d) stipulates how to hand complaints. Section 15.3.1 (a) (b) (c) stipulates categories of fines and what constitute infractions in each category.

 “In the recent times, NBC provides no opportunity to the broadcaster to see the complaints against it not to talk of allowing any form of explanation nor following due process at arriving judgements.

“This was the situation of all multiple allegations of ” severe” infractions levied against Channels Television, Daar Communications, Arise TV and Daily Trust Television among many others,” BON said.

It faulted the NBC for imposing a N5 million fine on Channels Television on alleged “severe ” infraction committed during a live interview programme titled, ‘Politics Today,’ which featured Mr. Datti Baba Ahmed, the Vice Presidential candidate of Labour Party and anchored by Mr. Seun Okinbaloye on March 22, 2023.

It said the alleged breach, which warranted the fine, was never substantiated nor stated the area of code violated by the station.

“We found it very absurd that, NBC as a regulator, could on a petition from a campaign organisation of a political party imposed illegal fines on broadcast station without employing all avenues to investigate the complaint nor gave room for defence from the station so accused,” Bamgbose wrote.

She regretted that arising from the infraction broadcast stations, have now lost trust of the professional judgement of NBC when it comes to allegations of infractions and imposition of fines.

While reiterating it was not averse to sanctioning of erring stations as jointly agreed by all stakeholders, BON appealed to Mohammed as the supervising minister, to urgently call the NBC to order in other to avoid total decimation of the hitherto respected regulatory body.

In the separate letter to Ilelah, that was also signed by Bamgbose, BON expressed worry about the declining trust of stakeholders in the independence of the highly revered NBC accentuated by developments in the Nigeria broadcast industry in recent times that have created the impression that the Commission is gradually losing its credibility and retrogressively acting as an agent of media repression in the country.

“The perception of the public is that radio and television stations in Nigeria are currently under siege. We dare say that imposition of fines on Channels Television and many other cases in the recent past are not only arbitrary but smacks of high handedness which is already suffocating the broadcast media in the country.

“There are reasons to conclude that NBC is being influenced in its decisions to the detriment of the industry which it is supposed to nurture and grow.

“It will be recalled that BON on several occasion has complained about NBC at all times being the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge. That is not the intention of the framers of the laws and code of NBC,” BON declared.

It accused the NBC of operating with the revised 6th edition of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code which a court of competent jurisdiction had declared illegal.

BON added that the public impression is that NBC is no longer independent in the course of carrying out its mandate and it has been largely influenced by government, adding “when government sneezes, NBC catches cold”.

BON asked the NBC DG to urgently review of all fines imposed in the recent past on stations by NBC based on alleged “severe infractions”, withdraw letter containing the imposition of N5m fine on Channels Television because the station did not violate any section of the code, and that every allegation of severe infraction should be thoroughly investigated using two- step levels of investigation involving the commission and the stakeholders

BON also requested Ilelah to call a meeting of stakeholders in broadcast industry to discuss critical issues affecting the sector.