Tag: NBC

NBC Broadcasting Code Sanction: SERAP sues Buhari on terrorism reporting, TrustTV N5m fine

Aminu Imam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, (CJID), have slammed Nigerias number one man, President Muhammadu Buhari. The groups filed a lawsuit against the President, asking the court to declare arbitrary and illegal, the N5 million imposed on Trust Television, (TrustTV), MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Television Authority-StarTimes Ltd and others over their documentaries on terrorism in the country. Joined in the suit as Defendants are the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC). NBC had last week…

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New NBC Broadcasting Code:Cable TV operator lauds FG for efforts to end monopoly by DSTV, others

Aminu Imam

A pay television company, Metrodigital Limited, has lauded the Federal Government for ending the monopoly of cable television rights by major pay television companies in Nigeria. The companys Managing Director, Ifeanyi Nwafor, gave the commendation at a news conference in Port Harcourt, on Friday. Nwafor said the Federal Governments decision to outlaw the monopoly of television rights would promote competition, reduce the prices of subscriptions and create jobs for thousands of people in the country. So, we are delighted, considering that in the past the market of broadcasting was foreclosed, as…

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2023: CDD rejects fine imposed on Trust TV, others

Aminu Imam

…Says NBC cant gag media, citizens’ rights  The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has condemned the imposition of a N5 million fine on Trust Television (TrustTV) by the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), for airing documentaries that exposed terrorists and their activities. Aside from TrustTV, NBC also fined MultiChoice, NTA, TSTV MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV, TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV) and NTA-StarTimes Ltd, N5 million each for broadcasting a documentary by the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) Africa Eye titled: Bandits Warlords Of Zamfara. However, in an issued statement on…

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NBC fines Pay TV platforms N20m over documentary on banditry

Aminu Imam

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has imposed a fine of N5 million each on MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd., owners of DSTV, TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV), and NTA-StarTimes Ltd, for broadcasting a documentary by the BBC Africa Eye, titled: Bandits Warlords of Zamfara. Trust Television Network (TrustTV) was also fined N5 million for the broadcast of another documentary, titled: Nigerias Banditry: The Inside Story, which was aired by the station on March 5, 2022. The NBC disclosed this in an issued statement, titled: NBC Sanction PayTV Platforms, signed by its director-general, Balarabe…

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2023 Election: NBC cautions broadcast stations on divisive news, hate speech

Aminu Imam

The National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), has cautioned stations against airing content materials inimical to national unity. This was contained in an issued statement yesterday by the Commission’s Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Illelah. The Commission also reminded broadcasters of the need to be guided by the code and ethics in the discharge of their responsibilities. Illelah warned that every station shall be held liable for any content in violation of the Nigeria Broadcast Code. The statement read in part: The National Broadcasting Commission has observed with concern the misuse of the airwaves…

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NBC, NTA D-G disagree over Bill to establish Society of Nigerian Broadcasters

Aminu Imam

The Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Balarabe Illelah, and former NTA Director-General, Prof. Tony Iredia, yesterday disagreed over a Bill to establish the Society of Nigeria Broadcasters, (SNB). The duo expressed their disagreement at a public hearing in Abuja, organised by the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values. The public hearing is on: A Bill for an Act to provide for the regulation and conduct of the practice of the broadcasting profession in Nigeria. Illelah said that there was no need for the bill, adding that there…

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Lagos Federal High Court nullifies 6th Edition NBC Broadcasting Code

Aminu Imam

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, declared as illegal the 6th edition of the National Broadcasting Code issued by the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC). In reaching his decision, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa said the proposed amendments 6th Edition of the National Broadcasting Code are ultra vires, incompetent null and void and perpetually restrained the NBC from implementing document. The court equally declared that the NBC does not have the power to prohibit exclusivity on and compel sub-licensing of privately acquired rights to television content as such is against…

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2023: FG directs NBC to clamp down on stations airing inciting broadcasts

Aminu Imam

The Federal Government has directed the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), to wield its big stick on television and radio stations airing inciting broadcasts as politicking for the 2023 general election gets intense. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, gave the directive yesterday, at the inauguration of the Governing Board of the Commission in Abuja. The minister also tasked the Board to fast-track the implementation of the governments Digital Switch Over. Addressing the reconstituted Board, the minister said, The most important task facing NBC today is to successfully transition the…

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APCON, NBC, EFCC team up to combat economic crimes in media, advertising industry

Aminu Imam

The Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), Balarabe Ilelah, and the Registrar/Chief Executive of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Olalekan Fadolapo, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, at the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja to strategise on ways to combat financial and economic crimes in the media industry. The DG of NBC and the Registrar of APCON solicited the support of EFCC towards sanitising the media/advertising industry and eliminating the iniquitous activities of some operators in the sector which…

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Kwara APC ex-chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa, heads NBC Board

Aminu Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reconstitution of the Governing Board of the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), following the expiration of the tenure of the former Board. In a press statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the Board has Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa as Chairman. Bolarinwa, a political associate of the minister, is a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State. He was re-elected state chairman in October 2021 at a parallel congress, but the national leadership of…

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