Posts
The National Broadcasting Commission, as part of its mandate, commenced monitoring of the 2019 electioneering broadcasts and campaign, to ensure professionalism, good taste and decency in the election process.
The Commission emphasized the need for broadcasters to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Code, especially on the need for compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. It is instructive to draw your attention to some regulatory interventions by the Commission preceding the 2019 elections.
Training and sensitization of broadcast stations:
• The Commission embarked on a deliberate training and sensitization programme before the elections. The Commission organised training sessions in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Enugu, Sokoto and Abuja to remind stations of the provisions of the broadcasting Code and to warn about the dangers of hate speech.
• The Commission also visited broadcast stations across the country in preparation for the elections.
• The Commission partnered with several agencies including the EU SDGN Project to train broadcasters across the country.
• We organised a one day workshop on Hate Speech, Fake news, Vote & PVC buying. We similarly set up an election coverage monitoring process across the country. And that involved all the members of the NBC management. It was a 24 hours operation.
• Staff of the Commission also attended several training sessions.
Despite the above interventions, at the end of the Presidential elections held on the 23rd of February, 2019, the following stations were found culpable of infractions of the provisions of the Code and have been sanctioned, accordingly. They violated Sections 5.2.12, 7.6.6 and 7.6.7 of the Code.
The Commission also sanctioned stations who allowed politicians to make abusive, inciting and provocative statements during rallies. This happened on several radio and television stations particularly, on the four national networks such as, NTA, AIT, Channels TV and TVC News. There are also several state radio and television stations involved in this infraction. Only recently Jay FM Jos was sanctioned for allowing its platform to be used to preach hate. We want to warn that stations that continue to use hate and inflammatory comments that threaten the security of the country will be shut down.
A total of 45 broadcast stations across Nigeria that have been sanctioned and would pay the highest sum that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code allows are advised to remit at the due date to avoid graduated sanctions provided for in Section 14.3.2.6 of the Code.
LIST OF STATIONS THAT BREACHED THE PROVISIONS OF THE CODE
S/N STATION PROGRAMME BREACH SECTION SANCTION
ABUJA ZONE
1 Jordan FM, (93.9 FM) Abuja The Page & National Dialogue Partisan comments in phone-in programmes less than 24 hrs to election 7.6.6
500,000.00
2 Nigerian Info 95.1 FM, Abuja Newspaper Headlines Use of campaign headlines on newspaper review 7.6.6 500,000.00
3 Greetings 105.7 FM, Abuja Talk Nigeria Use of partisan SMS and endorsement of candidates 7.6.6
500,000.00
4 AIT, Network Kaakaki (Kaakaki Social) Display of party logo and patrician social media content 7.6.6
500,000.00
5 Crystal 91.3 FM, Abuja Advert Political campaign jingle 7.6.6 500,000.00
6 WE 106.3 FM, Abuja Sundowner Use of campaign messages by presenter 7.6.6 500,000.00
7 NBS, Keffi Newspaper Review Use of campaign messages 7.6.6 500,000.00
8 ZUMA 91.2 FM, SULEJA Hot Seat Partisan Political Broadcast 7.6.6
500,000.00
9 Channels TV, Abuja News Headline Display of partisan newspaper headline less than 24 hours to election 7.6.6 500,000.00
BENIN ZONE -
1 Delta Broadcasting Service 97.9 FM, Asaba Political Broadcast Use of campaign messages 5.2.12
500,000.00
2 Bridge 98.7 FM, Asaba Adverts & News Political campaign jingle and use of campaign messages in news 500,000.00
3 Crown 94.7 FM, Asaba Advert Use of political campaign jingles 500,000.00
4 Rize 106.7 FM, Warri Advert Political campaign jingle 500,000.00
ENUGU ZONE -
1 Vision Africa Radio, Umuahia (104.1 FM) Political Programme Political campaign jingle less than 24 hours before election 5.2.12, 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,00.00
2 Zandas FM, Owerri (105.7 FM) Advert Political campaign jingle less than 24 hours before election. 7.6.6., 7.6.7 500,000.00
3 Reach FM Owerri (104.9 FM) Political Phone-in Endorsement of candidate in a phone-in programme less than 24 hours to election 5.2.12, 7.6.6
500,000.00
4 Solid 100.9 FM, Enugu Advert Political campaign jingle less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
5 NTA CH 12 Owerri News Use of campaign rally in news 7.6.6, 7.6.67 500,000.00
6 Odenigbo Radio 99.1 FM, Obosi Political programme Endorsement of political candidates by presenter 5.2.12 500,000.00
7 Reach 104.9 FM, Owerri Sports Illegal announcement of election result by a caller 5.2.14, 5.2.15 500,000.00
8 Megaband 97.3 FM, Owerri Advert Political campaign and endorsement of candidate 5.2.12, 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
JOS ZONE -
1 Ashi Waves 99.9 FM, Katsina-Ala News Bulletin Use of partisan content in news 500,000.00
2 BRC II (FM) Bauchi (Jama’are) News Bulletin Use of political campaign in news bulletin 500,000.00
3 Swomen Agro FM, Shendam Advert Political campaign less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
4 TSBS (AM) Jalingo News Use of partisan comments in news 5.2.12 500,000.00
5 BRC II (FM) Bauchi (Misau FM) Advert Political campaign less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
KADUNA ZONE -
1 Vision FM, Katsina Advert Political campaign less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
2 Arewa Radio, Kano Advert Political campaign less than 24 hours to polling day 5.2.12, 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
3 Invicta FM, Kaduna Newspaper Review Use of campaign captions in newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
LAGOS ZONE -
1 Raypower FM, Lagos Newspaper Review Use of campaign captions in newspaper review 5.2.12
500,000.00
2 AIT Lagos Democracy Today Broadcast of political personalities with attires bearing party symbols and identification 5.2.12, 7.6.7 1,000,000.00
3 Inspiration FM, Lagos Newspaper Review Use of campaign captions in newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
4 Radio Lagos Newspaper review Use of campaign headlines in newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
5 City FM, Lagos Newspaper review Use of campaign headlines in newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
6 Lagos Talk Newspaper review Use of campaign headlines in newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
7 LTV 8, Lagos Political Rally Use of hate speech at a live political rally 4.5.1, 3.3.3, 5.2.5 500,000.00
8 TVC News, Lagos Political Rally Ditto Ditto
500,000.00
9 ONTV Advert Use of campaign jingle less than 24 hours to election 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
10 TVC News, Lagos Advert Political jingle less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
11 Silverbird TV, Lagos Advert Use of party logo less than 24 hours to polling day 500,000.00
12 Channels TV, Lagos Business News Use of party logo less than hours to election 5.2.12 500,000.00
13 Classic FM Lagos Newspaper Review Use of campaign statement by analyst on newspaper review 5.2.12 500,000.00
MAIDUGURI ZONE -
1 Yobe Broadcasting Corporation, Damaturu Advert Partisan campaign less than 24 hours to polling day 7.6.6, 7.6.7 500,000.00
2 Gombe Media Corp. Bauchi GMTV 25 News Report Display of party logo less than 24 hours to polling day 5.2.12 500,000.00
SOKOTO ZONE -
1 Vision FM, Birni Kebbi Advert Political campaigns less than 24 hours to polling day 500,000.00
Your Right To Quality Broadcasting!!!
No comments