The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has given the operators of Arise Television a final warning on the alleged violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The Director-General of NBC, Balarabe llelah, gave the warning in a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global Limited and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday in Abuja.
In the letter titled “Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: Final warning”, Mr Ilelah said the commission had observed with concern the preponderance of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise News.
He said the letter was to once again underscore the tremendous responsibility put on Arise TV to manage the array of guests that may feature on the station occasionally.
“For the benefit of the doubt, on 5 October during the programme – ‘The Morning Show’, anchored by Reuben Abati, Rufai Useni and Ayo Mairo Ese, featured Oladotun Hassan and Dele Farotimi as guests. The programme contained unguarded incendiary remarks by Dele Farotimi against the legislature, executive, judiciary and Mr President.
“Similarly, on 6 October, the programme “Newsday” featured Kenneth Okonkwo (Spokesperson for the Labour Party), who used derogatory remarks on air. Your attention is therefore drawn to the relevant sections of the NigeriaBroadcasting Code for compliance, please,” Mr Ilelah said.
Arise TV and the law
The NBC boss explained further that section 1.10.3 says the broadcaster shall ensure that its presenter does not express their opinion in the programme as a matter of professional standard.
He said section 3.3.1 (a) stipulates that the broadcaster shall ensure that any information given in a programme, in whatever form, is accurate. He said Section 3.3.3 (c) provided that the broadcaster shall be above inherent biases, prejudices and subjective mindsets.
According to section 3.3.1(e), the Broadcaster, in this case Arise TV, shall not treat any individual or organisation unjustly and unfairly in any programme.
The NBC boss further explained that section 5.3.3(b) of the code stated that the broadcaster should, in using political materials for news and current affairs programmes, avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory, and divisive remarks or allusions.
“Section 5.5.6 says the broadcaster shall have a delay mechanism to guard against undesirable content.Arise TV is advised to install a delay mechanism to guard against possible undesirable contents as prescribed in Section 5.5.6 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
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“Please note that henceforth, your station shall be held liable for any infraction on your platform, and applicable sanctions shall be imposed as prescribed by Law,” Mr Ilelah stressed.
The Deputy Managing Director of Arise TV, Emmanuel Efeni, did not answer or return calls seeking his comments on the allegations levelled against his station by NBC. He also did not respond to a text message sent to him.
(NAN)
