Obadiah Mailaifa’s interview on NigerianIfo is birthing new level of enforcement of broadcast laws . NBC has said it will sanction contents.
A letter by the Nigerian Broadcast Commission dated 3 August and signed by the Zonal Director of the NBC Lagos Office, Chibuike Ogwumike , reveals that broadcast stations were already warned over messages that abuse Nigerian leaders and elders by their guests.
NAIJA NEWS NG reports that Ogwumike referred broadcasters to sections of the NBC code that provides for “professional rules” against content that “denigrates the social norms, values and culture of the society”. He added that holding government and leaders accountable “must not be done in abusive language”.
The statement read;
“Monitoring activities indicate that in the recent time, some broadcast stations have abdicated their editorial responsibilities such that guests and callers on programmes abuse and insult leaders and those in authority freely and without caution.
“May I please draw your attention to the following provisions of the Broadcasting Code: Section 3.1.: Professional Rules: 3.1.1: No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain an offensive reference to any person or organization, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.
“Also, 3.1.19: The broadcast shall not transmit content that denigrates the social norms, values and culture of the society.
“To denigrate our elders and leaders in abusive terms is not our culture. We respect our leaders as a positive cultural value,” it added.
“We expect Broadcasters, especially anchors to show professionalism in the handling of programmes such that guest or callers that exhibit such tendency are professionally handled.
“The recourse to abusing, denigrating and insulting the President, Governors, MPs and other leaders does not show us as cultured people.”
The Nigerian Broadcast Commission has slammed a N5 million fine on Nigeria Info 99.3 because of the contents of its interview with former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailaifa .
