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The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has imposed a fine of N5 million each on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV, TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV), and NTA-Startimes Limited for broadcasting a documentary by the BBC Africa Eye titled, “Bandits Warlords Of Zamfara.”
Trust Television Network (Trust TV) was also fined N5 million for the broadcast of the documentary titled: “Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story”, which was aired by the station on the 5th of March, 2022.
This is contained in a statement titled: ‘NBC Sanction PayTV Platforms’ yesterday dated August 3, 2022, signed by its director general, Balarabe Shehu Illela.
Recall that last Thursday, the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had said that the Federal Government would sanction Trust TV and BBC for “terrorism glorification” in their documentaries.
Mohammed said the Federal Government is aware of the “unprofessional” documentary by the BBC, Africa Eye, where interviews were granted to bandit warlords and terror gangs, thereby promoting “terror” in the country.
The Commission advised broadcasters to be circumspect and deliberate in the choice and carriage of contents deleterious to Nigeria’s National security.
Consequently, NBC said the airing and carriage of these documentaries, contravened the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Sixth edition, especially, the underlisted Sections:
“3.1.1: No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime. lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organisation, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity;
”3.12.2: The broadcaster shall not transmit a programme that incites or likely to incite to violence among the populace, causing mass panic, political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder; and
“3.11.2: The Broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a manner depicting that law and order are socially superior to, or more desirable than crime or anarchy.”
NBC said the imposed penalties on these Broadcast Media platforms and Station is to be remitted not later than August 30, 2022.
The Commission said failure to comply with this will lead to the imposition of a higher sanction as provided in the Code.
NBC enjoined broadcasters to be instruments of national unity and desist from falling into the antics of using their platforms to promote and glamorise subversive elements and their activities.
“Please note that every broadcast station or platform is responsible for the content it transmits or transmitted on its platform, and shall be held liable for any content in violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code,” the Commission added.
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