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Tag: NBC

  • Oyo commiserates with NBC, family over Zonal Director’s death

    The Oyo State Government yesterday condoled with the Director General, management and Staff of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the demise of the Zonal Director of the commission in the South West, Mrs. Olajumoke Olatunde Oginni.

    The state government also commiserated with Mrs. Oginni’s family,  praying that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, who led the management team of the ministry to the NBC South West Zonal Office in Ibadan on a condolence visit, described the death of Mrs. Oginni as a rude shock to the entire citizenry and the broadcast industry, saying that her experience and dedication to service will surely be missed.

    Arulogun described the late Zonal Director as very hardworking who during her life time was committed to the upliftt of  the standards of the organization and ensured that broadcasting ethics were highly adhered to in the South-West region which she supervised.

    He said Mrs. Oginni, nee Coker, was a woman of substance who knew her onions in the broadcast industry, noting that her innovative ideas can be testified to by broadcast professionals in the state.

    Arulogun said: “On behalf of the government, governor and the people of Oyo State, kindly accept our heartfelt condolence on the demise of Mrs. Jumoke Olatunde Oginni. Her death came as a rude shock, but we take consolation in her peaceful passage. May her soul rest in peace”.

    While thanking the Commissioner, the Assistant Chief Monitoring Officer, NBC, Mrs. Sherifat Mohammed Koro, appreciated government’s condolence visit to the commission at this trying period.

  • Akure Landlords petition NBC over location of Fm station.

    Landlords of Alagbaka / Police headquarters areas of Akure, the Ondo state capital have petitioned the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission(NBC) for sitting a Frequency Modulation(FM) station within their domain without recourse to laws guiding its establishment.

    A petition written by residents in the area and signed by their Lawyer,  Tunde Atere, said it was worrisome to them to notice the springing up of a structure and high mast/tower in the neighborhood without any prior knowledge of landlords in the area.

    The environment, they said by original design, was purely a residential plan,but now having a commercial outlook.

    According to representatives of the Landlords’ Association, Victor Adejimola and Mrs. Veronica Titus, all efforts by the community to know those behind the FM station failed, until police intervention.

    Residents noticed that the consultant handling the project, has not done what he was expected to do before commencing the project,stressing that all procedures were jettisoned even as the project reached 65 percent completion.

    The landlords said at the public review on the project, the panel’s chairman, Prof. Ayo Olajuyigbe of the Federal University of Technology Akure,( FUTA ) faulted the Environmental Impact Assessment document  presented by  the consultant.

    Olajuyigbe and officials of the ministry of Environment, described the  documents presented  by the consultant as very  defective and  called for re-presentation.

    The landlords said they were not against developmental plans for the community,but maintained that their welfare should be paramount and above individual pecuniary benefits.

    They noted that the whole process of the project was faulty, while the consultant handling the project failed to do proper job to prevent future hazards.

    The Landlords also expressed concern that some affluent individuals were threatening the landlords with ethnic sentiments without considering safety of human beings in the society.

  • FG on course with Digital Switch Over implantation

    The Federal Government has resolved the brewing crisis threatening the implementation of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) from analogue television broadcasts in the country.

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, had on Thursday summoned the critical stakeholders in the DSO to a meeting where the contentious issues involved were discussed and resolved.

    The NSA had told the stakeholders the Federal Government was determined to uphold its policy on DSO and also ensuring that private investment in the Nigerian economy was not discouraged.

    The meeting, which lasted about three hours, witnessed the diplomatic negotiation and consensus building capacity of the NSA that facilitated a resolution of the five year old dispute, which interrupted smooth implementation of the DSO and twice led to missing set deadlines.

    The Federal Government policy on DSO was thereby protected from legal interpretation in law courts while also salvaging solid private investment in the nation’s economy and attendant jobs created through the investment from uncertainty and jeopardy.

    At the meeting were Senator Elect and Chairman of the Board of NBC, Ikra Bilbis, DG NBC, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, the CEO of Details Nigeria Limited, operators of Goth, John Ugbe and Chairman, Pinnacle Communications Limited, Sir Lucky Omoluwa whose efforts to make the meeting possible was acknowledged by the NSA, and COO of Pinnacle Communications Limited, Dipo Onifade.

  • Updated:NBC sanctions NTA, AIT, Channels, others

    ….Threatens outright closure ahead of coming polls

     

    The National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ) has sanctioned 45 broadcast stations across the nation.

    Each of the stations is to pay N500, 000 for airing campaigns with indecent languages on air.

    The total sum expected from the sanction amounts to N22.5million.

    NTA, AIT, Channels, TVC lead the pack of sanctioned stations in the build-up to the just concluded presidential and National elections.

    The stations which cut across the country was said to have committed some infractions which is against the broadcasting code.

    NBC has, therefore, warned that it would not pardon any station that run foul of the code in the coming governorship, state Assembly and FCT council polls on the 9th of March.

    NBC Director General Modibbo Kawu said that the commission will be forced to use the sledge hammer should any station contravene the code.

    Kawu spoke Friday in Abuja while briefing Journalists on the Commission’s monitoring of the 2019 electioneering broadcasting and campaigns.

    He said, “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.”

    He stressed that the commission has done everything possible to assist the stations to be able to adhere to the code, including trainings and workshops for their personnel.

    Despite the interventions, he said “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.”

    He also added that 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 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.”

    Ahead of coming Saturday polls, Kawu stated, “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.”

    He therefore stressed that, “The next step is not to sanction them and make them pay N500, 000 but we are going to close down any stations that takes the next step in terms of these infractions”.

    Kawu 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.

  • NBC okays 500m Euros for operations

    The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited said it has set aside 500 million Euros to fortify its operations in the country.

    Its Managing Director, Mr. George Polymenakos, who spoke while unvealing measures being put in place by the firm to enable it reap returns on its huge investments, said the firm is equipped with the right infrastructure to meet the needs of its consumers while also creating value for the shareholders.

    “Over the last four years, we have steadily increased the number and capacity of our production lines. The NBC’s business transformation and optimisation plan which commenced in 2015, led to NBC bringing into Nigeria, investment of over 500 million Euro for the expansion and extensive upgrade of our manufacturing plants in Asejire, Ikeja, Abuja, Owerri, Challawa, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt and Benin, with the resultant increase in our total production capacity. In line with our ongoing accelerated business plan, we will continue to invest heavily in capital expenditure leading up to 2020, to ensure that we are well positioned to deliver operational excellence across the value chain,” he said.

    Polymenakos said the firm is optimistic that it would continue to witness growth regardless of the slow growth witnessed in the economy, adding that the economy offers big prospects for improvement and development and that NBC with over 67 years of operations in Nigeria, has garnered a wealth of experience in meeting consumer needs and growing a successful business in the country

    According to him, the NBC would never stop investing in Nigeria, irrespective of the fact that the last three years were difficult for the country’s economy. This belief in the country’s economy, he further revealed, was why the beverage drink manufacturer did not hold back from implementing its investment plans for the Nigeria business, making the firm to invest in excess of 100 million Euros in its operations between 2016 and 2018.

    On sustainability, Polymenakos said as a business, he is convinced that the business can only be as strong as the communities in which it operates and its human resources.

  • NBC, Play Tv, Free Tav on PlayVoD

    The Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu yesterday launched the much awaited video on demand (VoD) platform, PlayVoD, in partnership with FreeTv and Play Tv.

    PlayVoD is a platform that allows subscribers access premium Nollywood Blockbusters through the use of a customised dongle. Subscribers on both Free Tv and Play Tv will therefore have access to any Nollywood movies of their preffered choice  without the use of internet  The platform promises to deliver the cinema feelings and experience to subscribers in the comfort of their homes.

    The NBC chief said PlayVoD is a value added service (VAS) on the Digital Switch Over (DSO), that deepens the reality of the DSO and invariably helping regulators curb piracy in the industry.

    Also speaking on the occasion, the  Managing Director, Inview Nigeria Limited, Olumade Adesemowo, expressed delight over the launch of the platform stating that it will completely change the economics for the entire Nollywood industry.

    Nollywood actress Ayo Adesanya  and her Kannywood counterpart Uzee Usman who were present at the event said the launch is another initiative that will help all the  stakeholders  especially the movie makers to curb piracy which is  a major challenge that’s facing the industry.

    This service enables customers to access high quality digital movies on demand without any expensive internet or data charges.

    Viewers will be able to select from an ever increasing library of movies which are constantly pushed direct to the Set Top Box without incurring any data charges. Customers then simply select the film they want to watch and pay to view – with the movie accessible for 3 days after activation.

    In order to gain access to the service customers only need purchase a PlayVoD dongle which includes a one-time activation fee and one movie for free.

    The service will be launched across the country and customers will get access to the service via a free software upgrade that will be sent to their Set Top Box automatically.

    This exciting movie platform is an excellent way for viewers to have an at home cinema experience at a highly affordable cost and be confident that they will get superior viewing experience to pirated alternatives.

    The PlayVoD service will help restore value to Nollywood, a world leading creative industry that is currently blighted with piracy.

     

    Content creators will finally get a secure, high quality platform to distribute their content with confidence and enable Nigerian citizens to enjoy great quality, legitimate entertainment at home – at the fraction of the cost of an expensive pay tv subscription

    Other notable personality and partners at the launch were   the General Manager of Play Tv, Funmi Adenaike; Toyin Subair; Media and Entertainment industry leader, representatives of Bank of Industry (BoI) and Filmone Production & Distribution, movie producers and DSO stake holders.

    Kindly find below few points to include in your brief to the press, Please feel free to edit;

    All these citizens will be able to access a new Value Added Service which has just launched called PlayVoD.

     

     

     

     

  • 2019: NBC set to strengthen role for peaceful broadcast campaigns

    NATIONAL Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Director-General  Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu has reiterated the commission’s commitment to strengthen its role to ensure proper supervision of broadcast stations activities on political campaigns.

    Speaking yesterday at the opening of a two-day workshop on political broadcast in Sokoto, Kawu noted that political parties and candidates have roles to play in shaping the process to enable the nation’s democracy thrive in peace.

    Kawu said: “We need to responsively reflect on the mutual ideals of democracy to sustain an acceptable process.”

    Explaining that the commission was responsible for adequate supervision and sanctioning of erring stations, Kawu noted that stations must measure up with the challenges associated with their responsibilities, especially during electioneering campaigns.

    “It is my hope that the workshop would avail us the opportunity of knowing the important task before us and take advantage to learn and do the needful towards ensuring a peaceful electioneering process,” he said.

    NBC Board Chairman Ikra Iliyasu Bilbis stressed the need for parties and politicians to depart from negative tendencies and activities that serially characterised elections in the past.

    “It seems Nigeria has not learnt from past experience,” Bilbis said.

    He enumerated rumour, denying opposition access to air their views, especially through government-owned media, dwelling on non-issue based political discuss among others as catalysts.

    In their separate messages of goodwill, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other stakeholders who spoke in same direction, including the traditional institution, assured of their resolve to support and ensure smooth, peaceful and successful electioneering and elections process.

  • 2019:NBC set to strengthen role for peaceful electioneering process – DG

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, Director General, National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) has reiterated the commission’s commitment to strengthen and consolidate its role to ensuring proper supervision and monitoring of broadcast stations activities on political campaigns.

    Speaking on Monday at the opening of a 2-day workshop on political broadcast in Sokoto, Kawu in a welcome address, noted that political parties and candidates have role to play in shaping the process such that the nation’s democracy could thrive in peace.

    According to Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, ” we need to responsively reflect on the mutual ideals of democracy to sustain an acceptable process.”

    While explaining that the commission was responsible for adequate supervision and sanctioning of erring stations, Kawu noted that stations must measure up with the challenges associated with their responsibilities especially during electioneering campaigns.

    “It is my hope that the workshop would avail us the opportunity of knowing the important task before us and take advantage to learn and do the needful towards ensuring a peaceful electioneering process”, Kawu said.

    Read Also: Anambra Speaker urges IG to unseal Assembly complex

    In his keynote address, NBC board Chairman, Ikra Iliyasu Bilbis stressed the need for parties and politicians to depart from negative tendencies and activities that serially characterised peaceful elections in the past.

    ” It seems Nigeria has not learnt from past experience.”

    He enumerated rumour, denying opposition access to air their views especially through government owned media, dwelling on non issue based political discuss among others as catalysts.

    Bilbis, however observed that was yet to learn much from the modern democratic process, recalling that ” in the 2015 elections, international observers, though commended Nigeria for a free and fair elections, they however, did not dwell n politically based issues.”

    In their separate messages of goodwill, INEC, NSCDC and other stakeholders who spoke in same direction including the traditional institution, assured of their resolve to support and responsively ensure smooth, peaceful and successful electioneering and elections process.

    According to them, ” parties , politicians and other stakeholders have the duty to make our work easier if we collectively observe the guide lines and requirements.“

  • 2019 Campaigns : NPC urges media to avoid bias, elevate political discourse

    The Nigeria Press Council (NPC) on Monday urged media professionals to emphasise the objective of quality journalism by reporting issues that would elevate political discourse as 2019 campaigns began.

    Mr Nnamdi Njemanze, the Executive Secretary of NPC, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), advised the media against reportage that would derogate issue-based campaigns.

    Njemanze also enjoined the media to shun tendencies of trying to take side or project any political party or candidates at the expense of others.

    He said the media as professionals, should ensure that their self-inclination did not jeopardise the need for quality journalism, saying “ if that happens, then the moral tone of the profession would be weaken.

    “ At every time, the media should stress and emphasise the objective of good journalism by reporting issues that will elevate the political discourse rather than reporting issues that will derogate quality discourse.

    “As campaigns for the 2019 elections begin, we need to draw attention of the media to the code of ethics of journalism that guides elections campaigns.

    “ We do know that politicians are in the habit of accusing each other and use words that are inflammatory in order to score cheap points against their opponent.

    “ The media as a moderator of the process, should be mindful of reporting such or project some of the statements that are capable of stirring up mischief, “ Njemanze said.

    Read Also: Falana to speak at IPC’s tweet, media roundtable

    The NPC boss noted that the code of ethics for journalists was a pointer to the need for quality journalism that ensured the truth was projected.

    Njemanze advised media professionals to ensure that the essential element of good journalism like verification, balancing, fairness and truth were projected at all times.

    According to him, on reporting the political space, the media must be mindful of the electoral guideline and laws for elections and they should also be mindful of the code of ethics for election coverage as reviewed.

    “ Let the electoral laws and code of ethics of the profession, including the NBC media code, be the guide during the campaigns and election.

    “ We do know that some politicians will go over the board to say one or two things that might not promote national unity.

    “ It is incumbent on the media to filter those extraneous elements that will derogate the quality of the news reportage,“she added.

    Commenting on editorial independence, Njemanze said decision concerning content of news should be the responsibility of professional journalists and not the responsibility of any other interest group to avoid undue influence.

  • New York police respond to ‘suspicious package’ in Manhattan

    New York City’s Police Department (NYPD) was responding to reports of a “suspicious package” found in Manhattan on Thursday, following a series of suspected pipe bombs sent to high-profile Democrats and critics of U.S. President Donald Trump.

    “Please avoid the area and expect a police presence and heavy traffic,’’ the NYPD wrote on Twitter.

    It was unclear whether the incident was linked to suspected package bombs intercepted in the U.S. this week, which were sent to Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, former President Barack Obama, said broadcaster CNN and others.

    Read Also: Potential explosives sent to White House, Hillary Clinton, Obama

    Broadcaster NBC news said Thursday’s discovery was made at a site linked to Robert De Niro, citing a local law enforcement official.

    The actor owns a restaurant in Manhattan’s upmarket Tribeca neighbourhood, where the package was found, and has been critical of Trump in the past.

    Television footage showed a heavy police presence in the area.

    De Niro cursed the president on national television during the Tony Awards in June, saying “Fuck Trump” with his fist in the air.

    Trump retaliated by calling the 75-year-old veteran actor a “very low IQ individual.”