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Tag: NBC

  • NBC warns broadcasting stations against breaching law

    The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reminded all broadcasking stations on the need to abide to rules guiding the coverage and reportage of elections.

    The commission warned that it would not hesitate to impose sanctions for any breach arising from monitoring.

    In a statement yesterday, the NBC called the attention of broadcasting stations to the relevant sections of the law.

    The statement reads in part: “The commission while reminding all broadcast stations by this release that they have a duty to promote sustainable democracy in Nigeria, also warned that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to any erring station that operates outside the confines of the Code in accordance with section 14.0.1 which states that: “The Commission shall impose sanctions for any breach arising from monitoring and all complaints received on the content or conduct of a broadcast station.”

    ‘The Commission therefore reiterated that broadcast organisations were expected to exercise freedom of expression as agents of society, not for any personal or sectional rights, privileges and needs of their own or of their proprietors, relatives, or supporters as highlighted in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”

    The commission therefore charged all broadcasting stations that will be reporting the Ekiti State governorship elections to do so in conformity with the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, especially the provisions relating to coverage of elections.

    It also reminded the broadcasting stations of the broadcasting code: section. 5,2,14 and section 5,2.15.

    The sections read:  “All partisan political broadcasts, campaigns, jingles, announcements and the use of all forms of partisan political party identifications or symbols on air shall end not later than twenty-four hours before polling day.”

  • NBC fines Ekiti Broadcasting Service N500, 000

    The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), yesterday announced a N500, 000 fine on Ekiti State Broadcasting Service for violating ethical standards of broadcasting code.

    NBC Director-General Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, said in Abuja that broadcasters had an obligation to ensure that they did not disrupt the good order of the country and the nation’s democracy.

    He said the Ekiti State Broadcasting Service had been unprofessional in its activities, particularly in the past two weeks..

    The D-G said the appointment of the Acting Director-General of Ekiti Broadcasting Service, Mr Lere Olayinka, as the Spokesperson of Kolapo Olusola Campaign Organisation (KOCO), was not in conformity with the ethical standard of broadcasting.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, section 5.2. and 18 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code states that while a broadcaster /producer may interact with politicians in the course of his professional duties. ‘this shall not be such as to lead to the belief that he is either a member or sympathizer  of any political party,” he said.

    Kawu said that NBC had written to the station and drawn its attention to the violation of the code, but that words of caution were ignored.

    “When President Muhammadu Buhari went to Ekiti State, the governor actually did a broadcast telling the people not to receive the President.

    “You can carry partisanship up to a point but not up to that level.

    “So we are sanctioning the Ekiti State Broadcasting Service, the highest level of sanction that NBC can impose,” he said.

    The DG said that the Director of Broadcast Monitoring and other personnel of the commission would be on ground to monitor the situation.

    Kawu said “Every station is aware of the ways it must conduct itself as broadcast professionals and institutions.”

  • NBC trains 700 youths in Ibadan

    The Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) has kicked off the latest edition of ‘Youth empowered’, a training workshop designed for youths with Life and Business skills for their personal development to  help them transition to meaningful employment.

    The workshop, is the first in the series of Youth empowered workshops for the year, held in Ibadan.

    Speaking on the importance NBC attached to the programme, Managing Director of the Company, Mr. George Polymenakos, said the initiative was part of the company’s intervention programmes for the youth geared towards discovering their potential and providing them with the right skills for work environment.

    He noted that it was imperative for the youth to take advantage of this unique opportunity by engaging business leaders and mentors who will be present to offer them essential business skills that would help them succeed in contemporary business, environment.

    “As a business we remain committed to providing platforms that would assist the youth in channelling their energy and talents towards a productive cause, hence the introduction of this initiative. We believe this programme would go a long way to help the youth and young entrepreneurs sharpen their business skills and expertise in different profession. Furthermore, the initiative would help tackle the alarming rate of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria as learnings from the training will get the youths better prepared to create jobs for themselves,” he added.

    Praising the initiative, the Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Abayomi Oke said it would  improve the skill set of the youth and make them more employable while also inspiring them to become entrepreneurs.

    He said it was in line with Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s youth centric leadership, urging participants to take advantage of the opportunities for learning and networking.

    Highpoint of the event was the introduction of the ‘Business ideas competition’. Winners will undergo another specialised training using the UNIDO/HP LIFE curriculum and  get funding to actualise their ideas.

    The NBC Youth empowered will also hold for three days in Benin, Kaduna and Enugu.

     

  • Groups want NBC to sanction BBNaija show

    Groups want NBC to sanction BBNaija show

    If anti-tobacco groups have their way, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should bring its hammer hard on MultiChoice, owners of DSTV and GoTV for promoting smoking scenes in the ongoing Big Brother Naija 2018 Show.

    A coalition made up of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Gatefield and Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) at a press conference in Abuja expressed outrage over smoking scenes that were shown on the current edition of the Big Brother Naija, saying the scenes were targeted at making smoking look acceptable.

    The particular scene featured two housemates – Khloe and Teddy A – puffing smoke after a very heated debate with fellow housemates.

    ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said that the smoking scenes have generated genuine outrage among Nigerians who see it as a promotion of cigarettes to the youths who mostly watch the BBNaija show.

    Oluwafemi noted that prodded by her followers on her twitter page to do something about the BBNaija smoking scene, the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie  said the government had no power to move against immoralities in the show as it was an adult programme. She remarked that the show was not compulsory to watch and advised parents to use their remote control to change the channel whenever obscenity is shown.

    But Oluwafemi said that such a remark does not assuage the feeling of Nigerians who believe that the government can do more.

    Hilda Ochefu, Sub-regional co-ordinator of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (ERA/FoEN), explained that the smoking scenes were particularly disturbing and were intended to demonstrate to the youths that cigarettes calm frayed nerves.

    Adewunmi Emoruwa of Gatefield, while expressing his aversion to the smoking scenes, said that the depiction of smoking as hype breaches Nigeria’s laws hence the need for the government to take action.

     

  • Court reinstates dismissed NBC staff after 5 years

    Court reinstates dismissed NBC staff after 5 years

    The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Wednesday ordered the instatement of one Kate Obiechina, dismissed by the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC ) in 2013.

    Justice David Isele, in his judgment, said that due process was not followed by the NBC to dismiss the claimant.

    He said that the dismissal was in breach of her constitutional right of fair hearing, because she was not formally informed through writing, and neither was the allegation of misappropriation of government fund investigated.

    He ordered that the judgment should be complied with, within 14 days and arrears of her salary from the date of her dismissal paid in full.

    The claimant before her dismissal was a Principal Monitoring Officer in the Makurdi office of the NBC.

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    She approached the court to declare her dismissal from the Commission in 2013 as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

    The claimant’s counsel, Mr Bola Olotu, said his client was not given the opportunity to defend herself before she was dismissed.

    He said that allegation of absconding from duty without permission was levelled against his client, to which she was given a query and ordered to appear before a disciplinary committee.

    ” On my client’s appearance before the committee, a new allegation of misappropriation of government fund was levelled against her.

    “She was not given opportunity to speak or defend herself before the committee.

    “On Aug. 28, 2013, my client was served a termination letter, stating absconding from duty without permission and misappropriation of government fund as basis for the termination.”

    The claimant joined the Director-General of NBC, Federal Civil Service Commission,  Minister of Information and Attorney General of the Federation as co-respondents in the suit.

    NAN

  • 2019: NBC warns broadcasting stations over political campaigns, hate speeches

    2019: NBC warns broadcasting stations over political campaigns, hate speeches

    THE Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) yesterday read the out riot act to broadcast stations on political campaigns and hate speeches.

    Its Director General, Mallam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, said liable stations will soon face the law.

    He noted that it was wrong and against the ethics of the profession to broadcast campaign messages or programmes when the lid was yet to be lifted.

    Kawu, who spoke while  briefing reporters on the update of Digital Switch Over (DSO), said the NBC will soon begin to phase out Analogue Switch Off (ASO) in Plateau State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), by the end of the First Quarter of 2018.

    The NBC boss warned that media stations must do everything professional to promote the country’s democracy.

    Kawu said: “Permit me my dear colleagues, to also take your time to remind our broadcasters that as we approach the electioneering period, stations must do everything professional to promote democracy. Broadcasters are reminded that they have a duty to respect all extant laws related to the reportage and coverage of the electoral process. Don’t broadcast campaigns when the period for commencement of campaigns have not commenced.”

    On inciting messages, the NBC boss warned against deliberate airing of contents, which are capable of inciting the people against each other.

    “We are disturbed by the pattern of insensitive and inflammatory broadcasts emanating from some broadcast stations, especially in their coverage of national crises, like the herdsmen/farmer crises.

    “We have observed that some stations deliberately and repeatedly air very inciting contents long after the events break. We have warned stations that they must follow the tenets of the Broadcasting Code.

    “Having warned broadcasters, we shall follow up with appropriate sanctions should any station continue to violate the Broadcasting Code.”

    Already, he said the commission is planning a national conference on “politics and hate speech, during which we hope to present the study we commissioned on hate speech”.

    Kawu also revealed that the commission has submitted a long list of new radio and television stations to President Muhammad’s Buhari for presidential assent.

    “The President has always been encouraging the NBC to open up accesses for Nigerians to be able to register newer radio and television stations, because of his belief that they help to deepen democratic discourse and also help to create new jobs through the broadcasting value chain,” he said.

    NBC, he added, has informed the pay DTT operators, GOTV and NTA/STAR TIMES to begin discussions with the two signal distributors – ITS and Pinnacle Communications.

    “This is because, in line with the Government White Paper on the Transition from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting, after June 2019, these pay DTT operators would no longer be licensed to operate as both content providers and signal distributors,” he explained.

    On DSO, Kawu said by the end of the third quarter of 2018, 12 states would have been hooked up to the digital viewing.

    He noted that so far, the digital switch over has been launched in three states, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory.

    The commission, he said, is “committed to roll out in many more states this year” with Enugu and Osun on the line to join the list of states in couple of weeks.

    He said: “We have already scheduled Monday,  February 12, 2018 for the switch on for Enugu state. Similarly February 23rd has been affirmed for the switch on in Osun State.”

    The full roll out, he said, is subject to achieving about 95 per cent coverage.

  • Minister to NBC: sanction violators of Broadcast Code

    Minister to NBC: sanction violators of Broadcast Code

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction broadcasting organizations that violate the nation’s Broadcast Code.

    The minister, who gave the directive yesterday while addressing participants at the DSO Stakeholders’ Retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said that the serial violation of the code by many radio and television stations constitute a threat to national peace, security and unity.

    ‘’As I have said on a number of occasions, this administration will neither stifle press freedom nor tamper with freedom of expression. But it will also not condone a situation in which broadcast stations will set the nation on fire by ignoring the minimum standard as contained in the Broadcast Code.

    ‘’If we set the country on fire by our actions, none of us will escape the consequences. For those who may think this is far-fetched, let me remind them that a radio station, Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), played a (catalytic) role during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide that left some 800,000 people dead,’’ he said.

    Alhaji Mohammed said the Broadcast Code was clear when it said in Section 0.2.1: ‘’Broadcasting shall influence society positively, setting the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of a nation, for the public good.’’

    He also quoted three other relevant sections of the code: Section 3.1.2 (Materials likely to incite or encourage to the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder shall not be broadcast); Section 3.9.1 (Language or scene likely to encourage or incite to crime, or lead to disorder, shall not be broadcast) and Section 0.2.3g (Broadcasting shall be mindful of the degree of harm and offence likely to be caused by the inclusion of any material in programming, in general or in specific terms).

    ‘’Unfortunately, many of our broadcasters today are wilfully flouting these critical sections of the code by broadcasting inciting materials and language that can encourage or incite crime or lead to disorder.

    The situation has become worse in recent times, in the wake of the farmers/herders’ clashes.

    ‘’The killings in Benue in the new year are unfortunate, condemnable and unacceptable. But the coverage of the aftermath of the killings by many broadcast stations has shown a flagrant disregard for the Broadcast Code, lack of professionalism and outright irresponsibility. Many broadcast stations are guilty of this,’’ the minister said.

  • Digital TV will generate N100bn for Nollywood – Lai Mohammed

    Digital TV will generate N100bn for Nollywood – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says that Digital Television will generate N100bn annually for Nollywood through FreeTV distribution network.

    The minister made this known on Wednesday at the launch of digital switch over at the premises of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Ilorin.

    He said that Nigerians have watched Nollywood moved from VHS tapes to VCD to DVD, adding that the whole world has moved to digital consumption of content with its attendant benefits and democratisation of distribution.

    Nigerian TV viewers, the minister said have been constrained by limited penetration of internet in their homes.

    “With the middleware in our `Set Top Boxes’; homes will be able to buy and watch the latest Nollywood movies without the need for internet.

    “Imagine a film released on Monday morning being immediately available to all the households in Kwara at the touch of a button. That is the kind of experience we are talking about,” the minister added.

    Mohammed added that FReeTV has the capacity to grow TV advertising market by 400million dollar per annum through audience measurement.

    “In this regard, permit me to use this opportunity to throw the weight of the government behind the NBC in its efforts to create a viable currency by which producers of content and channels can be re-numerated,” he said.

    The minister said that the digital switch over will create tens of thousands of jobs through Technical and Manufacturing opportunities.

    “`Set Top Box’ assembling and ultimately manufacturing is an irreversible mandate by the government to the industry.

    “We expect this to extend very quickly to local Smart TV and Tablet manufacturing.

    “With our strong consumer base, we can quickly become the supplier of these equipments to the whole of West Africa,” the minister added.

    Mohammed added that Electronic Programme Guide will also be a platform for App developers to create products that will make life easier for the home consumers.

    “For the people of Kwara, we welcome the publishers of Apps to start looking for how to make living easier and commerce easier, using the technology that sits on these boxes,” he added.

    Mallam Ish’aq Modibo Kawu, Director General, National Broadcasting Commission ( NBC ), in his remark said the switch over in Ilorin was the third since inauguration in Jos, Plateau State.

    Kawu said that one of the reasons for choosing Kwara in the North Central was the presence of old broadcasting house and its closeness to international borders.

    He said the switch over will be done in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, adding that Kaduna will be next to switch over to digital TV.

    The DG added that the Federal Government has imported 600, 000 Set of `Top Boxes’ at subsidised price.

    He said that when the 600, 000 boxes are exhausted, there will be no subsidy for subsequent ones as the boxes will be manufactured in the country.

    NAN

  • NBC bags manufacturing excellence awards

    on-alcoholic beverage giant, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) has been named Manufacturing Company of the Year in the Soft Drinks Category of the Guardian Manufacturing Excellence Award 2017, by The Guardian, in collaboration with the African Development Studies Centre.

    The ceremony which took place at the prestigious Eko Hotel, in Lagos recently, witnessed a large turnout of industry stakeholders from the private and public sector.

    Speaking during the event, Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar, who represented Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, stated that the manufacturing sector remains a key driver for industrialisation and national development, and recipient companies deserved to be recognised for their contribution to the growth of the sector.

    Also commenting on the award, NBC Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Sade Morgan, said, “As a distinguished sector player and industry leader, the award is a recognition of NBC’s extensive transformational work, product innovation, investment in infrastructure development and society shared value initiatives.”

    The Manufacturing Excellence Awards recognises organisations that developed the most innovative and ground-breaking products and ideas in their operations and services in the manufacturing sector, thereby contributing immensely to the overall growth, development and sustainability of the economy, despite adverse business and economic challenges.

  • U.S. Tv host, Matt Lauer apologises for inappropiate sexual behaviour

    U.S. Tv host, Matt Lauer apologises for inappropiate sexual behaviour

    Long-time U.S. television morning show host, Matt Lauer, who was fired for inappropriate sexual behaviour, has apologised and said the situation made him feel “embarrassed and ashamed.’’

    Lauer, who as co-host on the “Today’’ show for more than 20 years became one of the most prominent faces in U.S. television news, issued a statement that was read on air on Thursday.

    “There are no words to express my sorrow and regret for the pain I have caused others by words and actions. To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry.

    “As I am writing this I realize the depth of the damage and disappointment I have left behind at home and at NBC,’’ Lauer said.

    Lauer was fired after network managers received “a detailed complaint from a colleague’’ about his behaviour.

    The network said his sacking came after a female colleague accused him of inappropriate sexual behaviour while the two were in Russia to cover the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

    Lauer, 59, said some of what has been reported is untrue or mischaracterised, but added, “there is enough truth in these stories to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed. I regret that my shame is now shared by the people I cherish dearly.’’

    He is now committed to beginning the effort to repair the damage, he said.

    After Lauer was fired, the New York Times reported that two other women had made complaints about him.

    One said he sexually assaulted her in his office in 2001.

    NBC later confirmed that two more accusers had come forward.