The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned broadcast stations against compromising the ethics of the profession ahead of Saturday’s off-cycle governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
In a statement, NBC said the warning followed some trends noticed where ethics and ethos have been thrown to the winds by politicians, using broadcast media platforms.
This, the commission said is against the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, in Section 5, that in using materials for news and current affairs programmes, the broadcaster shall avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory and divisive remarks or allusions.
The commission, therefore, urged broadcasters to desist from using or allowing their platforms and facilities to be used by politicians, their supporters and/ or sympathisers, for the broadcast of contents that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.
The statement reads partly: “The National Broadcasting Commission wish to remind broadcasters covering the forthcoming elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States, to take note of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, and other relevant regulations guiding the broadcast of Elections in Nigeria.
“The commission has observed with deep concerns, how ethics and ethos have been thrown to the winds by politicians, using broadcast media platforms. This is against the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, in Section 5, that in using materials for news and current affairs programmes, the broadcaster shall avoid hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory and divisive remarks or allusions.
“Conclusively, the commission enjoins all broadcasters to desist from using or allowing their platforms and facilities to be used by politicians, their supporters and/ or sympathisers, for the broadcast of contents that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.
“Broadcasters are, therefore, expected to perform the role of peace agents by adhering to the principles of responsibility, accuracy and neutrality”.
