Arise Global Media Limited and Continental Broadcasting Services Limited will pay N2m fines each for breaching Nigeria’s broadcasting codes, the National Broadcasting Commission revealed on Friday.
In separate letters signed by its Director-General, Balarabe llelah, the media watchdog said the parent companies operating Arise News and Television Continental, respectively, have allowed politically-inciting language on their platforms.
The NBC also said TVC News does not offer equal coverage to other political parties asides from the All Progressives Congress.
The sanctions come barely 21 days to the presidential and governorship elections which will hold on February 25, 2023.
In a letter to Continental Broadcasting Services Limited, Ilelah said the NBC monitored the consistent breach of the Nigeria broadcasting code over a period, adding that “the worrisome trend has become a house style on your channel that enjoys national coverage.”
It read, “On January 6, 2023 at 12:29pm, the Joint Media Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, made the following comments while briefing the media.
“Obasanjo and Atiku run a criminal enterprise, an empire of fraud in Abuja. At the same time that Ahmed Bola Asiwaju was toiling hard, beautifully and meticulously to rebuild Lagos, 2 criminals were stealing money in Abuja at the time…they both stole from the SPV account at that time.
“On January 24 2023, at 03:39pm, during the APC Presidential Rally in Abia State, the APC Presidential Candidate Bola Tinubu after telling the public to vote APC under the symbol of broom, he went on to make the following comment ‘…You know what you do with the rest of them? They are like lizards, cockroaches and mosquitoes. Just take the broom, wipe them off.”
It also accused the station of unequal coverage of the activities of the main opposition.
Illelah wrote, “On October 10, 2022, your station started its news with 17 minutes of APC news and one minute of PDP story with a video clip that did not play.
“Consequently, pursuant to the aforementioned Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, TVC News is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only).
“Note that the penalty shall be paid within two weeks of the receipt of this Letter or sanction shall be graduated,” the NBC said.
In a letter to Arise Global Media Limited, the Commission said, “For avoidance of doubt, some of such unprofessional broadcasts are listed below for your perusal.
“On January 24, 2023, between 1.00pm – 2.27pm, Arise TV aired the Presidential campaign rally of PDP which held in Delta State, replete with unfair remarks and mockery of the APC presidential candidate by Dino Melaye.
“Mr. Melaye sang a song ‘…hand dey shake, leg dey shake, baba wey no well, e dey shout emilokan’ he further went on to fall down demonstrating the frailty of the APC presidential candidate.”
It argued that Arise TV did not only air the programme but repeated the clip of Dino Melaye in a mockery of the APC Presidential candidate in another programme anchored by Ojy Okpe What’s Trending.
“On January 26 2023, at 9.40am, during the programme Morning Show, a guest, Na’jaatu Muhammed described the Presidential Candidate of APC, Bola Tinubu as mentally deranged without caution from the anchor. The guest had a field day with vituperations against the presidential candidate of the APC.
“On January 31 2023, at 3:30pm, during the broadcast of the PDP presidential rally in Sokoto State, Dino Melaye referred to the Vice-Presidential candidate of APC, Kashim Shettima as GCOB, meaning Grand Commander of Bandits.
“Consequently, pursuant to the aforementioned Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Arise TV is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only),” the letter read.
The penalty shall be paid within two weeks of the receipt of the letter or sanction shall be graduated, the NBC warned.
Source: Punchng
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