NBC denies accusing President's supporters of violating broadcasting code

Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on Saturday in Abuja denied accusing some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari of violating Broadcasting Code.
Kawu, in a
statement expressed dismay about the sensational and incorrect report
circulating on the internet, describing it as embarrassing
misrepresentations and claims.
” The
attention of the Management of the National Broadcasting Commission
(NBC) has been drawn to a sensational and incorrect report circulating
on the internet.
” That the
Director-General of the Commission, Malam Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, accused
some supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari of violating the
Broadcasting Code, among other embarrassing misrepresentations and
claims.
” To set the record
straight, and for the avoidance of any doubt, the NBC organised a
Stakeholders Forum on Political Broadcasts, which held on Thursday, Oct.
26 in Kano State.
” The choice
of this location in Kano were both necessary and strategic, given the
fact that Kano is the most populous state in Nigeria with over 20
operating broadcast establishments as well as the observed spike in hate
speech within the environment.”
He,
therefore, appealed to both the traditional and on-line media to uphold
the guiding tenets of journalism profession through objective, factual
and decent reportage.
” This has been the time-tested practice and should remain the irreducible minimum gold-standard in our media practice.”
Kawu
explained that the law establishing NBC specifies that regulating the
Industry was a core function of the commission in order to ensure
decent, objective and factual reportage by all Operators.
According
to him, this resonates with the expressed determination and policy
thrust of the present administration to eliminate hate and incendiary
speeches and broadcasts across all levels of society.
”
It was against this background that the Director General of the
Commission, in his address in Kano, alluded to the escalating spate of
hate speech in political broadcasts.
” And the imperative for broadcast operators to be vigilant and be guided by the broadcasting code in their operations.”
He
lamented instances where political actors often misconstrue the
statutory role of NBC as an Industry regulator to be impeding and
restricting their political activities, making such actors to reach out
to contacts in high levels of government for undue political
interference and advantage.
“In
making this observation, the director-general drew several examples
across political and regional boundaries to justify the assertion.
”
It is therefore, grossly untrue and mischievous to misrepresent the
remarks of the Director-General of the NBC at a Forum in Kano that he
made an exclusive accusation targeted against Buhari’s supporters”.
Kawu
restated that the position of NBC on hate speech and other incendiary
broadcasts remained consistent with the overarching principles and rules
of global best-practice.
NBC denies accusing President's supporters of violating broadcasting code
Reviewed by OPEYEMI M.A
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