The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has told media professionals not to speak for one or more interest groups in the country.
NBC Managing Director Balarabe Shehu Ilelah said this during a media conference Thursday in Abuja.
He said that many TV and radio stations across the country, especially government-owned, owed the commission of more than N4 billion in licensing and license renewal fees.
He said that for stations due to pay license renewal fees, NBC warns them that “they have until February 17, 2022 to pay their debts or have their licenses revoked and reassigned to future licensees.” .
Ilelah said media professionals should critically report the words and actions of both sides, subject them to critical analysis, and expose what is false or threatening to society and its freedoms.
He said, “The practitioner should never be a mere spokesperson for a group or interest groups. He or she must critically report the words and actions of both parties, subject them to critical analysis, and expose what is false or threatening to society and its freedoms.
“We know the harm that fake news, hate speech and unprofessional broadcasting have cost societies. We have to be extremely careful about the content we release. The National Broadcasting Commission prides itself on its professionalism, efficiency and integrity in fulfilling its regulatory mandate,” Ilelah said.
He noted the provisional broadcasting license granted to 159 companies, institutions and communities by President Muhammadu Buhari to operate radio and television in the country.
He said that with the switchover there would be over 200 channels and probably over a thousand organized production companies looking to feed them content.
Comments are closed.