Any broadcast that insults the President, Governors and Senators will be sanctioned – NBC
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced that it will henceforth sanction broadcast stations over messages that “insult” Nigerian leaders and elders.
In the letter dated August 3 and signed by Chibuike Ogwumike, the zonal director of the NBC Lagos office, broadcast stations were warned against such messages from guests during their programmes.
Ogwumike who referred broadcasters to sections of the NBC code that provides for “professional rules” against content that “denigrates the social norms, values and culture of the society”, added that holding government and leaders accountable “must not be done in abusive language”.
The statement read;
“Monitoring activities indicate that in recent time, some broadcast stations have abdicated their editorial responsibilities such that guests and callers on programmes abuse and insult leaders and those in authority freely and without caution.
“May I please draw your attention to the following provisions of the Broadcasting Code: Section 3.1.: Professional Rules: 3.1.1: No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain an offensive reference to any person or organization, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity.
“Also, 3.1.19: The broadcast shall not transmit content that denigrates the social norms, values and culture of the society.
“To denigrate our elders and leaders in abusive terms is not our culture. We respect our leaders as a positive cultural value,” it added.
“We expect Broadcasters, especially anchors to show professionalism in the handling of programmes such that guests or callers that exhibit such tendency are professionally handled.
“The recourse to abusing, denigrating and insulting the President, Governors, MPs and other leaders does not show us as cultured people.”
This story is annoying and sounds insulting to the masses
Slowly they want to kill the freedom of information
Which norms and culture is the NBC talking about in a country where the so called leaders themselves don’t show any sign of respect to the people they claim to be ruling over
They leaders behave any how, looting the people’s fund, practically going out of the norms of leadership and you still ban the people from talking
People are not given the opportunity to demonstrate peacefully, and now they are also trying to ban them from ordinary airing their views on media houses
This is unacceptable and should be revisited and looked into, if not the whole world will see it as autocratic rule
You people don’t want us to criticize you on the of your none performance, no problem but remember that on this platform you said that we should not speak about our ill feeling against you is the one you too are going to use when the time comes. We are watching.
You people shouldn’t bite more than what you can chew, I hope you remember that you won’t be there for life. What are you afraid of? If you do good nobody will speak ill against you but you people decide to deviate. No problem we all know that you will still come back to us.
hmm… so there isn’t freedom of speech anymore in this country
Yes our leader must should treat with respect an honour for betterment of our nation…anything otherwise.should sanction or more than that.
like seriously what is wrong with this government they want town us Dom
So no one is entitled to his or her opinion？
The said rules should be judiciously adhered.
Why all are just selfish, when you have not gotten to power you are throwing different such of insult to those in power then but now you don’t want anyone to criticize your government which is unfair. It won’t stand.
I just want you to understand that you won’t be in the power forever. Life is vice versa because when it’s your turn you shouldn’t cry fowl.
Tho they aren’t making us happy they should be treated with respect even the Bible recommend that.