The Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Mallam Is'haq Modibbo Kawu today via a press briefing addressed newsmen with an up to date assessment of situation in his commission.

In his address, he reminded newsmen about the last time the commission met with them to announce the suspension of the licenses of DAAR Communications and a subsequent shutdown order.

"A lot happened in the days after; but the most significant, was the intervention of the Nigeria Press Organization (NPO), the umbrella body for all the leading institutions in the Nigerian media landscape. Under the auspices of the NPO; it’s National Chairman, Nduka Obaigbena, and respected elders, Uncle Sam Amuka and Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua, the NBC met with DAAR Communications, to find an amicable resolution of the issues that led to the suspension of their licenses and subsequent issuance of a shutdown order." He said.



"After several meetings, we reached an agreement, which also became the basis of the court judgement that was delivered two days ago. We want to especially thank Uncle Sam Amuka, and Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua, who hosted the conciliatory meetings, and especially Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman of the NPO, for his remarkable effort in brokering the settlement. He ensured that NPAN did not join the bandwagon of an almost Pavlovian reflexive condemnation of the NBC, but chose instead, to find a way for the contending issues, between regulator and licensee, to be amicably resolved in the overall interest of the country.

For the information of our colleagues and all Nigerians, NBC and DAAR Communications Plc agreed as follows:

1. That DAAR Communications Plc shall furnish the National Broadcasting Commission with a concrete and realistic proposal for the payment of its outstanding license renewal fee for the National Network Broadcast License ( Radio/TV);
2. That DAAR Communications Plc shall take the necessary internal steps to ensure balance in its news coverage, especially political commentary on the DAAR Communications Plc stations across the country.
3. That DAAR Communications Plc shall take full editorial responsibility of the use of Content sourced from Social Media and all/ any other outlets
4. That DAAR Communications Plc shall ensure that all programs transmitted on its TV/Radio stations across the country comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the National Broadcasting Commission Act, Cap. NII, laws of the Federation, 2004 and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code as may be in force or/ and as amended from time to time.
5. That the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) shall withdraw forthwith, the suspension of the National Network Broadcast License (Radio/TV) of DAAR Communications Plc.

The terms of settlement were consequently filed and entered as the consent judgment of the court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/C5/595/2019.

On the basis of the judgment, I will like to use this opportunity to inform the Nigerian public, that the NBC has withdrawn the suspension notice issued to DAAR Communications Plc. We want to reiterate our full confidence in the Nigerian legal system and we urge that DAAR Communications Plc, would take necessary steps to abide by the terms of settlement entered as judgment of the court.

As we all now know, the court accepted these terms as basis of the consent judgment and the Judge ruled accordingly. A careful reading of the terms of settlement, would show that the National Broadcasting Commission had operated STRICTLY according to its mandate, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution; the NBC ACT and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. A lot of individuals and bodies interpreted our actions from various subjective prisms and launched scurrilous attacks on the NBC. An orchestrated media campaign was also launched with a desperate intention of De-legitimizing the National Broadcasting Commission’s regulatory functions and powers. But we will continue to FIRMLY operate at the most disciplined professional levels, and as the lawful regulatory body for broadcasting in Nigeria; just as we would not stop engaging with our licenses in the 726 Radio and television stations in our country. We do not relate with licensees on the basis of the political parties that they support, or any such subjective platforms. We hold our licensees to account only on the basis of their fidelity to the Nigeria Broadcasting Code." He continued.

" The duty of regulating broadcasting within the Nigerian socio-Political environment is a very challenging task. We are in a setting of unending conspiracy theories; a persistent pattern of refusal by many licensees to meet their licensing and other obligations; there is also a strange sense of entitlement, that is expressed in a pattern of name calling, blackmail and anger at being called to regulatory order; licensees often ignore the terms of their licenses and over the years, have accumulated debts totaling over four billion Naira owed to the National Broadcasting Commission, which they don’t expect to be reminded to pay or want to ever pay, and they also assume that the NBC dares not wield its regulatory powers. In recent times, the new pattern that has developed is that licensees are even telling the regulator how much they want to pay. And within this developing pattern of behavior, is the sustained campaign of negativity against the National Broadcasting Commission, in the conventional media and also, on social media platforms, where literally, a lynch mob was set forth against my own person. There is also the troubling pattern of leakage of official communications between the regulatory institution and licensees, on several social media platforms. These are the unfortunate fallouts that come from doing our very difficult job, but this is a job that is very necessary for the good order of our dear country."

But I want to re-iterate that there is no license that is too big or too small to be regulated. We are NOT and will NEVER be a censorship institution. The NBC ACT does not give us such power, and neither did the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. We remain a regulatory agency, that remains committed to ensuring that Nigerian Broadcasting, in the words of THE CODE “shall influence society positively, setting the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of (our) nation, for the public good”. In doing that we will firmly ensure, as THE CODE further stated, that “no broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder, be repugnant to public feeling or ...generally, be disrespectful to human dignity”. Our duty, according to THE CODE includes reminding our licensees that “...they exercise freedom of expression as agents of society, not for any personal or sectional rights, privileges and needs of their own or of their proprietors, relatives, friends or supporters”. Our regulatory duty is carried out to ensure that Nigerian Broadcasting “adheres to the general principles of legality, decency, truth, integrity and respect for human dignity as well as the cultural, moral and social values of the people”.

We will therefore deepen dialogue with the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), so as to encourage , in the words of THE CODE, self-regulation within the framework of professional standards”; we will maintain our respect for the Nigeria Press Organization (NPO); and we would continue to fairly use THE CODE “to assist the public to uphold them as the benchmark for their ‘...right to quality broadcasting’”. Furthermore, “THE CODE is guided by the ideals of transparency, consistent with the best service delivery principles”.

He further gave an update on the LAUNCH OF THE 6TH EDITION OF THE NIGERIA BROADCASTING CODE.

This he said that the "Nigeria Broadcasting Code, 6th Edition (THE CODE) will be officially launched in Kano, next Thursday, July 4th, 2019. He further reminded stakeholders that work on the 6th Edition of THE CODE had been completed since 2017, but the commission have been unable to release it since then because of a combination of circumstances. Happily, the situation changed and we will be able to release the instrument to the Nigerian Broadcasting industry next week.



He also stated that even though THE CODE derives from the provisions of Section 2(1) (h) of THE ACT, the NBC nevertheless works very actively with the industry: broadcasters; media intellectuals and civil society groups working in the media, to ensure that we have an instrument that has been democratically produced by all of us. "We look forwards to receiving all our stakeholders and our colleagues in the media at the launch of THE 6th edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code in Kano, next Thursday." He said.

On the DIGITAL SWITCHOVER,

He informed the gathering that there have been positive developments. The Federal Government, and President Muhammadu Buhari, remains fully committed to the success of the project. We are working to conclude the installation of facilities for Gombe; while the stakeholders are determined to move into the biggest media markets of Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt in the new future. That is part of an elaborate nation-wide roll out plan, along with a definitive timeline for the switch off of Analogue transmission in Jos, Abuja, Ilorin, Kaduna, Enugu and Osogbo. The new timetable will be released once it has been approved by the Board of the Commission. However, soon as we conclude the Analogue Switch off, we will direct that PAY TV operators desist from further carriage of free terrestrial TV channels. They would become available only on our Free TV proposition.

On the BREACH PROFILE OF BROADCAST STATIONS

The Quarterly release of the Breach Profile of Nigerian broadcast stations for the First Quarter of 2019 is ready. Four hundred and forty infractions were recorded in the periods 62 infractions are on the use of obscene materials; 203 were on Hate Speech and politics-related infractions; 55 for lack of professionalism; 54 for unverifiable claims; 17 were for technical breaches and 255 breaches were over advertisements. Out of the 444 infractions, 155 cases were penalized with various degrees of fines. We will like the public to note that the quarterly beach profile of broadcast stations is always made available on all our social media handles.

He finally thanked the stakeholders, Broadcasters and Nigerians for their support to the commission.

https://kaybaba.com.ng/nbc-dg-modibbo-kawu-gives-update-on-progress-made-in-his-commission/