GENTLEMEN
OF THE PRESS,
It’s my honor and
privilege to welcome you to this unique occasion and to thank you for honoring
this invitation.
I said unique, but on
second thoughts, it is not so unique as such – not to NBC anyway. This kind of
briefing has, over the years become customary to NBC. Anywhere there is an
election, NBC takes proactive measures to ensure that broadcast media do not
unnecessarily heat up the polity through their action or inaction.
As you are all aware, a
bye-election is in the offing in Adamawa State, to elect a new governor. It is
in view of this that the management of the National Broadcasting Commission,
NBC, finds it necessary to visit all broadcast stations in the state and remind
them about what is expected of them at this critical period. And this is
precisely what we have done today.
We visited all broadcast
stations in Yola and told them that NBC has rules and regulations that guide
broadcast stations on their conduct before and after elections as enshrined in
the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Some of these rules as set out in the Nigeria
Broadcasting Code are as follows:
Political broadcasts
shall be in decent language.
A station shall
adhere strictly to the rules provided in the Electoral Acts of 2011 as amended
and all extant rules and guidelines on political coverage.
A station shall
provide equal opportunity and airtime to all political parties or views with
particular regard to amount of time and belt during electioneering campaign
period.
A station must avoid
the monetization of political broadcast, as any form of commercialization of
political news coverage is prohibited in the interest of fairness and balance.
A station should
highlight the activities of government but this shall not be reduced to
glamorizing government functionaries, or resort to praise singing or denial of
access to those with contrary views or political leaning.
A station shall
ensure that a log book is kept by her news division showing the allocation of
times to each political party with dates, title of programme and other
information as may be requested by the commission to ensure fairness.
A station shall set
up a committee to examine all complaints and make appeals from political
parties and the public of political broadcasting during electioneering
campaigns and make appropriate decisions, including the granting of right of reply.
The committee’s proceedings shall be forwarded to the Director-General of the
National Broadcasting Commission within 24 hours.
A station should
give every political party equal opportunity to pay for advertisement.
A station shall set
up a standing electoral/complaints committee to resolve all disputes within 24
hours on receipt of the complaints.
A
political advertisement shall be guided by the extant law(s), the Code and
other relevant regulations.
A
broadcaster shall be free to sell airtime for the purpose of political
campaigns provided that:
a. all messages shall be in the form of spot
announcements or jingles not exceeding 60 seconds;
b. no broadcaster shall be involved in the
production of such announcements or jingles;
c. no voice of any on-air staff of any
broadcast station shall be used in political jingles;
d. all jingles shall conform to the standards
of truth, decency, good taste and morality.
No advertisement shall be accepted
in a partisan
political programme.
The
advertiser shall be clearly identified in all advertisements.
No
broadcaster shall deny any person, party or group a right of broadcast of a
political advertisement.
The
period of campaign through any broadcast media in any election by every
political party shall commence 90 days before polling day and end 24 hours
prior to that day.
No
broadcaster shall permit any political campaign or advertisement on its
facilities 24 hours immediately preceding polling day or on polling day.
All
broadcasters shall give equal access to all registered political parties or
candidates on their facilities.
Airtime
shall be allocated equally among the political parties at similar hours of the
day.
All
broadcast stations shall allot equal airtime to all political parties during
prime times and at similar hours of the day, subject to the payment of
appropriate fees.
All
broadcasters shall ensure equal coverage to all political parties.
No
broadcaster shall be employed or used to the advantage or disadvantage of any
political party or candidate at any election.
It
shall be the duty of the broadcaster to authenticate purported withdrawal of a
candidate in an election and ensure that the affected candidate personally
endorses such claim.
Any
broadcast station that contravenes the provisions of sections 7.6.6 to 7.6.13
above, shall be liable, in the first instance to a fine of N500,000.00 and
N1,000,000.00 for subsequent breach(es), suspension or revocation of licence.
Additional
regulation for live political broadcasts
Ø
That henceforth
broadcasting station must notify the Commission in writing, at least 48 hours,
before transmitting a political programme, live. This is especially as most Live broadcasts
are impromptu – unscheduled.
Ø
That every political
broadcast must conform to the provisions
of the Code
Ø
That broadcasters
must take their social responsibility requirement seriously.
That’s it gentlemen of the
press. I thank you for listening
to
me.