NBC Suspends Brekete Radio License,Fines Station N5m For Ethical Breach


The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has ordered  suspension of the Human Rights Radio license until the station committed  to ethical and professional broadcasting.

The acting Director-General of NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, explained that the suspension order would take effective on Monday May 31, at 12a.m.

Idachaba further said the order would last for 30 days, during which it was

expected that the broadcaster would put its house in order and attune itself to responsive, professionaland responsible broadcasting.

The acting DG also revealed that the station would  pay a recommencement fee of N5 million, as provided for in section 15.5.1 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

He stated that the commission had over the years, advised, cautioned, warned and fined the station over repeated cases of outright abuse, denigrating remarks, intimidation and flagrant abuse of ethics of fairness, balance and fair hearing on the station.

He said  it was also on record that the commission had conducted several training and retraining programmes for the station and the host of the Brekete family programme especially.

Idachaba disclosed that NBC met with Mr Ahmed Isah,  Chief Executive Officer, Human Rights Radio and popular host of Brekete family programme on Tuesday May 26.

He stated that the meeting afforded Isah the opportunity to explain the circumstances that led to the recent unfortunate incident at his radio station.

” Where rather than promoting human rights and human

dignity, a citizen who was invited to the programmme was physically assaulted by the broadcaster.

” NBC has reviewed the events and notes the unreserved apologies and regrets expressed by the broadcaster, ” he said.

Idachaba noted that the action of the broadcaster was in clear violations of the broadcasting code and a betrayal of the confidence reposed on him by the people and Government of Nigeria on whose behalf he held  the radio license in trust.

Acccording to him, section 0.1.1.2.1 of the broadcasting commission provides in the Social Objectives of Broadcasting that Broadcasting 

shall:

” Promote generally accepted social values and norms, especially, civic and social responsibilities; and encourage respect for the dignity of man.

” It also provides that broadcasting organisations shall recognise that they exercise freedom of expression as agents of society.

” Not for any personal or sectional rights, privileges of their own or of their proprietors, relatives, friends or supporters,” Idachaba said. (

CKN NEWS

Chris Kehinde Nwandu is the Editor In Chief of CKNNEWS || He is a Law graduate and an Alumnus of Lagos State University, Lead City University Ibadan and Nigerian Institute Of Journalism || With over 2 decades practice in Journalism, PR and Advertising, he is a member of several Professional bodies within and outside Nigeria || Member: Institute Of Chartered Arbitrators ( UK ) || Member : Institute of Chartered Mediators And Conciliation || Member : Nigerian Institute Of Public Relations || Member : Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria || Fellow : Institute of Personality Development And Customer Relationship Management || Member and Chairman Board Of Trustees: Guild Of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria

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