The Independent Broadcasting Association Of Nigeria (IBAN) has faulted the N5m fine imposed on Nigeria Info 99.3FM by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
The fine on Nigeria Info, according to the NBC was for alleged hate speech arising from comments made by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Obadiah Mailafiya during an interview with the STATION, that a northern governor was a Commander of the the Boko Haram terrorists.
According to the IBAN’s Chairman, Guy Murray-Bruce , not only was the NBC hasty in awarding the fine, the sum was also excessive.
The association also condemned the NBC for arrogating to itself the power of being the accuser, judge and executioner in the matter, saying it ran contrary to the principles of fair hearing.
IBAN maintained that the Nigerian Press Council which is made up of representatives from various media institutions should be body to determine when a media institution has erred and what punishment to mete out, not NBC.
Below is the full text of the statement issued by IBAN
READ ALSO: Broadcasting code: NBC sanctions DAAR Communications
PRESS RELEASE
The Board of the Independent Broadcasting Association Of Nigeria held an emergency board meeting on Monday 17th August, 2020 to deliberate on the issue of the recent Five Million Naira (N5m) fine imposed on one of our members (Nigeria Info FM) by the National Broadcasting Commission for allegedly promoting hate speech. While we concede the right to regulate broadcasting in Nigeria to the NBC, we wish to point out some cogent issues that must not be ignored in this instant case.
1) The Five Million Naira (N5m) fine imposed is excessive, as it is a creation of the now disputed amendments to the 6th broadcasting code. We feel that in the absence of a universal buy in to the amendments of the code, it is premature for the management of the commission to implement any aspect of the disputed amendments.
2) We also believe that the omnibus authority the NBC has arrogated to itself of being the accuser, judge and executioner in these matters flies in the face of the principle of fair hearing. The commission’s determination of what amounts to hate speech ought to be verified by an independent body before sanctions are imposed. As it stands now, the commission could on a whim label anything hate speech and then go ahead to impose a fine without the accused having the benefit of a fair hearing.
3) Information available to us points to the existence of the Nigerian Press Council with the mandate to uphold ethical and professional standards in the media, investigate complaints against the Press, monitor activities of the press, research on contemporary press development, investigate obstacles to the flow of information, protect the rights and privileges of journalists.
In our view the Nigerian Press Council which is made up of representatives from the following institutions, The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, The Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria News Agency of Nigeria, The Federal Ministry of Information and the general Public is best suited to determine what might amount to a media infraction.
We therefore recommend that the NBC refer any alleged infraction of a broadcasting entity to the council for determination before sanctions are imposed. We hereby respectfully call on the management of the NBC to hold off on imposing any sanctions until the above stated issues are addressed. Indeed, we recommend that stakeholders and the management of the NBC enter into another round of consultations and dialogue on the amendments to the 6th Broadcasting code as a way forward.
SIGNED
Guy Murray-Bruce
Chairman
Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria
