By Garba Adamu Gwangwangwan
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has issued a stern warning to Arise Television, cautioning against the use of derogatory and incendiary language on its station.
This warning follows the recent controversy surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s academic records, which were released by Chicago State University. The opposition has alleged discrepancies between these records and the ones submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the last election.
In an effort to inform the public about the potential implications of the president’s certificate, Arise TV has conducted interviews with various guests. However, the NBC, in a letter sent to the TV station by its Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, expressed concerns about the use of derogatory language by some of these guests during interviews.
The broadcast regulator has urged Arise TV to implement a delay mechanism to prevent undesirable content and ensure that guests are held accountable for their language.
The letter, titled “Preponderance of Derogatory and Incendiary Remarks: Final Warning,” states, “The NBC has observed with concern the prevalence of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise News. This letter underscores the significant responsibility placed on the broadcaster to manage the conduct of guests who may appear on the station from time to time.”
The commission specifically highlighted an episode of the station’s morning show program on October 5th, hosted by Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni, and Ayo Maio-Ese, which featured guests Oladokun Hassan and Dele Farotimi. During this program, Dele Farotimi made unguarded incendiary remarks targeting the Legislature, Executive, Judiciary, and Mr. President.
Arise TV was also criticized for not upholding its responsibility during the broadcast of the program “Newsday,” which featured Kenneth Okonkwo, the spokesperson of the Labour Party, using derogatory language on air.
The commission has drawn attention to specific sections of the broadcasting code, including 1.10.3, 3.3.1(a), 3.3.3(c), 3.3.1(e), 5.3.3(b), and 5.5.6. Arise TV is strongly advised to implement a delay mechanism in accordance with section 5.5.6 of the broadcasting code to prevent undesirable content from being aired.
