NBC announces apology by Channels TV over alleged breach of conduct

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has disclosed that Channels Television has issued an apology over its alleged infraction of the broadcasting code.

Franca Aiyetan, the NBC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs Franca Aiyetan, made this statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Aiyetan, the commission’s letter to the TV station was a regulatory instrument to check the excesses of the station called “the bridge letter “.

She said that the intent of the letter was neither to close down nor sanction the station, rather it was meant to draw the station’s attention to its breach of the broadcasting code, adding that “the station has accordingly apologised’’.

“It is possible to bridge the public peace and that was what the letter conveyed to Channels TV, to which the TV station has responded, saying we apologise, we did wrong.

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“It is called a bridge letter to the station to say in this particular programme you did not act professionally; you did not do it in line with the provision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”

The director further explained that the particular programme in reference was an interview of somebody who was representing an organisation that was already proscribed by the Federal Government.

She said that in the exercise of its power as the regulatory body, NBC wrote a letter asking Channels TV to explain why it gave credence to the spokesman of the proscribed organisation.

“The spokesman made lots of allusion that were not true, that are inciting and inimical to the peace of the society that could cause unrest.

“The NBC now said because of that this bridge attracts a shutdown or a fine of N5 million, but the pay line was that they were advised to discontinue the programme.

“And when I followed up on Monday, April 26, I discovered that the monitoring department that had written the letter had also received an apology letter from the Channels TV to say okay, we have received your letter and see where we went wrong, we are sorry.

“So it is now left for NBC to say this station has responded or reacted this way. The letter was neither meant to shut down the station nor sanction it. Rather, it is drawing their attention to what they have done.”

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