NBC gives Arise TV ‘final warning’ over alleged derogatory remarks

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has served popular broadcast station, Arise Television, with a ‘final warning’ for allegedly permitting the use of “derogatory and incendiary’ remarks on its programmes. ⁣

The warning which came via a letter on Friday dated October 6 and addressed to Arise Global Media Limited, operators of Arise TV, noted that the station had allowed some of its guests to make remarks that were not in line with broadcast best practices and urged it to install a delay mechanism to check unwanted content.

The warning letter which was signed by NBC’s Director-General, Dr Balarabe Ilelah, entitled “Preponderance of derogatory and incendiary remarks: Final warning”, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Arise Global, particularly noted the station’s flagship programme, “The Morning Show’ of October 5, as containing unguarded and incendiary remarks by a guest, Dele Farotimi.

Farotimi, a lawyer, political activist, and member of the Labour Party, had come in for a lot of bashing after he reportedly made remarks about President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian judiciary on the programme which forced the NBC to issue the final warning.

Read also: NBC fines Arise TV N2m over report on Tinubu

Parts of the letter reads:

“The NBC has observed with concern preponderance of incendiary remarks allowed on Arise news. This letter seeks to underscore the tremendous responsibility put on the broadcaster to manage the array of guests that may feature on the station from time to time.⁣

“The commission listed the station’s morning show programme on October 5 anchored by Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni and Ayo Maio-Ese, which featured Oladokun Hassan and Dele Farotimi as guests. ⁣

“The programme contained unguarded incendiary remarks by Dele Farotimi against the Legislature and the Executive, the Judiciary and Mr. President.” ⁣
The NBC also accused the TV of failing to keep on its responsibility while airing another programme, ‘Newsday’, which featured one of the spokespersons of the LP, Kenneth Okonkwo, who it accused of also making derogatory remarks on air.⁣

“The commission therefore drew the attention of the broadcast station to broadcast rule and code 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 advised to install a delay mechanism to guard against undesirable contents as prescribed in section 5.5.6 of the broadcasting code,” the letter added. ⁣

This is not the first time Arise TV has gotten into trouble with the NBC. In February, the station was slammed with a N2m fine by the regulatory agency for alleged “unprofessional broadcasts”. ⁣

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