NBC kicks against poor satellite transmissions

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has kicked against the transmission of Free-To-Air satellite signals with unwholesome content in the country, saying they threaten the nation’s core values and seek to undermine its unity and peace.
 
Broadcasters and users of satellite broadcasting were also reminded of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Act, which are the grand laws for broadcasting in Nigeria.
 
According to NBC, Section (2) of the National Broadcasting Commission Act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, states, “No person shall operate or use any apparatus or premises for the transmission of sound or vision by cable, television, radio, satellite or any other medium of broadcast from anywhere in Nigeria except under and in accordance with the provisions of this act.”

NBC demands that all broadcasters transmitting Free-To-Air satellite services must encrypt all broadcasting signals on their platform.
 
“We also wish to request all Pay TV channels to observe the rules on Decency of Broadcast Content. Many Pay TV channels, especially, carry very vulgar, indecent and obscene contents. Broadcasters must take cognisance of the code provisions on watershed.”
 
The commission warns that unclassified, vulgar and obscene musical videos will not be tolerated, henceforth, adding, “the broadcaster has an obligation to ensure that musical works are suitable for broadcasting before putting them on air.”
 
In another development, the International Press Centre (IPC) has condemned the harassment and unlawful detention of journalists by men of the Nigerian Police Force in Warri, Delta State.

Report by the Committee to Protect Journalists states that Matthew Omonigho (Daily Post Newspaper), Edeki Igafe (News Agency of Nigeria), Christopher Odamah (Delta Trumpet Newspaper), Onyekachukwu Meluwa (Punch Newspaper) and Francis Sadhere (Business Day Newspaper) were recently harassed and unlawfully detained over their professional connections with Cletus Opukeme, Publisher of Daily Watch news website.

In a statement, Lanre Arogundade, Executive Director, International Press Centre said the police should desist from harassing and unlawfully detaining journalists, while they should publicly disclose the reason they are seeking journalist Cletus Opukeme.

“Journalists should be allowed the liberty to work without fear of harassment and intimidation from security operatives,” Arogundade said.

Mr. Arogundade urged the Delta State Police Command to follow due process if any of the concerned journalists is suspected to have violated any law.