The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Arise Television N2m for airing fake reports about the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu. NBC said the TV station was sanctioned for breaching the broadcasting code.
Though Arise TV had apologised on Sunday after reports that the Independent National Broadcasting Commission (INEC) was investigating Tinubu over alleged criminal forfeiture of money on offences bordering on narcotics and illicit drugs, the broadcast industry regulator slammed the fine on the station for unprofessional conduct.
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“The National Broadcasting Commission has imposed a penalty of N2, 000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only) on Arise TV, being sanctioned for the violations of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code”, the statement signed by NBC management said on Monday.
INEC at the weekend denied the statement on which Arise TV based its report. The development made the station retract the statement and apologise to the APC’s presidential candidate.
The spokesman of the Tinubu campaign council, Mr Bayo Onanuga, also threatened a lawsuit against the station.
Meanwhile, the National Broadcasting Commission, between the 19th and 26th of September, went around the country to sensitise broadcasters on the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Electoral Act as we count down to the 2023 general elections.
The Commission also underscored the need for broadcasters to double-check the veracity of any information, especially, those gotten from social media.
NBC added: “Likewise, we draw attention to Section 5.0.1 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code which provides that news shall be presented as a truthful and accurate account of an event or phenomenon… news requires the highest level of responsibility by practitioners in adhering to the most pristine of their professional ethics.”
