IPC, LAGOS NUJ CALLS FOR WIDER CONSULTATIONS ON NBC CODE AMENDMENT
By Oluwatope Lawan
Published by Borderless Media
The International Press Centre (IPC), Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Lagos Chapter and other stakeholders has called for wider consultations to the controversial amendment to the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) code.
The stakeholders made the call at the presentation of book titled “Question marks on the 6th NBC Code Amendments held at the IPC headquarters, Ogba, Lagos.
The Executive Director of IPC. Lanre Arogundade in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the event explained that the media was not at any time rejected the bill, but sought a wider consultation.
“What we are saying is that we want input to the NBC amendment code. What we have done today is to compile all the knotty issues in the amendment into a book for all stakeholders to access.
“We need government to listen to our voice. We have been voicing our objection to some certain clauses in the 6th NBC amendment code, but government has yet to hear our plea. We are looking for a possibility of revision on the code.
“There should be a stakeholders input to the NBC act since it is for the whole Nigeria and not the media alone, the amendment will cut across to all including the partners of the media.
“We should be careful with the way we deal with the media so as not to discourage investment in the sector or scare the investors from putting their resources,” he said.
Arogundade said that the media itself must also be professional in their conduct in order to ensure that there is decorum in the industry.
“We as pressmen need to upscale our professionalism and ensure ethics compliance, we should not give any excuse, but come out clean.
“As I have said, the bill is not for the media alone but for Nigerians, now the media is already struggling to survive the economic hardship if regulatory hardship steps in, then there will be too many to contend with.
“We want the government to know that we have been self-regulating even before the 2019 election when we came up with “Election broadcasting codes and ethics.
“What we need in the NBC is a more friendly and conducive environment for the media to survive he said.
The NUJ Chairman, Lagos Chapter, Mr Adeleye Ajayi said that robust deliberations on the contentious issues in the NBC was the way out
“The media should be working hand in hand with the State, Federal Ministry of Information as stakeholders in the industry.
“The amendment of the NBC Code has been controversial because of the notable gaps in it. For us, there is need for the media to be more independent so as to put its house in order.
“The National Assembly, government and the stakeholders in the media need to go back to the drawing board for the amendment to have a smooth sail.
“The Federal Ministry of Information as the sponsor of the bill needs to address issues such as the regulatory power of the NBC among others,” he said.
A member of Council World Journalism Education Congress, U.S., Prof Ralph Akinfeloye said that the amendment must be all embracing to all Nigerians.
“My position is that NBC should’ not over-regulate the media, there should be a robust deliberation on the NBC act.
“We need a policy that will be all embracing by all and not a one-sided one like the winners take all,” he said.
(NAN)
