Human Rights Activist, Omoyele Sowore and some Nigerian activists were at the Headquarters of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Abuja, Thursday to protest the query issued to Channels Television for interviewing Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
Presenters of the TV station, Chamberlain Usoh and Kayode Okikiolu have also been summoned to the NBC office in Abuja for questioning.
The presenters who anchor the TV’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ breakfast programme were invited to the Abuja office of the agency on Thursday over some comments made against President Muhammadu Buhari by two guests on the programme on Tuesday.
Sowore and other activists stormed the agency’s office in solidarity with the embattled TV station.
In a live video captioned, “Solidarity with Channels Television Nigeria presenters at the offices of Nigerian media regulatory body NBC” the activists were seen standing at the entrance of the commission’s office.
Channels Television had earlier been queried by the NBC on Thursday for granting an interview to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
NBC claimed the move followed “inciting, divisive and unfair comments” made on air by the Governor during the programme.
NBC had also wrote the management of the TV station, saying the media house’s broadcast featuring Governor Ortom has infringed on some sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The letter dated August 24, 2021, was signed by Balarabe Shehu llelah, Director General of NBC and addressed to the Managing Director, Channels Television.
The letter entitled, NOTICE OF INFRACTION, reads: “The National Broadcasting Commission monitored the broadcast of your programme Sunrise Daily between 7am and 9am on Tuesday, August 24, 2021.
“The programme which had as guest the Executive Governor of Benue State, Governor Samuel Ortom was observed to contain inciting, divisive and unfair comments which were not thoroughly interrogated by the anchors.
“These negate the following provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code; Section 1.10.4: The Broadcaster shall ensure that its Presenter……shall handle it with professionalism and sound judgment to ensure that it does not loose focus or lead to unfair treatment or institution.
Section 3.1.1: “No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference or organization alive or dead…”
Section 3.3.1(b): “the broadcaster shall ensure that all sides to any issue of public interest are equitably presented for fairness and balance” Section 3.3.1(e): the broadcaster shall not treat any individual or organization in an unjust or unfair manner.”
Section 3.11.1(a): “the broadcaster shall ensure that language likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder is not broadcast.
Section 3.12.2: “the broadcaster shall not transmit a program that incites or likely to incite to violence among the populace, causing mass panic, political and social upheaval, security breach and general social disorder.
“Consequently, Channels Television is required to explain why appropriate sanctions should not be applied for these infractions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code. Your response should reach the Commission within 24 hours of receipt of this letter.”
The summoning of Channels TV’s reporters comes amid concerns in the media over attempts by the current administration to introduce draconian regulations in journalism practice in the country.
