The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has penalized Arise TV for broadcasting a fake report about the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, following a petition by the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the party.
The Presidential Campaign Council of the APC had petitioned NBC to sanction Arise News over the fake reports.
The petition signed by the Special Adviser, Media, Communications and Public Affairs of the PCC, Dele Alake to the Director-General of NBC Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, accused the station of breaching the broadcasting code.
In the petition, Alake noted that the purported indictment of Tinubu as reported and discussed on Arise News had already been cleared in correspondence between then Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun and the US government.
The PCC said the continued broadcast of a non-existing ‘indictment’ violates the NBC code.
NBC ordered the station to pay N2million penalty for breaching the broadcasting code.
The sanction was contained in a letter dated November 13, 2022 and addressed to the management of the station.
The letter signed by Ilelah noted that the station failed to comply with the broadcasting code for airing a press statement purportedly signed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It further noted that the infraction was allowed to happen despite its recent sensitization programme for all broadcasters.
The station had reported the statement purportedly signed by Barr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner that the APC presidential candidate was being investigated.
INEC has since denied issuing the statement, dscribing it as fake news.
The letter by the commission titled: “BREACH OF THE NIGERIA BROADCASTING CODE: Sanction. Reads: “The National Broadcasting Commission has imposed a penalty of N2, 000,000 (Two Million Naira,
only) on Arise TV, being sanctioned for the violations of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“On Saturday 12th November, 2022, the Commission monitored the use of a Press Release purportedly signed by Festus Okoye Esq, the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, by Arise TV.
“The said press release alleged that INEC is investigating the issue of forfeiture by a US Court against the presidential candidate of the APC, with a view to prosecution. The press release in reference has been tagged FAKE by INEC and the organisation has also issued a counter press release to refute the story.
“It would be recalled that the National Broadcasting Commission, between 19th and 26th of September, 2022, went round the Country to sensitize broadcasters and remind them on the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the Electoral Act as we count down to 2023 General Elections. The Commission also underscored the need for broadcasters to double-check the veracity of any information, especially, those gotten from the Social Media gotten from the Social Media (User Generated Content UGC) which is, specifically, affirmed by Section 5.6.5. of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“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. These include truthfulness, accuracy, fairness, objectivity, impartiality…”
“Furthermore, Section 5.1.3 of the Code says, “FAKE NEWS IS PROHIBITED” “News is the most potent of all broadcasts and therefore, the editorial responsibility of the broadcaster is sacrosanct. Every News item must be verified.
“The Commission, along with stakeholders, has been working towards free and fair General Elections and enjoins Broadcasters to continue to perform their duties professionally, in order to bring about a successful democratic process.
“Nevertheless, the Commission uses this opportunity to warn all broadcasters to adhere to the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Regulations, and other Extant Laws, as it WILL NOT hesitate to sanction any Broadcaster that contravenes the above requirements.”