By Ayo Kehinde
L-R: Dr Tunde Akanni, lecturer at LASU, a guest, Prof Ralph Akinfeleye, Mr Lanre Arogundade, Exe Director of IPC, Mr Ajayi, NUJ Chairman, Lagos Council
Media stakeholders led by a university don, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, the International Press Centre, IPC, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, have called for the review of the revised 6th National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Code amendments to make it more media friendly.
Professor Akinfeleye, African council member of World Journalism Education Congress, and the Executive Director of IPC, Mr Lanre Arogundade made the statements at the public presentation and launch of a publication entitled Question Marks on the 6TH NBC Code Amendments at IPC Office, Dideolu Estate, Ogba, Lagos, at the weekend. It contained stakeholders’ resentment and critical analyses of the 6th Code.
According to Akinfeleye, the 6th Code, “ is not media friendly, two it is not consistent with democratic practice, why? because the keystone of democracy is a free press, whether it is old democracy, new democracy or home grown democracy. There cannot be democracy without a free press. So government should factor this requirement into their development agenda to organize and understand why the media is called fourth estate of the realm and not fourth estate of the wreck.”
Explaining further, the lecturer and former Head of Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, said there was a need for what he called ‘reciprocity of cordiality’, between the NBC and the media to remove the perception that the Commission is not operating as a regulator but as a trader to the extent of imposing fines of up to N5million on media houses that are struggling to finance their operations and pay staff amid post COVID-19 hardship.
“Where are the media houses going to get the money? It is impossible, it is unachievable. So it appears to me that the NBC in collaboration with the Minister of Information and Culture should get a feel of the true meaning of democracy to recognize the vital role of the press.”
He called on the NBC to unchain themselves from the idea of over regulation and under stand that the media is the engine that lubricates democracy as enshrined in sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which obligates the media to monitor and hold the government accountable to the people at all times.
Calling on the press to be socially responsible, to bark and bite when necessary, he stressed the urgency of a review to the 6th Code to allow the press perform its mandate, adding that the NBC should see the press are co-equal in terms of dissemination of information to the people and in promoting and sustaining democracy.
Chairman of the NUJ, Lagos Council called on the NBC to head stakeholders call for review as both the media and the Commission has to reach a common ground on regulations that enhance media practice rather than stifle it, adding that without a vibrant and sustainable media, the Commission will not exist.
In his remarks, Arogundade stated that media stakeholders were already expressing worries about the hostile operational environment under the current government and declared that the, “danger is real and one area where it is dangerously playing out is in that of the regulation of the broadcast media sector.”
To illustrate, he picked some sections in the 6th Code, such as “section 2.127.2, which seeks to confer powers on the NBC to take-down or shut down a station for violating provisions relating to web/online broadcasting… section 3.18.2 (e) and section 3.18.3, which constitute a usurpation of the powers of Nigerian Copyright Commission …as well as section 5.16, which warns against the use of user generated content that may ‘embarrass individuals, organization, government.’ ”
He said there are many such provisions in the revised Code that may discourage further investment in the Nigerian broadcast sector while compelling those who have already done so to have a rethink.
On the publication that was launched that day, Arogundade said it was a voluntary work of like minds who preferred to identify themselves as Independent Broadcasters and Free Press Advocates.
The 74-page publication which detailed critical media analyses and suggestions on the 6th Code from media experts in the academia, print and broadcast sectors as well as relevant NGOs and issues on state broadcasters’ disregard for good governance, was edited by Dr Tunde Akanni, journalism teacher at the Lagos State University, LASU, and Arogundade.
