NBC fines Pro-Tinubu TV station, TVC and Arise News over hate speech

 

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Continental Broadcasting Services Limited, owners of Television Continental (TVC), for airing “hate speech and inflammatory comments”.

 

In a letter dated February 3 and signed by Balarabe Ilelah, NBC director-general, the commission said it monitored TVC’s “consistent” breach of the Nigeria broadcasting code regarding the coverage of activities for the general election.

 

The commission said “hate speech, inflammatory, derogatory and unfair comments” have been broadcast by the station, adding that the trend had become a house style on TVC.

 

The commission cited references to a media briefing by Festus Keyamo, the spokesperson of the All Progressives Council (APC) presidential campaign council, as well as comments by Bola Tinubu, APC presidential candidate.

 

 “On 06/01/23 at 12:29PM, the Joint Media Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council made the following comments while briefing the media. Festus Keyamo: ‘…Obasanjo and Atiku run a criminal enterprise, an empire of fraud in Abuja. At the same time that Ahmed Bola Asiwaju was toiling hard, beautifully and meticulously to rebuild Lagos, 2 criminals were stealing money in Abuja at the time… they both stole from the SPV account at that time.’ Speaking about the whistleblower, Micheal Achimugu, he said, ‘We suspect that some goons of Atiku Abubakar are planning eliminate him and members of his family. In fact, my big brother FFK actualy hinted me about something like that yesterday’,” the letter reads.

 

“On 24/01/23 at 03:39PM, during the APC Presidential Rally in Abia State. The APC Presidential Candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu after telling the public to vote APC under the symbol of broom, he went on to make the following comment ‘…You know what you do with the rest of them? They are like lizards, cockroaches and mosquitoes. Just take the broom, wipe them off’.

 

“On 31/01/23 at 02:37pm, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally which held in Anambra State. The Party’s Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also made the following remarks: ‘When you hear Atiku use the word Muslim and say ‘Wallahi, Talahi, you know what is in his heart? ‘na lie I lie’. Anytime you hear Atiku say Wallahi Talahi, just reply him say, na lie you lie’.”

 

The NBC also made reference to a comment by Tinubu during the APC rally in Anambra, during which he referred to Peter Obi, presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), as a person who cannot keep promise.

 

The commission also accused TVC of not giving equal coverage to all political parties.

 

“On 10th October, 2022, your station started its news with 17 minutes of APC news and 1 minutes of PDP story with a video clip that did not play,” the commission added.

 

The NBC, therefore, asked TVC to pay a fine of N2 million within two weeks of the receipt of the letter.

 

Similarly, in a letter to Arise Global Media Limited NBC said “for avoidance of doubt, some of such unprofessional broadcasts are listed below for your perusal.

 

“On the 24th of January, 2023, between 1.00pm – 2.27pm, Arise TV aired Presidential campaign Rally of PDP which held in Delta State, replete with unfair remarks and mockery of the APC presidential Candidate by DINO Melaye. Mr. Melaye sang a song “…hand dey shake, leg dey shake, baba wey no well, e dey shout emilokan” he further went on to fall down demonstrating the frailty of the APC presidential Candidate.

 

“Arise TV did not only air the programme but repeated the distasteful clip of Dino Melaye in a mockery of the APC Presidential candidate in another programme anchored by Ojy Okpe What’s Trending. The Presenter and her Colleagues had a good laugh over such unfair treatment of another.

 

“On the 26th January 2023, at 9.40am, during the programme Morning Show, a guest, Na’jaatu Muhammed described the Presidential Candidate of APC, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as mentally deranged without caution from the anchor. The Guest had a field day with vituperations against the Presidential Candidate of the APC. She referred to him as Senile.

 

“On 31-01-2023 at 3:30pm, during the broadcast of the PDP Presidential Rally in Sokoto State, Dino melaye referred to the Vice Presidential Candidate of APC, Kashim Shettima as GCOB, meaning Grand Commander of Bandits.

 

“During the same Campaign, PDP Presidential chieftain, Dino Malaye said, “we should be happy that our candidate’s hands don’t shake, his legs don’t shake and he doesn’t have a bell that rings in his head” he further said, “if APC come for campaign, sing a song after them saying, APC are bed-wetters…” then he said again, “…his name is not Bola, his name is bola” (the difference is in pronunciation, later meaning dustbin).

 

“Hajiya Naja’atu in the same broadcast said, “We are not going to vote for hypocrites, the one that lied that he is a muslim, but he doesn’t know how to recite the suratul fatiha. We are not going to vote for an illiterate that doesn’t know anything, if people insist on voting him then they should also get ready to allow him lead them in prayers…”

 

He therefore said “consequently, pursuant to the aforementioned Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Arise TV is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira Only).

 

“Note that the penalty shall be paid within 2 weeks of the receipt of this Letter or sanction shall be graduated.