The Minister of
Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this Tuesday while unveiling
the Reviewed Broadcasting Code.
He had earlier last
year announced the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the increase of
the fine. The increase has now been stipulated in the reviewed broadcasting
code.
The code also
contains the Antitrust provision aimed at boosting local content and local
industry due to laws prohibiting exclusive use of rights by broadcasters who,
according to the minister, intend to create monopolies and hold the entire
market to themselves.
According to a
statement signed by special assistant to the President, Segun Adeyemi, the
Antitrust provision would also encourage open access to premium content.
He said the revised
code also contains the law prohibiting backlog of advertising debts in order to
promote sustainability for the station owners and producers of content, as well
as the law on the registration of Web Broadcasting, which will grant the
country the opportunity to regulate negative foreign broadcasts that can harm
the nation.
”I must explain that
this provision is not new to Nigeria
Broadcasting.
Exclusivity was disallowed at a certain time in the history of our
broadcasting. I recall Multichoice sub-licensing EPL matches to other local
operators in Nigeria. I recall HITV engaging several local operators on
sub-licensing the EPL when they got the rights.
“The provisions on
responsibility of broadcast stations to devote airtime to national
emergencies…obviously mandates terrestrial and Pay TV channels to make their
services available to Nigerians at time of national emergencies – like the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – for their education and enlightenment,” the
minister said.
Mr Mohammed
clarified that the amendments were necessitated by a presidential directive, in
the wake of the 2019 general elections, for an inquiry into the regulatory role
of the NBC with a view to repositioning the regulator for optimum performance.
He said despite the
attacks by some vested interests, who believe that their singular business
interest is superior to national interest, over the provisions of the amended
code, the federal government remains unperturbed,
“But, as it
currently stands, the 6th edition and the amendments, which we are unveiling
today, remain the regulations for broadcasting in Nigeria. Our intention
remains the good of the country. We need to catalyse the growth of the local
industry. We need to create jobs for our teeming creative youths. The
opportunities must be created and we believe that effective regulatory
interventions are a sure way of attaining this. That’s why we will not waver,”
he said.
In his remark, the
Acting Director General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, commended the
government for showing interest in the development of the Broadcasting Industry
through the implementation of reforms and several other interventions.
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