FG did not consult stakeholders before review of NBC Code- Iredia

Professor Iredia, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) has claimed professional bodies were not consulted before the Nigeria Broadcasting Code was reviewed.

Hence Iredia added that, the reviewed Nigeria Broadcasting Code is not a standard document for the regulation of broadcasting in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: FG increases hate speech fine from N500k to N5m

Speaking during the Channels Television’s breakfast show, Sunrise Daily, the former Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) on Wednesday, attests that the broadcasting code is supposed to be a guide and not seen as an instrument for regulation.

Moreover, while emphasizing on the broadcast industry as the key to the enlightenment of the people, he warned that the over-regulation of the sector will affect the country negatively.

Daily Times gathered that the Professor also explained that a broadcast code needs the input of all stakeholders to make it stand the test of time.

According to him, “the NBC just rolled out a number of things that it felt should be in the code and did not hold consultations with the stakeholders like the previous managers of the system did, you first of all hold consultation, everybody will look at it, there will be a document, you will bring it out at the tail end, there will still be another kind of peer review and all kinds of things.

“Just as I said at the beginning, the code was supposed to be a professional guide. It was supposed to be a masterpiece that promotes professional excellence in broadcasting but now it is filled with sanctions of what you will do and not do.

“And the bodies that should have been consulted were not consulted. Rather, they were being told that it is subject to review and all their objections now will be taken into consideration in the next review.”