The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has lauded the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for sanctioning three broadcast media stations for their protection of End SARS protests.
An announcement on Friday by the Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and the Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, claimed the organisations breached extant regulatory guidelines.
BMO aligned with NBC’s position that Arise TV, AIT and Channels TV contributed to the escalation of the disaster.
The body noted that the sanction sends a powerful and unambiguous message to the broadcast industry in Nigeria.
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“There will be no justification for Channels Tv, Arise TV, and AIT to transmit footage obtained from unverified and unauthenticated social media sources,” it stated.
BMO stated the “amateurish conduct” solely fell short of professional expectations.
It stated their conduct “incited the youth to extra violent behaviour”.
“They helped create a self-serving justification for the humungous looting spree that gripped many parts of the nation. We commend the NBC for exercising apparent and robust regulatory surveillance over the broadcast industry and encourage the Commission to proceed on this line”, the statement read.
The BMO noted that holding the broadcast stations liable for their breach of the code emanating from the use of materials from Person Generated Sources was not adequate.
Nigerians and groups have condemned the fine slammed on the stations.
