…Says nothing can Stop us from summoning violators of the law
The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission,NBC, Balarabe Ilelah has said that no media house in the country is above the law.
As a result he said that the commission will continue to summon journalists and media organisations that violate broadcasting codes and ethics.
He said NBC is not out to stifle freedom of the press but added that the ethics must be respected.
He spoke when the Nigerian Union of Journalists visited the commission’s office in Abuja on Monday.
He insisted that the NBC is there to sanitise the media space as part of ingredients for democracy to thrive.
He said: “As leaders of your various reputable and responsible organisation, I want you to tell your members that nobody is above the law.
“All of us must live within the coverage of the law and we must be held accountable. Journalism is a profession that has ethics, we are supposed to operate within the ethics of the profession.
“You came to the commission based on some reports from the social media. As a journalist, I know that news coming from social media are not verified and normally when you get information from anywhere, you need to verify the source of the news.
“But when the news had no source and then you went again and keep on spreading the news, that is not journalism.
“We are going to keep on fighting people that are spreading fake news, the commission will not be scared and will keep on summoning anyone who goes contrary to NBC code.
“NBC is not here to suppress press freedom, but to guide the press. Our duty is to make sure that everybody is given a fair playing ground so that you can say whatever you want to say that is according to the law.”
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