NBC to Establish Institute for Broadcast Policy, Regulations

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) will establish an Institute for Broadcast Policy and Regulations in 2022, the Director-General, Mr Shehu Ilelah, has disclosed.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, he explained that the establishment of the institute will enhance professionalism in the broadcast industry.

Mr Ilelah added that the commission has initiated a partnership with National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for broadcast curricular accreditation at the nation’s tertiary institutions.

“Preparations for the establishment of Institute for Broadcast Policy and Regulation are top in my agenda for next year. This is to ensure professionalism,” he said.

Mr Ilelah reiterated the need for professionalism in broadcasting, saying: “We know the harm fake news, hate speech and unprofessional broadcast have cost the society.

“We must be extremely cautious of the contents we put out. NBC prides itself on professionalism, efficiency and integrity in fulfilling its mandate as a regulator.”

The director-general urged the new licensees to pay their licence fees, as requested by law before the due dates to avoid penalties.

“For the already established broadcasting stations owing licence renewal fees, we are putting them on notice that they have up till February 17, 2022, to pay their debts or have their licences withdrawn and reallocated to prospective licensees,” he said.

According to him, the affected broadcasting stations are owing license fees amounting to about N4 billion.

On digital switchover (DSO), Mr Ilelah said that the commission took very important progressive steps towards the actualisation of the project in the country.

“In my first one month in office, I established an NBC Steering Committee which reviewed the challenges of previous launching of DSO across the country from the pilot launch in Jos in 2016 to Lagos this year.

“Also in November, my team was in Kano for the switch over of the digital terrestrial television broadcasting signals, thus bringing a digital experience to viewers of television contents in the state,” he said.