THE National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has appealed to media organizations in Abia state to follow strictly the codes of the NBC in their broadcasting practice and avoid using their platforms for any activity that can truncate the nation’s peaceful coexistence.
At the 10th Edition of the Media Training Institute, organised by the Vision Africa in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, the NBC reiterated its resolve not to relent in sanitizing the media industry, saying it would no longer spare any media house that uses its platform to promote disunity or incite its audience to crime, insisting that the rules of broadcasting must be strictly adhered to.
The Director General NBC, Mallam Balarabe Shehu, giving his remarks at the Media Training with the theme, “The Relevant Message In A Changing World”, thanked the Vision Africa for putting up the media training which he described as apt, particularly at a time the world is fast changing in communication.
Mallam Shehu stated that the NBC would not condone the flouting of Section 311 of the NBC code by any media house, adding that any message that could make one feel derogated or incited to negative behaviour, should totally be shunned.
He noted that even though our world is fast changing, our peace should not be jeopardized; urging media owners to ensure their broadcast is centred on objectivity, fairness, balanced information among others.
However, the NBC boss expounded the importance of communication in development, maintaining that communication play a pivotal role in nation building and no society could develop or function properly without adequate information.
Meanwhile, Mallam Shehu, while decrying the dangers of the social media, said it has been used to spread false and unverified information, stating that the two enemies of communication -fake news and hate speech, find their way to the public space through the social media platform, beckoning on media practitioners not to rely on news from the social media space.
“As a broadcasting regulation agency, we must stop the spread of fake news in Nigeria. Unverified information, hate speeches and other social media stunts should not be allowed to see the light of the day.”
NBC will not spare anyone using their platforms to disseminate fake news or incite trouble. Don’t allow your platforms to be used against your country or governments”, he further stated.
Mallam Shehu equally charged Media owners to uphold the tenets of their agreement, saying that their Licenses were given to them on trust, therefore, all their coverages must promote the unity of Nigeria, appealing that no media platform should be used to talk down on the new government, stressing that the President has good plans for the nation.
He further disclosed that the conundrum confronting the NBC presently is how to rid the media space of information that are threatening to Nigeria’s unity and peaceful coexistence, stressing that it would not back-pedal until their goals are achieved.
Earlier, the Founder, Vision Africa, Bishop Sunday Onuoha in his opening speech, welcomed the guests and participants to the training, saying that programme became expedient, because the world is fast changing and the younger generation needed to be trained on how best to communicate.
According to him, the Vision Africa has a purpose, plan and goal for putting up the 10th Edition of the Media Training Institute and part of its goal and purpose, is to strengthen our communication skills.
The Cleric noted that the 2023 training was basically set up to see how communication can be modern in a modern world, pointing that our knowledge is fast evolving, therefore, “If we must speak to the younger generation, we must restrategize our pattern of communication. What we should say and what not to say, should matter in every communication”.
Also in his remarks, the President Sharing International, Dr Chuck Pollak, thanked the organizers of the Programme, stating that to remain relevant in the media industry, one has to keep up with the audience by fashioning out suitable messages.
The two days Training which characterized different lectures from guests, had Sharon Geiger, talked on the topic, Always Be Thinking ‘Story’, while Maddy Wilson spoke on, ‘The Power of Connection’. Susan Obi took the third lecture on ‘Communicating Responsibly’ and Maddy Wilson again spoke on, ‘The Power of Social Media Strategy’.
Connecting with the Audience was x-rayed by Joseph Kebbie and Building an Office Culture of Yes and Positivity, was taken by Dr Chuck Pollak.
Video Storytelling 1: Using the tool of your smart phone was taken by Stan Jeter, while Maddy Wilson spoke on the Power of Personnel Brand. The ninth lecture was on Communication Integrity: Social Media Platform by Dr Lilian Ojiegbe.
Day two of the Training will feature Content Strategy: Connecting to Community by Dr Chuck Pollak, Content Strategy: How to Choose, What to Use by Sharon Geiger, while Jeff Wilson will take Photo Storytelling: Story in an Image.
Short Form Video with a Purpose, would be taken by Jeff Wilson, while Sound Design 1 would be taken by Mark Seignious, Video Storytelling 2: Using the Tool of your smart phone would also be x-rayed Stan Jeter.
The Lecture on Sound Design 2 would be taken by Mark Seignious, Jeff Wilson would take Photo and Video Editing for Social Media, Collaborative Team Building would be x-rayed by Dr Chuck Pollak, while Prof Uwaoma Uche would take the last lecture on Media in consolidating Peaceful coexistence and Democracy.
