NBC guilty of double standards, must stop intimidating Channels TV – NGE

The Nigerian Guild of Editors on Monday cautioned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) against double standards in regulating the Nigerian media industry. The Guild in a statement condemned in strong terms the threat issued to Channels Television by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in an interview with the spokesperson of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Emmanuel Powerful.
The NGE noted that Powerful was a guest on Channels programme “Politics Today” on Sunday, and was perceived to have made inciting statements and using derogatory words on the Nigerian security agencies.
The NBC had in the letter to Channels TV management ordered immediate suspension of the programme – Politics Today.
The Guild declared it will not stand by and watch media houses being threatened by regulatory agencies in the country.
“Press freedom is threatened when media houses are made to operate in an atmosphere of fear.
“The Guild stands with Channels and will go to any length to defend press freedom in the country.
“The body of editors believes that the NBC is guilty of double standards because stations that carried Sheikh Gumi’s parley with terrorists in their camps, were not sanctioned by the commission,” the NGE statement read in part.

The NGE further admonished that the “NBC should jettison the practice of issuing threats to broadcast stations over matters that could easily be dealt with through dialogue.”

The Guild argued that democracy will be meaningless in Nigeria if press freedom is eroded.