INTRODUCTION: MEDIA REGULATION IN NIGERIA
In Nigeria, the regulation of broadcast media organizations is carried out by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which is an independent regulatory body established by the Nigerian government in 1992. The NBC is responsible for granting licenses to broadcast media organizations, monitoring their operations, and enforcing regulatory standards to ensure that they comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code. The commission is also responsible for imposing sanctions on media organizations that violate its regulations (Innocent and Uzoma, 2013).
The Nigerian Broadcasting Code is a set of rules and regulations that govern the operations of broadcast media organizations in Nigeria. The code covers issues such as content standards, advertising, ownership, and control of media organizations, among others. Under the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, media organizations are required to uphold ethical standards and ensure that their content is not offensive or harmful to the public. They are also required to ensure that their programming reflects the cultural and social values of the Nigerian people.
Media organizations that fail to comply with the provisions of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code can be fined, suspended or have their license revoked by the NBC. The commission also has the power to issue warnings to media organizations that violate its regulations.
In recent times, there have been concerns about the independence of the NBC and its ability to carry out its regulatory functions without interference from the government. However, the NBC has continued to assert its independence and carry out its regulatory functions in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code (Innocent and Uzoma, 2013).
REFERENCES
Innocent, P. I. and Uzoma, C. O. (2013). Broadcasting Regulation and Broadcasting In Nigeria: an Overview of the Approaches. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3 (2), 12
