NBC warns presenters against bias, bullying, breach of broadcast code

The National Broadcasting Commission has raised concern over what it described as a growing lack of professionalism among anchors and presenters, warning that violations of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code will attract sanctions as the 2027 general elections approach.

In a statement issued on Friday via its Facebook page by the Office of the Director General, Public Affairs Department and signed by management, the commission said it had observed a “disturbing departure from the core principles of broadcast journalism,” with presenters increasingly breaching ethical standards on fairness, balance and neutrality.

The commission said the trend includes presenters expressing personal opinions as facts, failing to give equal representation to opposing views, and allowing inflammatory or divisive content on programmes, stressing that such actions violate provisions of the code requiring accuracy, professionalism and responsible conduct.

It warned that any anchor found to have “expressed personal opinion as fact, bullied or intimidated a guest, or denied fair hearing to opposing views” would be deemed to have committed a Class B breach, adding that editorial responsibility rests solely with broadcasters and cannot be transferred to guests, even during live broadcasts.

The NBC said the concerns form part of a broader pattern of “sustained increase in breaches” across news, current affairs and political programmes, noting that broadcast platforms are increasingly being used in ways that depart from their obligation to inform the public with accuracy and professionalism.

It also highlighted the misuse of broadcast platforms by political actors to air content capable of inciting disorder, spreading hate speech and undermining national unity.

The commission emphasised that it would enforce “strict and uncompromised compliance” with all provisions of the code, warning that “inflammatory, divisive, or unsubstantiated broadcasts will attract regulatory sanctions,” and stressing that compliance is “mandatory, not discretionary.”

As the country moves toward a critical electoral period, the NBC urged broadcasters to ensure responsible discourse, noting that the airwaves must not “amplify tension or propagate misinformation” but remain platforms for credible information and national cohesion.