The Nigerian National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined three television stations over their “unprofessional coverage” of the #EndSARS protests.
The Stations, Channels Television, AIT and Arise TV are required to pay three million naira equivalent to about 7,800 dollars each to the regulator.
The Head of the Commission, Armstrong Idachaba, said the TV stations used unverified user-generated content from violent scenes caught on camera during the protests.
He said the footage “stimulated anger and heightened the violence”.
This is in line with the provision of section 5.6.9 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code which states that the broadcaster shall be held liable for any breach of the code emanating from the use of material from User-Generated Sources.
The Commission had warned media houses not to “embarrass the government” in their coverage of the protests.
