Professor Armstrong Idachaba:New man at NBC

Acting Director-General (DG) of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, says the organisation is committed to effective reforms and regulations to checkmate monopoly in broadcasting.

Idachaba stated this at a news conference on enhancing professionalism in the sector and the way forward for the commission, on Friday in Abuja, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.

According to him, NBC remains committed to its objective of promoting broadcasting for national development.

He said the recommendations of the Reform Implementation Committee had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The reform provides far reaching changes in the broadcast industry. The changes are in the areas of the welfare of the regulator, amendment and proposal for inclusion of certain new laws.

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“Also the new regulations are on content emanating from the social media.

“The regulations are intended to mandate owners of distribution platforms to ensure self-regulation and the statutory provision that content that will emerge from their platforms are not harmful.

“Let me make it clear that the NBC does not intend to, and cannot deny citizens freedom of expression as entrenched in the country’s constitution,” he said.

The D-G said another key area in the reform was the issue of curbing monopolistic tendencies by right owners.

He said: “The point is that, the regulators owe the country a responsibility to provide regulations that will promote the economic and overall interest of the vast majority of Nigerians.

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“Therefore, the idea is that Right Owners will have their rights protected, but they should be willing to allow Nigerians benefit from the exploitation of those rights.

“I want to Inform you that as a deliberate strategy for inclusion, the commission shall in the next two weeks publish details of the reforms implementation for the industry and public output.”