University don advises FG to amend NBC rules

A UNIVERSITY don, Dr Daniel Ekhearofe has advised the federal government to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) rules regulating broadcast stations so as to accommodate social media content in their operations.

Speaking in Benin yesterday at a lecture titled “Social media: content platform for journalism and good governance” at the 2019 press week organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) chapel, Ekhearofe of the department of mass communication, University of Benin(UNIBEN) noted that the society would become a better place when government gives people opportunity to express themselves freely.

The eminent lecturer said that freedom of speech was critical to national development.

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He said: “Government can use the social media to galvanise public support instead of placing restrictions on social media contents being used by broadcast stations,” he said.

He urged journalists in broadcast stations to take advantage of the social media to disseminate information to the public.

The Chairman of the event, Prelate of the Benin United Baptist church, Apostle Osama Usunalele said the media was critical to the survival of Nigeria’s democracy.

Usunalele advised the media to be careful with content they put out to the public adding that, they should ensure that it was always balanced and objective.

He called on the state government to upgrade the Edo Broadcasting Service in terms of equipment in order to meet with the digital age.

The acting General manager of EBS, Mr Ransley Abu-Osagie harped on the need for media practitioners to strive for improvement by training on the job to meet up with the digital broadcasting.