Olajumoke Coker, a Zonal Director at National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on Wednesday said the commission was ready to sanction sports presenters who violated its codes through unprofessional style of presentation.
She disclosed this in Ibadan during a seminar organised by the Oyo State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Coker presented at the seminar a paper titled “Hyping, Praise-singing, Sports Rights and Acquisition’’.
She said the hyping of sport events, enthusiasts or sponsors was one big issue the commission had been dealing with.
The NBC official adding that a lot of sports presenters, especially the Yoruba sports presenters, were guilty of it. “Hype is when a presenter promotes products or services of commercial value in the course of presentation. This is a violation of Section 7.0.15 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
NBC is not against giving end-credits to sponsors, but it should be done at the end of the programme in moderation and without giving details or promoting their products or services.
“When you start listing 20 names during your presentation, it makes your programme lack straight-dealing,” she said.
Coker said many stations have received from the commission letters of warning, as well as letters recommending payment of fines and for unprofessional style of presentation. The official said the commission has had cause to even go as far as suspending some broadcasters from the air waves, saying the commission monitors round the clock.
She said any sports presenter who violated the provisions of the commission’s broadcasting code would be sanctioned accordingly.
“Section 3.1.3 of the Nigeria Broadcasting code clearly prohibits praise singing of sponsors. “It states that broadcasters shall recognise expression as an agent of the society. Therefore, he shall not use his medium for any personal or sectional rights, privileges and needs of his own, proprietor, relatives, friends or supporters,”she said.
Coker urged sports presenters to be more professional in their presentation, reminding them that the commission monitors for compliance round the clock.
Abiodun Ilori, a UK digital expert, taught participants in an interview on how to source information from the internet and usage of digital equipments in dissemination.
Earlier, Niyi Alebiosu, the Oyo SWAN Chairman, said the programme was organised to educate their members on professionalism and ethical presentation. He used the occasion to dispel speculations of crisis in Oyo State SWAN, saying the association was more united than ever.
The seminar was attended by sports administrators, enthusiasts and lots of Oyo State SWAN members in the state.(NAN)
