Broadcasting
Groups Ask FG to Ban Smoking on Big Brother Naija 7
Some Non-Governmental Organisations have called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to regulate the upcoming Big Brother Naija (BBN) Season Seven, a popular reality television programme, to become smoke free.
The Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids gave the advice on Wednesday at a news conference in Abuja.
This is coming as West Africa Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, urged the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to monitor and sanction violators of the TAPS ban in the digital space.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Big Brother Naija is a popular reality TV show, hosted on the GOTV and DSTV channels.
Mr Chibuike Nwokorie, programme officer of NTCA, recalled that in 2021, the sixth edition of BBN programme sparked public outrage when its participants flagrantly smoked on live television.
Nwokorie said that this violated the provisions of the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act, 2015 on on-screen smoking.
He added that it also threatened the gains made on the ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS) in the country.
The programme officer said when it happened, the tobacco control community called on the NBC to act immediately.
“This year, as the programme is about to begin its seventh season, we are drawing the attention of the NBC to proactively engage the organisers of the show to ensure that there is no repeat of last year’s violations.
“We wish to make it clear that should there be reluctance on the part of the regulators or the organisers to ensure a smoke free programme, we will explore every available option in the interest of public health,’’ he said.
According to him, entertainment products set the agenda for many young people because they are the eyes through which they see the world.
“We also call on the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) to caution its members from flouting tobacco control laws and ensure that they abide by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria including the NTC Act.
“We sound a note of caution to the organisers of BBN and a reminder of their responsibility towards the Nigerian population – At this time when Nigerians are hungry for quality leadership.’’
Nwokorie said that a programme with such national reach must be used to portray high standing role models for the Nigerian people.
“At this critical time of our nationhood journey, we cannot afford to have entertainment for mere entertainment sake, and young and impressionable Nigerians must not be manipulated into thinking that smoking is good.
“The National Film and Video Sensors Board (NFVCB) must live up to its responsibility of ensuring that all videos made and consumed in Nigeria strictly abide by the provisions of the NTC Act.
“This applies to the regulation of on-screen smoking and must see to the inclusion of text warnings or outright removal of needless on-screen smoking depictions,’’ Nwokorie said.
Elsewhere, Mr Michael Olaniyan, technical resource officer, West Africa Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, urged NITDA to monitor and sanction violators of the TAPS ban in the digital space.
Olaniyan urged government’s agencies to enforce the NTC Act and its Regulations to work together and ensure that the ban on direct and indirect TAPS is comprehensively implemented in the country.
According to him, these should be done in line with Article 13 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
He said that NBC should exercise its mandate to ensure that BBN does not flout any provision of the NTC Act and enforce the law particularly penalties as listed in the law.
Olaniyan said the penalties ranged from N500,000 to N5 million option of fine and from six months to five years imprisonment depending on the gravities of the violations.
The seventh edition of the Big Brother Naija is set to hit the screen from July 23.
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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