Broadcasting
NBC Harps on Equity, Decency at Akure Forum
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) held a public forum in Akure last week, and the focus was on equity, fairness and decency as key to sustainable broadcasting.
The Akure forum is third in the series after Enugu and Gombe, organized by the Commission for this year, to give radio and television audiences opportunity to openly assess the manner in which broadcasting business is conducted in the country.
In his address, Engr. Yomi Bolarinwa, director-general, NBC emphasized the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and how importance it is for broadcast stations to adhere to it. “The Nigeria Broadcasting Code demands that all sides to any issue of public interest shall be equitably presented to ensure fairness.”
“This and several other provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code are supported by the Commonwealth Broadcasters’ Association Editorial Guidelines, which clearly explain that programmes dealing with matters of public interest on which differing views are held must ensure they cover all sides of the argument. If a variety of viewpoints cannot be projected in the same bulletin or programme, the balance should be achieved within a reasonable period of time.”
Bolarinwa said that on the question of good taste and decency, the Code also states that obscene, indecent and vulgar language expression, presentation or representation is prohibited! “Even for DTH and MMDS services where certain allowances are made for water-shed scheduling, the NBC Code still insists that operators must provide subscribers with additional information so that they may evaluate content that may be problematic for certain ages, particularly if a programme appeals to a wide range audience.”
According to him, broadcasters in Nigeria need to use the service as a means of projecting the opinions and attitudes of the groups in the society to one another, such as the balancing of information flow between rural and urban areas, government and the governed, as well as the presentation and clarification of the goals and values of the society.
“It is also the responsibility of broadcasters to help in sustaining the industry through programming that promotes employment opportunities to serve the needs and interests of Nigerians, and also reflect their circumstances and aspirations,” said the NBC boss.
Speaking at the event, Tony Iredia, former director-general of NTA, said that the media has enormous influence on society, and can instigate war and also be an instrument of peace.
Towards that end, he called on broadcasters to have respect for truth and leave out information when in doubt; avoid opinionated reports, cover all persons who have an interest in a story with equal emphasis and downplay divisive issues.
Iredia added that protecting the sensibilities of diverse people, and avoiding intemperate language or indecent dressing on television, should be a major concern to broadcasters if they really want to add value to society.
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
PAPSS Cowry to Benefit Manufacturers, SMEs
Access Bank’s Digital Innovation Earns Top Financial Inclusion Award
NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026
CBN’s New Cash Policy: A Welcome Liberalisation or a Risky Retreat?
Africa Must Build Its Own Cybersecurity Intelligence, Says Tizel CEO At AfriTech 5.0
Oluwaseun Dania Unearths How AI will Shape Africa’s Creative-AI Future @ World Bank Forum
Kaspersky Introduces Cyber Pathways to Support Career Development in Cybersecurity
Nigeria’s $618m Tech Incubator Debuts
NITDA DG Tasks Youths to Drive Africa’s Digital Transformation
Firm Urges Organizations to Check Protection of their Websites Amid Search Engine Optimisation Attack Schemes
E-Business3 days agoNigeria Records Highest Weekly Cyberattacks in Africa — Report
E-Business3 days agoJumia’s Data Shows Nigerians Turning to Digital Retail to Navigate Inflation Pressures
News3 days agoSEC to Enhance Investor Engagement with USSD Code, ISS Audio
Broadcasting2 days agoIt is Official, DStv Confirms Termination of 16 Major Channels
Telecom3 days agoAirtel Nigeria Wins Best in Technology for Development @ 2025 SERAS Awards
Telecom3 days agoNigeria-South Africa Chamber Celebrates Silver Jubilee of Bilateral Trade Ties
News3 days agoFirm Detected Half a Million Malicious Files Daily in 2025
News3 days agoNEC Endorses N100Bn Overhaul of Police and Security Training Facilities