NBC warns against using children for political advert

The National Broadcasting Commission has called on all stakeholders to desist from using children images for political advertisement.

NBC Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, made the call in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Ilelah condemned the usage of children in political advertisements by politicians and the way broadcasters air such adverts in negation of Section 7.7.1(d) of the code. He urged them to critically appraise the performance of broadcasters in the area of children programming to come up with a holistic policy direction.

He also expressed concern on how children’s local contents had not been receiving the required attention by sponsors, producers and the broadcasters.

He said, “Instead of developing local content, some broadcasters still rely on foreign children’s content, particularly cartoons which often are laced with themes of violence and immorality.

“NBC is deeply concerned about how some provisions under Chapter Four of the NBC code are being ignored or deliberately violated by broadcast outfits.

“Let me refer you to Section 4.2.2 (k) which requires broadcasters to devote at least 10 per cent of their total airtime to children programmes.”