The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on Friday threatened to clamp down on unregistered stations and platforms streaming online in the country.
Prof. Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, the Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, stated that such stations and online have 30 days to do the needful or face disconnection and prosecution.
The NBC boss, who issued the warning on Friday, while presenting provisional licences to the newly registered 67 stations, explained that having a DTT or FM license does not warrant a broadcaster to stream online.
He said, “Let me use this opportunity to call on IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and all other broadcast stations that are streaming online to register with the Commission to avoid disconnection and prosecution. Broadcasters should note that, having a DTT or FM license does not warrant a broadcaster to stream online; they are two different licenses.
“I will also call on foreign broadcasters who have offices in Nigeria and they beam their signals into the country to come forth for registration with the Commission within 30 days.
“I must state that NBC is determined to collaborate with security agencies to clamp down on illegal broadcasters in the country.”
He also said failure by any licensed broadcast station to pay dues amounts to economic sabotage.
NBC boss urged broadcast stations that are yet to pay their dues to do so.
“At this juncture, I would like to remind our licensees that are yet to pay their outstanding debts to hurriedly pay or have their licences revoked for illegal broadcasting.
“Therefore, refusal to pay is an economic sabotage and the Commission will have no option than to collaborate with security and anti-corruption agencies to redeem the debts.”
He also told the newly registered broadcast station the need to send staff members for training at the newly established Nigeria Broadcast Institute.
This, Ilelah said “is the basic requirement for commencement of transmission.
“Finally, broadcasters should note that part of the requirements for the commencement of test transmission henceforth is to send their staff for training at the newly established Nigeria Broadcast Institute,” he said.