Daar Communications Plc and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have both accepted six terms of agreement which was approved by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. This brings an end to the one month dispute between the media company and the regulator.
Justice Inyang Ekwo who presided over the proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordered that both Daar Communications Plc (the parent company of African Independent Television) and the broadcasting regulator should comply according to the stipulated agreed terms which were presented to both parties for consent.
Both Daar Communications and NBC became involved in the dispute after the regulator shut down the broadcasting rights of Ray Power’s parent company, citing failure to pay for the license fee renewal for its radio and television stations and gross violations of Nigeria’s broadcasting code.
The six terms of agreement:
- That the plaintiff (DAAR Communications Plc) shall furnish the 1st defendant (National Broadcasting Commission) with a concrete and realistic proposal and ensure the prompt payment of the outstanding licence renewal fee for its National Network Broadcast licence (Radio/T.V).
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- That the plaintiff shall take necessary internal steps to ensure balance in its news coverage, especially the political commentary on the Plaintiff’s stations across the country.
- That the plaintiff shall take full editorial responsibility for the use of content sourced from social media and all/any other outlets.
- That the plaintiff shall ensure that all programmes transmitted on its TV/Radio stations across the country comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the National Broadcasting Commission Act, Cap. NH, Laws of the Federation, 2004 and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code as may be in force or/and as amended from time to time.
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- That the 1st defendant shall withdraw forthwith, the suspension of the National Network Broadcast licence (Radio/TV) of the plaintiff.
- That the Terms of Settlement tiled and adopted is hereby entered as a judgment of this court in this suit. That each of the parties shall bear its own costs of this action.
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