Phone-in Programs and NBC clampdown
PHONE IN PROGRAMS Gone are the days when people have to visit the newspaper stands to know what the papers are saying. But these days, such information are readily available due to multiplicity of programs in broadcast stations, which not only give listeners and viewers updates of the headlines, but also afford them the opportunity to contribute live to topical issues through phone-in- programs. In this special report, correspondent Innocent Onoh takes a look at phone in programs vis-a-vis the recent directive by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC aimed at checking its negative effects on peace and unity in the unity.
His report. Cue in Cue out Following the deregulation of the broadcast Industry in the 80s, there was an upsurge of radio and television stations in the country, with multiplicity of programs in order to remain relevant amidst tight competition and to attract more viewers and listeners. Phone- in- programme which is the most trending in broadcast stations, is a format which by viewers or listeners air their views on issues via telephone while the programme is on. On radio, it is common for an entire programme to be dedicated to a phone-in session, while on television, phone- ins are often part of a wider discussion programme.
Some ardent radio listeners say while phone- in- programmes enrich the contents in the broadcast stations, they also have some negative consequences. Cue in Cue out The use of fowl languages by some callers which is capable of causing disaffection and a threat to the unity and peaceful coexistence of the society, has been identified as a major setback to phone-in-programme in most developing countries, including Nigeria. According to a former General Manager of Metro FM, Miss Cordelia Okpe, controlling such rude comments is often a teething problem, as some of the callers feel offended for not being allowed to air their views, irrespective of the contents. Cue in Cue out This problem has become an issue because most of the comments made on phone-in programmes are used as headlines by some major newspapers in the early hours of the day when the readers have not had the opportunity to verify some of the issues, just as some of the live shows start as early as 5am when many people have not even read the papers to enable them make comments from an informed point of knowledge. This, and perhaps other reasons, explains the recent threat by the NBC, to ban early morning phone- in-programmes on newspaper review by some stations in its new Broadcasting code. Reacting, the Director Lagos Operations of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Prince Adeyinka Amosu, who believes there is need for a professional broadcast culture in the country, bares his mind on the issue.
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However, the move by the NBC has been received with mixed feelings. A representative of an NGO, who prefers anonymity said the problem should be tackled from the source by checking the excesses of newspaper houses. Cue in Cue out Commenting on the issue, the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council Dr. Quassim Akinreti says the onus is on media practitioners to be professional by committing themselves to societal values. Cue in Cue out Negative broadcast content is not only condemned in Nigeria but globally as Rwanda, a tiny African Country, continues to presents a good example of how much destruction the media can cause a society where Professionalism is thrown to the wind. For it was a negative content on a radio program that sowed the seed of discord between the two major tribes in that country that resulted in the devastating civil war which became one of the worst genocides in history.