Broadcaster - Content Providers
Content Provider
A NETWORK is a content provider with a premier station serving as the nucleus for the production, acquisition and transmission of indigenous content of national or regional appeal and having the nation or region as coverage area, either, as an entity or through diverse affiliate/associates. The Network shall be content driven.
CHARACTER OF A NETWORK.
- The grant of a Network license shall be through a bidding process
- The process of bidding for Network license shall be determined by the Commission.
- For reasons of national interest, unity, cohesion and integration, broadcast on a network shall spread across the nation or region as much as possible.
- A network license applicant shall demonstrate adequate financial, professional and technical profile and capability.
- A network programming profile shall comprise content that fosters national unity, cohesion, stability and respect local sensitivities.
NETWORK.
Programming for Network, especially News, shall ensure 100 percent local content, such that foreign items are presented from the Nigerian perspective.
The responsibility for every network broadcast shall be collectively borne by the broadcasters on which it is relayed.
Therefore, each affiliate shall ascertain that each network programme meets the provisions of its license and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code
It shall be illegal for any person or organization to operate a Network without the approval of the Commission.
AFFILIATION
- A broadcaster shall not enter into an agreement for affiliation, content carriage/acquisition with any station without the approval of the Commission.
- An affiliate shall continue to discharge its programming responsibility to its primary target audience, based on the original terms of its license. In any case, local programming shall not be less than 70 percent of its daily broadcast schedule
- Any new broadcaster joining the NETWORK as a single broadcaster or an Affiliate/Associate shall be licensed by the Commission.
- An affiliate/associate shall not be a member of more than one NETWORK of the same category (Radio or Television).
SYNDICATION AND CONTENT DISTRIBUTION
All programme syndicating companies desiring to operate within Nigeria shall be licensed by the Commission.Broadcasters receiving content from a syndicating company shall not transmit the programme simultaneously with other broadcasters as this will amount to networking and a contravention of its license condition.
CATEGORY OF NETWORK SERVICES.
A Network license shall be issued in either of the following categories:
a.National
b.Regional.
PROGRAMMING.
For the purpose of programming:
- Broadcasters in the NETWORK Broadcasting Service shall contribute proportionately to the overall programme broadcast on the Network.
- Broadcasters in the Network Broadcasting Service shall not abdicate the programming responsibility of its primary audience to the NETWORK.
- All NETWORK Broadcasting Service stations shall be liable jointly and severally for the programmes broadcast on the Network.
- The Network broadcaster shall be responsible for sourcing the content of the programme it broadcasts.
- The NETWORK Broadcasting Service programming shall not be more than 30% of the broadcaster’s daily broadcast hours.
- The NETWORK Broadcasting Service shall not relay ‘LIVE’ foreign news content in its entirety, even delayed. The universal practice of using excerpts for news in which circumstance the Network station assumes editorial responsibility shall apply.
- Content on a Network shall have national or regional appeal and shall reflect all shades of opinion and respect the sensibilities and sensitivities of the diverse culture of Nigeria.
- The Network broadcaster shall not transmit content that is detrimental to national security.
- The Network Broadcasting shall keep a record of all Programmes distributed on the network and its affiliate.
- News and Current Affairs programmes on the Network shall be guided by the ethical standards of Journalism.
- The Network broadcaster shall submit to the Commission the quarterly programme schedule 30 days before broadcast.
- A Network broadcaster shall seek the Commission’s approval before establishing, operating and or incorporating a new station in the Network.
- A Network broadcaster shall take cognisance of the digitization of the broadcast sector.