DAAR Communications laments over NBC fines

The management of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Rapower radio has lamented the fines on the organization by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

The Group Managing Director of DAAR Communications Plc, Tony Akiotu, said the NBC was determined to achieve a purpose which is at variance with the provisions of its Code.

He stated this during a press conference on two letters received from the NBC in which fines were imposed on DAAR Communications for infringing on Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

Akiotu queried the appropriateness of N500,000 fine on the use of provocative, inflammatory and divisive comments by anchors on the Raypower programme “Political Platform” and the N1 million fine for exceeding the allowed band occupancy limit.

He said the organization had been threatened and every attempt made to stifle its constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression, while appealing to the NBC to give the outfit chance to operate.

He wondered why the commission ignored the vibrancy, popularity and depths of analysis on “Political Platform”.

He said the commission awarded N1m fine without recourse to its earlier letter dated February 10, 1999, which issued DAAR Communications a frequency assignment to Raypower FM for Transmission Boundary of 100.410 MHz to 100.590MHz and an operating frequency of 100.5MHz.