Human Rights and Media Ethics in Nigerian Broadcast Journalism: Professional Standards Assessment

This research assesses the alignment between professional broadcast journalism standards and human rights obligations in Nigeria, examining whether Nigerian broadcast media adhere to internationally recognized principles for rights-respecting reporting. Broadcast media in Nigeria, regulated by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), operate under editorial environments that intersect with freedom of expression, the right to information, privacy rights, and the protection of vulnerable groups. The study applies the International Federation of Journalists' Global Charter of Ethics, the NBC Code of Practice, and relevant provisions of the ICCPR to evaluate reporting practices. A professional practice methodology is employed, content-analyzing a sample of news programs broadcast on three television stations spanning Lagos, Abuja, and Kano during a three-month period in 2024, supplemented by interviews with news editors, broadcast journalists, and representatives of the NBC and the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria. Findings reveal inconsistent application of victim-protection guidelines in coverage of sexual violence and child abuse cases, inflammatory language in ethnic and religious conflict reporting, and inadequate verification standards that contribute to misinformation with human rights consequences. The study proposes a revised human rights journalism professional standards module for adoption by Nigerian schools of journalism and the NBC. Recommendations include mandatory rights-based journalism training for all practicing broadcast journalists and integration of human rights standards into NBC license renewal assessments. Keywords: broadcast journalism, media ethics, human rights reporting, NBC, Nigeria.