Radio ethics

 
Published: Wednesday 15 April 2009

-- (Credit: Divya)Inspiration FM is something of an oddity in Nigeria. The radio station seeks to propagate morals, ethics and godliness as the basic principles for nation building in a country that has strictures on religious broadcasting.

"We want to use the power of the mass media to reconstruct our national value system. We do not preach religion, but ethics and sound value," said Eristus Akingbola, the brain behind the station.

Inspiration FM, is the newest addition to at least 90 others in the west African nation. But the station which opened in late February is the first to promote "godliness". Nigeria's broadcasting code forbids the establishment of stations for outright religious broadcasting. Broadcasts with religious content are usually classified as commercial programmes. They can, however, be paid for broadcast on television and radio stations in the country.

"We believe that religious overtones are necessary to communicate the right message to the youth. They can help nurture civic principles," said Akingbola. "This is our brand identity," he added.

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