The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (nbc) wishes to express its concern about the quality of journalism portrayed in the newspaper article headlined NBC boss snubs Geingob events in the latest edition of the Namibian weekly The Villager, dated 9 June 2017. The article in question is laced with speculation false allegations and non-factual reporting which is devoid of all truth. The article “NBC boss snubs Geingob events” alleged that the nbc’s Regional Head in Oshakati, Ms Helen Shiimbi took an editorial decision not to cover the Omagongo Festival and the memorial service of the late Mukwiilongo. It is further alleged that Ms Shiimbi is intentionally side-lining some of our traditional authority leaders. The NBC wishes to set the record straight with the following undisputed facts: 1. The Kati Mu Kupulwa Pale (Oshiwambo Service) covered and broadcast the Omagongo Festival live on the Oshiwambo Language Service on Saturday, 3 June 2017. The NBC has lined up a summarised programme for transmission of the Omagongo Festival which includes a comprehensive interview with Chief Ndilimani who elaborates on the importance of the Festival and this broadcast will be aired Saturday, 10 June 2017. The NBC TV News screened the story on the Omagongo Festival on Sunday, 28 May 2017 during the 20H00 TV news bulletin. On the same day, all ten (10) Language Services of the nbc Radio broadcast a radio news item about the Omagongo Festival during the prime time 19H00 news bulletin. 2. A news crew of the NBC covered the memorial and funeral services of late Mukwiilongo on Friday, 2 June and Saturday, 3 June 2017, respectively. The NBC TV News and Current Affairs aired the story on the late Mukwiilongo’s funeral and burial services the following day on Saturday, 3 June 2017 during the 13h00 and the 20h00 bulletins. Furthermore, all NBC Language Radio Services of the NBC carried this particular story on the late Mukwiilongo’s funeral on Sunday morning, 4 June 2017 during the 08H00 bulletin. 3. The allegation that Ms Shiimbi refused to broadcast the announcements of the Ondonga Traditional Authority’s suspended senior counsellors is clearly and without a doubt fabricated to create an intentional and malicious impression about the good editorial policy of the NBC. What is correct is that the NBC TV and its Language Services are driven by a trial and tested editorial policy, values of the NBC and the NBC Act of parliament which direct the NBC to inform, educate and entertain; and we, at the NBC have respectfully engaged the Omukwaniilwa Kauluma, the Head of the Traditional Authority. “The allegations levelled against the nbc, specifically the Kati Mu Kupulwa Pale (Oshiwambo Service) are, therefore, malicious, unfounded and without any base and we regard the specific news story in The Villager as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public,” said Stanley B Similo, Director General of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. “I am inclined to refer to this particular story as fake news. As a matter of fact, the nbc, not only has issues with the veracity of the content, but also with the strategy to deny the NBC a fair opportunity with sufficient time to provide factual feedback which would have killed this malicious story. This creates the impression that ethics of journalism are seriously compromised at the expense of the public and readers to be exposed to some news stories which are contrary to the universally accepted code of ethics and professional standards for media practitioners as the fourth estate. We nonetheless would like to call on all fellow journalists to guard against irresponsible reporting and sensationalism. We all have a contribution to make to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism to ensure that the credibility of the Namibia media is beyond reproach and that it is not eroded by the necessity to sell content and the desire to attract attention.” The nbc is cognizant of the fact that by virtue of its size and reach its newsroom and its employees will remain targets, especially during politically-charged times. The corporation would, however, also like to assure its audiences that it remains committed to reporting without fear or favour and that all editorial decision-making will continue to be guided by robust news coverage criteria that conform to newsroom standards world-wide.