Reporting
By Akeem Abas
Osogbo, Dec. 21, 2018 (NAN) Some experts have advised Nigerian journalists to adopt conflict sensitive reporting approach to the reportage of electoral process and the attendant of electoral conflicts.
The experts gave the advice at a two-day media workshop on Best Practices and Professional Reporting of the Electoral Process organised by International Press Centre (IPC) in conjunction with EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN).
Muyiwa Popoola, a Professor of Journalism, Communication and Media Studies, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, said the media was expected to be a socially responsible and development-oriented.
Popoola, in his paper entitled ‘Towards 2019: Avoiding Hate Speech and Being Conflict Sensitive in Election Reporting’, said the Fourth Estate of the Realm should be driven by professionalism and ethical standards.
He said that journalists should endeavour to continually perform their gate keeping and agenda setting roles in elections and political dispensation.
“There are political machinations already in respect of the 2019 general elections. Nigerian journalists should help to foster and stabilize Nigeria’s democracy.
“They should do same in political development so as to continually prevent any unwarranted retrogressive interventions in the nation’s political sphere.
“CSR approach to reporting is rooted in the belief that the news media in many societies can be a powerful force to reduce the causes of hate speech,” he said.
The don said that Nigerian reporters have a responsibility to cover the facts as well as avoid unnecessarily stoking hatred and violence.
He said that journalists should always report issues of conflicts with possible solutions, adding that there are several ways of reporting without slaughtering propriety interest on the altar of partisanship.
Mr David Ajikobi, Nigeria Editor, Africa Check, urged journalists to always cross-check information at their disposal and eliminate biases from their reporting so as not to misinform the public.
Ajikobi in his presentation entitled ‘Eliminating biases and Using Fact Checking Tools for Factual and Accurate Reporting of Election’ said journalists must endeavour to use fact checking tools.
Mr Lanre Arogundade, IPC Director, said the workshop was organized to critically examine the interconnections between the public, media and election.
He said that the effort was aimed at developing an agenda that seeks to strengthen the role of the media in facilitating a credible electoral process.
“The aim is also to bring to the front burners the prerequisite to hone the skills of journalists in the professional and ethical reportage of democratic processes and elections.
“It is also to ensure that they commit to professional, conflict sensitive, citizen focused, gender focused and digital reporting of the 2019 elections,” he said.
Mr Kehinde Ayantunji, Osun State Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended IPC and EU-SDGN for organising the workshop to provide solutions to contemporary challenges hindering better results in reportage.
He urged journalists to learn from the issues raised and solutions proffered in the interest of the profession and the nation at large. (NAN)
TAA/MAM/WOJ
Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Wale Ojetimi