NAN-H-75
Media
By Temitope Salami
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), May 11, 2017 (NAN) Prof. Ayo Olukotun, pioneer chairman, Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance, has urged the mass media to maintain the reformist crusade with which they have been historically endeared.
Olukotun gave the admonition while delivering a speech at the second annual lecture of the Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance held in Ijebu-Ode on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised as part of the activities to mark the 84th birthday ceremony of Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland.
The don said the media must increase efforts to rid their ranks of corrupt personnel as well as ensure that employers in the media sector paid their workers promptly.
Speaking on the theme, “Governance and the Media in an Emergent Democracy,” Olukotun said the return of civilian rule and subsequent signing of the Freedom of Information Act had helped liberalised the media.
He lauded journalists for maintaining the autonomy of their craft and what he termed, “constructive partisanship that takes a position but does not suppress the truth or opposition views.’’
Olukotun urged politically inclined media owners to rise above partisanship by being accountable to society in their content whilst demonstrating that they took the values they preached seriously.
He said the media would be stronger instruments of national integration through conscious efforts to carry along perspectives that were based on regions other than their base stations.
Olukotun also urged regional and community newspapers to be defined and avoid being so controversial that they would become of little national value.
With reference to media founded by politicians, he suggested that a trusteeship model distancing media from political control would be more rewarding.
“This would prove to be more desirable and rewarding in terms of increasing the independence of journalism practice in the era of press freedom,” Olukotun said.
NAN reports that the event was attended by scholars, politicians, monarchs and members of the academic community. (NAN)
TDS/ORO/OJO
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(Edited by Razak Owolabi/Mufutau Ojo)