Online media practitioners in Nigeria have been urged to abide by the professional ethics of the profession and take advantage of the Freedom of Information FoI Bill to always check any information given to them for publication by government agencies or individuals
Guest speakers at the maiden Seminar of online practitioners Association of Nigeria Oyo state chapter, Mr Bisi Oladele and Wale Ojo Lanre gave this advise in their papers
The seminar, themed, “Online journalism and media integrity in Nigeria”, was held on Thursday at the Dapo Aderogba Hall, NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Wale OJo Lanre, an Associate Editor with Nigerian Tribune in his lecture said that Online media has come to stay but many ba breasts will fizzle out soon because of their preponderance and gravitation to publish fake news , propaganda and hoaxes.
He maintained that many bloggers and online media practitioners are embracing fake news , falsehood and propaganda just because they want to lure traffic to their sites.
Ojo – Lanre warned that this unprofessional style will only yield momentous gain because the reading public will soon sieve the chaff online media from the grains ones
He called on online media to embrace the concept of fact checking which is the effort of verifying claims and news being spewing on the net.
‘ I call and task everyone one of you who which to be respected and want to sustain the integrity of its blog and sites to imbibe the culture of fact Checking of any news items about to be published on your sites .less you all ,will lose your integrity and your sites will fizzle out of relevance “.
Ojo -Lanre also charged members of the association to be abreast with Freedom of Information Act 2011 which he described as the best act of National Assembly to ensure transparency in governance , probity and accountability.
He lamented that ‘ it is calamitous that many of us have neither read the Act not abreast of the provisions there in . And this is one Act of the parliament which is a potent weapon to endure accountability on the part of government officials and public concern administrator”
Ojo -Lanre revealed that ‘ to me , I see the online media practitioners as one of the major beneficiaries of this Act but I am doubtful if any of us here understand the import and imperatives of this FOIA . I therefore task everyone here to embrace fact Checking as a matter of compulsion and utilize the tonic of the FOIA
He lauded the Association for embarking on refreshing programmes aimed at laundering the professional competence of their members
Mr Bisi Oladele, the South-west Bureau Chief of The Nation Newspaper in his lecture urged journalists to learn to delay gratification from their sources or clients and concentrate on creating a strong image for themselves and their media.
His words: “Many young journalists want to make money and fame within a year. Unfortunately things don’t work that way.”
“Everybody needs money but not everybody has the same attitude towards money. It is the attitude you have towards money that will differentiate you.
“If you want to exploit every opportunity to make money, you will never go far. Many journalists demands for money as if their clients are owing them, thereby damaging their reputation.
“If all you do is to run after money you won’t see money. It is those who pursue what can bring money that make money.”
According to him, the only thing that can sustain a journalist is the quality of his content and the integrity of his person. “You must learn to delay gratification so that you can keep your integrity as a journalist”, he stressed, adding: “The moment people have a first impression of you as a ‘cash and carry’ journalist, it will affect the integrity of your story, you as a journalist and the medium you are writing for. That automatically kills your future in journalism”.
He stressed the need to practise good and ethical journalism by generating and disseminating credible and quality content consistently. He emphasized the need for training and re- training by going for courses, lectures, seminars and personally updating oneself in the business.
He advised: “Business takes time to mature and flourish. Publishers should know that they won’t generate profit from it immediately. It takes time to build credibility and fame for yourself.
“Different online media can explore partnerships and mergers in order to be stronger by leveraging on individual strengths, sources, expertise and investments.
Speakers at the event include former Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wale Ojo-Lanre; current chairman of Oyo NUJ, Comrade Adewumi Faniran, and the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State, Barr. Mutiu Agboke.
