Osinbajo, Okowa urge media to save profession from self-destruction
The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa at the 14th edition of All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC) in Asaba, Delta State, took turns to advice media managers and professionals to take expedient steps and arrest the seemingly self-destruct tendencies confronting the industry.
They urged the media to retain its credibility as an unbiased umpire, while addressing the critical factor of staff welfare.
Professor Osinbajo noted that the journalism has always been at a greater risk than other professions and freedom of expression has always given people the right to use any information.
The Vice President observed that over time, the media has lost the trust of the public because it had fell short of what people want - the truth and objectivity report of developments, clear analysis of events. “The duty of the leaders is to make personal sacrifices to save the profession; the duty of the leaders is to remove the bad eggs from the midst of practitioners”, he stressed. For Governor Okowa, observed that the he independence, objectivity and credibility of the media were undermined by the engagement of media practitioners as public relations consultants to politicians, dearth of investigative journalism and inadequate staff welfare.
He charged journalists to report the truth no matter whose ox is gored but noted that the boldness, confidence and assurance of practitioners are constrained if their welfare is in jeopardy.
The conference chairman and former Director-General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Dr Tonnie Iredia urged the media to make everyone accountable for what he does, stating that journalists should engage in developmental journalism.
The President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mrs Funke Egbemode stated that Nigerians must be actively involved in making the right choices about those who will lead the country in 2019 and be prepared to bear the brunt of the actions and inactions afterwards.