By Amos Tauna
Determined to ensure true professionalism in the practice of media, an NGO, Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) on Tuesday held its annual Media Clinic in Kaduna – Nigeria, bringing together stakeholders in the media and Civil Society to examine issues that affect the media and proffering solutions..
This Year’s theme, “Ethical Journalism in the Wake of Fake News” looked at the opportunities and challenges presented by social media to the practice of journalism in Africa.
Participants of the Clinic tasked Professional journalists in Africa to take the driving seat in shaping the output of the social media, given the challenges it poses, especially in the wake of the fake news and quackery.
In the lead paper, a Media Specialist, Iliya Kure spoke on the need for journalists to maintain professional standard and adhere strictly to the journalistic ethics each time they are writing stories.
He cautioned them to resist the temptation of indulging in the ‘Fake News’ syndrome, adding that it adds nothing other than eroding the integrity of the journalist.
He reminded journalists to remember the core principles of the practice among them truth and accuracy, editorial independence, fairness, and impartiality, accountability, balance and integrity among others.
Kure said beyond professional journalists, writers of other platforms including citizen journalists must also be guided so as not to sink into writing falsehood or be found guilty of plagiarism.
He opined that the same rule applies; what is good for professional journalists is also good for other writers using the new media, or social media for public consumption.
Coordinator, Africa Media Development Foundation, Sekyen Dadik, said the Clinic is aimed at presenting journalists with strategies of staying above board despite the cloud of fake and misleading scoops flying around the world.
Participants advocated the introduction of some form of regulation on social media through the use of ethics applicable in journalism profession, provided all relevant stakeholders are involved in the process.
They also recommended that Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, should sanction its erring members through its disciplinary committees.
