Do you know that the greatest challenge of the media in Nigeria at the moment is how to report the April Polls without compromising credibility? As the political environment in Nigeria gets increasingly heated up, objectivity, maintenance of peace and national integration will be the yardsticks for measuring professionalism in the Nigerian media.
According to Tonnie Iredia, a onetime Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, in a work entitled The Role of the Mass Media in Strenthening a Culture of Peace and National Intergration in Nigeria, "Reporting of political issues by the media is a good parameter that can be used to evaluate both the professional ethics and the role of journalists in fostering peace and national integration." Similarly, section 15 (i) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution provides that national integration must be vigorously encouraged, while discrimination on the grounds of sex, religion, status or ethnic, linguistic or other association must be prohibited.
Usually during election periods, politicians are desperate for publicity. The "innocent" journalist more often than not is found in a labyrinth of politicians who want to get to power whether by hook or crook. Political parties struggle to "capture" states and exert political influence over the larger population of the country. If not adequately checked, there is the possibility of chaos and anarchy.
"The media are generally the target of controversy in sensitive political times: elections, campaigns against corruption or armed conflict. These are times when journalists are easily blackmailed; they are accused of being ill-intentioned, and sometimes they are simply killed. The perception of the Nigerian journalist by Nigerian citizens is deplorable," wrote Iredia. To reverse this negative perception, the Nigerian journalist must imbibe the virtue of upholding credibility, leaving out regional, ethnic, religious, linguistic and political sentiments. Above all, truth must be his watchword.
Meanwhile, Journalists as the fourth estate of the realm have a role to play in maintaining peace and stability. As part of their professional ethics, journalists must not compromise objectivity, balance, accuracy and neutrality on the altar of political gains. Anything short of this will not only undermine media credibility, but will also jeopardize peace and national integration. A good journalist must not have any political interest or take sides with a particular political candidate when analyzing political issues. The role of the journalist is to douse polemical fire that is a potential threat to peace and national integration.
The journalist must always bear in mind that he has a social responsibility to the public. The media is the bridge between the government and the people. The people are interested in making sure that people who get to government will be accountable to them. Thus, it is also the responsibility of the media to ensure that their audiences are not misled by politicians seeking selfish publicity.
Furthermore, note that scrupulous politicians have devised various techniques aimed at ensnaring journalists and making them dance according to the rhythm of their music. Some of these techniques include monetary inducement, paid trips to places of interest, expensive gifts, promises of contracts and positions when they win elections and so on. In the case of a stubborn journalist, politicians employ threats, intimidations and thugs to achieve their selfish desires.
But, in the face of these fermenting forces, a journalist should always remain resolute and committed to professionalism. National interest and social responsibility must always remain paramount in whatever the journalist does.
It could be recalled that Napoleon Bonaparte once declared that he would rather be faced by125 an enemy battalion than be criticized by the press. This is to demonstrate the enormous amount of power the journalist wields, but if not well utilized, that same power can be used to maim peace and national integration.
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