Mismanagement of Information is a real threat, that we must now deal with or face dire consequences.
Adamawa Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Leader Leneke, fired this warning, at a one day workshop for Information Officers and Media Practitioners, in the State.
Chief Correspondent Ephraim Okpanachi was among the participants at the Livak Signature Hotel, Jimeta-Yola
AUDIO REPORT
The social media continues to take up large followership and by extension news reports both by trained and untrained personnel.
Adamawa Commisioner for Information and strategy Barrister leader Leneke, stresses that in an era where information flows at rapid speed, the need for truth in story telling is imperative, as the proliferation of social media platforms, now posed real challenge to peaceful coexistence.
“Peace journalism is not soft journalism, it is courageous journalism, it is journalism that asks how do I report this crisis, without causing another one?
I charge the NUJ to continue to self-regulate. I charge bloggers, to remember that influence comes with responsibility”
In his presentation Adamwa Police image maker SP Suleiman Nguroje, called for strict adherence to Journalism principles, with a focus of achieving peace and not stocking tension with stories.
“All the time try as much as you can, to satisfy public interest, but in the course of you doing that, take cognizance of the threat that is attached to it, the security or the insecurity to that aspect, then apply principles of peace oriented journalism”
Humwashi Wonosikou, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, charged journalists to train on the job first by themselves and seek knowledge on how to maintain standards
“Let’s deemphasize reports on terrorism and other things that puts Nigeria on the scale like a terrorist nation, because that is how they see us outside”
There were presentations by Barrister Japhet Kanadi Gajere on media law, freedom of expression, hate speech, libel and sedition, while Media Consultant Charles Doke, spoke on the burden and conflict between speed, truth and Trust in media convergence.
The training facilitated by the Special Adviser to the Adamawa Governor on Communication and Strategy Professor John Ngamsa, featured 70 participants drawn from the media and information officers in the State.
Curiously, it emerged from an on the spot training survey, that more participants use the Facebook platform the most, while journalists were spending between 3 and 5 hours on social media every day, as such, this time needs to be judiciously utilized.