The Passage of the Press Council Law would Enhance Journalism Practice in Nigeria- Media Practitioner
By Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna, North-West, NIGERIA
Much has been said concerning the need to pass the Press Council Law and the lack of adherence to the stipulated rules and principles guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria.
Most particularly is that of the Owners of Media Houses many who throw caution to the winds while carrying out their operations.
This observation was raised during the 2018 Media Clinic organized by the Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF); a non-governmental and non-political organization at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat Kaduna.
A Media Practitioner Adamu Ladan in his submission said, it is only when we have the Press Council Law passed can journalism practice be properly sanitized. Owners of media houses he maintained do not want the law to see the light of the day because they do not want to be regulated.
Adamu Ladan who is the Station Manager, Freedom Radio said the 2018 Media Clinic with the theme, ‘The Media and Ethical Reporting’ was apt.
He urged media practitioners to be committed to their jobs as well as take the ethics of the profession seriously as they are the mirror of the society.
For professionalism, journalists he advised should ensure fairness and objectivity in their reportage in order not to jeopardize the oneness of the nation.
“Let’s take it upon ourselves to read, to train ourselves, to update ourselves on where the contention is, especially where we have diversity. We should look at how diverged our society is and see the positive side of this diversity rather than emphasizing on the negative part of our diversity development.
Adamu cautioned journalists against casting sensational headlines which has an undertone of a religious or ethnic divide in the name of either being mischievous or wanting to sell their papers.
Such he said is against the ethics of the profession and capable of throwing the society into chaos. The ethics of the profession should not be compromised. He warned.
“Sometimes, there are moments that you have to challenge the truth. Sometimes when the truth works against our cohesion, if it works against our rights to existence, if it works against our national interest, we have to challenge the truth”. He sounded.
Speaking on the issue of quacks which was brought to fore during the interactive session, a lot he said is needed to be done by the body. Both the Press Council and the Nigeria Union of Journalists national body would need to address the issue in all earnestly so that the bad eggs are flushed out of the system as a way of sanitizing the profession and giving it its befitting place.
While addressing the issue of Owners of Newspaper organizations who encourage the use of quacks because they are not willing to pay the professionals, he had lamented the ugly situation whereby proprietors of media houses owe their staff 2-3yrs of salaries. This he said is a dent on the profession which should urgently be addressed by bodies responsible.
“It is only when we have the Press Council Law passed that things would take shape. Owners of media houses do not want the law to see the light of the day because most of the things there is to regulate them. And who would take this struggle to ensure that the Press Council Law sees the light of the day? It is we, the practitioners. We need to pressurize NUJ to see to the success of the Press Council law passed.
Contributing, Ahmed Mayaki, Director General Media and Publicity to former Governor of Kaduna state, Ramalan Yero charged journalists to be dedicated to their jobs and shun any act detrimental to the ethics of the profession. Opportunities he said await committed media practitioners who know their onions stating his own personal experience and how he had to turn down several consultancy jobs.
“Several non-governmental organizations are there in the North East, especially Maiden urine looking for communications consultants.
The media consultant informed that he personally paved way for not less than seven journalists to be absorbed for the consultancy job.
He enjoined them to uphold the standard of the profession in order not to get into trouble.
Mayaki decrying the non-payment of journalists by owners of media houses charged them not to relent in fighting for their cause urging that they make their plight known to the appropriate quarters.
“It is sad that you have to work for up to 2,3yrs without payment. Until the movement for the passage of freedom of information bill is taken away from the hand of NUJ to Civil Society Group; that is when we would achieve the passage of the bill.
“ We need to be passionate about this job. For posterity, we need to do something positive. Let’s go to the National Assembly, meet with the leadership, the Speaker and Senate President and make presentation. Let them know the plight of the media. Let’s ask for the review of the Press Law Act.
“The owner of ‘this day newspapers’ went to establish in South Africa. He employed people without paying them salaries. He taught it was business as usual in South Africa and could do it the way is being practiced in Nigeria. They took him to court and the South African court compelled him to sell the full company to pay salaries of people he employed. It is the law.
“Let us also have the same thing here. Let us look at the best practices where it exists. I agree that Nigeria is not doing too badly in terms of press freedom when compared to other African countries but l am telling you that we are doing very badly in terms of taking care of people who practice this job.
He commended the AMDF for creating such a foray where media practitioners can relate and discuss issues of paramount importance. The unfortunate thing he observed is that, “we tell other peoples’ stories we should learn to tell our own story too”. He advised.
In her remark, the Coordinator AMDF Sekyen Dadik had expressed satisfaction over the turn-out and success of the clinic.
The Media clinic which started in 2015 she explained had looked at different issues bordering on charting a way forward for the media and its practitioners. For the past four years the foundation she said has been the one funding the clinic
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“The Media Clinic is an annual event organized by Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF)
It is a platform that brings together media practitioners to discuss issues pertaining to media and to proffer solutions for such. For all these years we have heard different topics. This year we are looking at ‘Media and Ethical Reporting’ because we believe as professionals we have our sets of rules and principles by which we should operate. So we felt, let’s come together and talk. Are we really aware of these principles that guide us? Do we do our work in conformity to these principles then if not, where can we work on? Where do we need to improve on? That is why we chose this topic today.
“The discussions were really apt and they were very rich because it gave the practitioners opportunity to open up and speak on things they won’t just speak outside. It is an in-house thing. What people would say, “we, we”. Speaking on issues that are being faced by journalists and proffering solution for them. I would say, it was a good outing.
Speaking on the collaboration between the AMDF and NUJ, she has this to say.
“For us in AMDF we welcome any partnership especially that which would speak for the cause of journalists and we would be glad to collaborate with NUJ in this regard because some of the issues that came on board were the issue of welfare by proprietors of media houses especially in terms of payment. Like people not being paid salaries for 2,3ys. It all bores down to our laws not being strengthened.
“If there is an amendment in our Press Law where owners of media stations would be compelled to pay their staff. We would be glad to work together with NUJ in pushing this.
As to their next line of action, “Now is to work on our report from media clinic then see what next to do which may entail the setting up of a committee that would push the recommendations. We pray that we would find people to partner because it would require finances; it is going to require human resources. We would certainly work with others who are willing”. She assured.
