THE enormous influence wielded by the media in any society has continued to attract global attention. Big world commemorations like World Press Freedom Day, World Communications Day and the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists are global events showcasing the importance of the news media to human development.
WHILE UNESCO’s organized World Press Freedom Day and the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists are celebrated on 3 May and 2 November every year, the World Communications Day is the only worldwide celebration called for by the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church (“Inter Mirifica”, 1963), and marked in most countries, on the recommendation of the Bishops of the world, on the Sunday before Pentecost.
THIS year’s World Communications Day was celebrated across the world yesterday (Sunday 16 May, 2021) themed “Come and See” (Jn 1:46). Communicating by Encountering People Where and as They Are.” The theme is apt given the sensitive nature of investigative reporting and the need to verify facts before dissemination.
IN his message for this year’s celebrations, the Catholic Pontiff retorted: “Insightful voices have long expressed concern about the risk that original investigative reporting in newspapers and television, radio and web newscasts is being replaced by a reportage that adheres to a standard, often tendentious narrative. This approach is less and less capable of grasping the truth of things and the concrete lives of people, much less the more serious social phenomena or positive movements at the grass roots level.
“THE crisis of the publishing industry risks leading to a reportage created in newsrooms, in front of personal or company computers and on social networks, without ever “hitting the streets”, meeting people face to face to research stories or to verify certain situations first hand. Unless we open ourselves to this kind of encounter, we remain mere spectators, for all the technical innovations that enable us to feel immersed in a larger and more immediate reality..”
THE HOPE joins the Pope to call on journalists to use their powerful weapon for harmony, good and peace of the society. They should uphold the core values of their profession and embrace ethical standards in the discharge of their duties bearing in mind the sacredness of facts in the media. This is imperative given the corruption of the media space by the influx of fake, misleading and hate speeches largely peddled by the social media actors whose information dissemination are ungatted. Conventional media should continue to do what they know best as their content always pass through rigorous gatekeeping process which earns them the trust of the audience.
THE HOPE, however, notes that the independence and effectiveness of the traditional media is being threatened by critical factors like access to information, safety of their workers (journalists), and dwindling revenue. Scores of journalists are being killed in line of duty annually. According to the second part of the annual round-up of abusive treatment and violence against journalists, published by Reporters Without Borders,at least 50 journalists were killed worldwide in 2020, For instance, a new UNESCO report indicates that almost 90% percent of those responsible for the killing of 1,109 journalists around the world from 2006 to 2018 have not been convicted.
WRITING on World Press Freedom Day, Antonio Zappulla, chief executive of the Thomson Reuters Foundation notes:“This grave deterioration in press freedom is set against the death knell for traditional media business models. The pandemic (Covid-19) has forced news organisations to adapt to additional changes to news consumption, while facing the dire economic repercussions created by a drop in revenues. This has put news media outlets’ economic sustainability in jeopardy and their editorial independence at risk.”
ACCESSING information for public good is another herculean task for journalists in the discharge of their duties. Those who occupy sensitive positions of trust are always skeptical and hesitant to volunteer information to journalists on demand. THE HOPE notes, however, that the Freedom of Information Act is a weapon that legally empowers Nigerian journalists to access information for public good. We believe that nobody can fight this battle for us. We have to do that by ourselves. Many of us have not even used the opportunity the Act gives us judiciously. Many journalists do not even know the content. There is need for us to educate ourselves about issues that affect our rights under the law.
WE urge the Federal Government to reduce the tariff on newsprint and broadcast equipment as incentives to media houses in order to keep them afloat. Currently, most newspapers have drastically reduced their pagination and print run due to high cost of production. Finally, we call on all stakeholders in the media industry to work towards emplacing more independent, free and viable media for a better world.