3 months ago
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Frontline editors in the country have pointed out the link between media and government accountability. They spoke at the Third FrontFoot Media Roundtable, which held on August 15, 2024, to discuss ‘The Nexus Between Media and Government Accountability’.
The editors, about 40 of them, came from leading print and online publications in Lagos. Two editors came from the Daily Trust newspaper in Abuja, while FrontFoot’s Sonala Olumhense participated virtually from New York.
The Chief Executive Office/Editor-in-Chief, Diamond Publications Limited, Mr Lanre Idowu, reported on the work of the media ombudsman. He said the body would enhance public confidence in the media by promoting higher standards of journalism ethics and defending the profession.
He disclosed that the Media Complaints Commission has resolved one of the cases brought to it to the satisfaction of the parties involved and asked the public to take advantage of the forum.
FrontFoot Media Initiative organised the forum to provide feedback to the media community on its three-year training programme for journalists across the country on the rudiments of audit reporting for enhanced government accountability.
The media roundtable, which provided a forum for a wide-ranging discourse on the state of media practice by those at the forefront, held two-day workshops in Benin, Awka, Abuja, Lagos and Gombe.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the workshops, and signed by President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba; Vice President (South), Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Ken Ugbechie and Director and Partner, FrontFoot Media Initiative, Emeka Izeze, the senior media personnel observed that “following the path of consistent reportage of the statutory government audit reports at federal, state and local government levels would enable the media to improve its ability to hold governments accountable.”
They noted that audit reports are mandatory for all levels of government per the 1999 Nigerian Constitution and that governments produce the audits, thus, providing credible insight into managing state resources.
They also decried how governors have expanded their powers to emasculate the office of the Auditor-General.
The editors acknowledged the absence of official support of any kind to the media despite the growing and high cost of essential inputs in the industry and the many hindrances in the way of media scrutiny of governments as stipulated in Chapter 2, Sections 2 and 22 of the Constitution.
The editors “emphasised the imperative of collaboration among players and stakeholders for the sustainability of the media ecosystem.” They, therefore, called for enhanced cooperation among the media and civil society organisations such as the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Media Rights Agenda and the FrontFoot Media Initiative to develop training and support programmes.
Concerned about the Intellectual Property scene and how Google currently deals with Nigerian media houses, “resolved that the media must act in several positive ways to uphold its constitutional obligations and ensure its continued survival to serve Nigeria.”
They raised the need to “consider the establishment of a Libel Defence Fund to assist media houses facing legal attacks for defamation and improve the content and context of reporting of all issues, including government audit reporting.”
The communiqué also called for enhanced professionalism within its ranks to minimise troubling trends such as wilful plagiarism, wrongful or non-attribution of story sources and the need to pay attention to technology’s paradoxical attributes for the media.
To the editors, technology is an enabler and is growing in application in the industry. “However, it has created a severe divide between tech-compliant personnel deficient in journalism know-how and experienced journalists who need more digital technical knowledge and ability. The media must bridge the gap between technology and journalism.”
The editors noted that “media must demand government support through tariffs and policies to create an enabling environment for sustainability. The media must reinvent itself.
“The media must prioritise capacity building and education for its new intakes and retraining for old hands. Passion must exist alongside ethics, capacity, and knowledge.
“Editors and supervisors must pay closer attention to the activities and output of outstation personnel and ensure compliance with organisational ethos.
“Editors must get correspondents to do follow-ups, as too many of our stories go unnoticed owing to a lack of sustained reporting.”
English (US) ·