ADO-EKITI – Nigerian journalists have been urged be objective in their reportage of national issues and events.
Dr Bisi Olawunmi, a veteran journalist and lecturer at the Bowen University, Iwo, Osun, made the appeal at the ongoing two-day capacity building workshop at Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday.
Olawunmi charged joirnalists to always base their reporting on observations and research.
He said the capacity building workshop on professional, conflict-sensitive, public interest and gender-supportive reporting for 2015 election was designed to re-equip journalists with the skills and tools of reporting.
The journalists-turned teacher urged reporters to maintain some level of detachment and independence from their sources.
“If you want to take a position, you must authenticate it; you must not engage in spurious generalisation,” he said.
He recommended quality control at various media houses to check publication of hate materials and unethical news items.
“Reporters are supposed to see what is out there. Ekiti election should be a lesson to the media not to be praise singers. [eap_ad_1] “In the business of reporting, when you show knowledge, you might not be liked but respected. As a reporter, you have the privilege of asking any question,’’ he said.
The General Manager, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mrs Funke-Treasure Durodola, said that reporters should be gender sensitive in their reportage.
She said journalist had the potential to bring about positive changes in the society through their daily reporting.
Durodola expressed the need to change the national orientation by bringing new people into leadership in “our reporting”.
She urged reporters to focus on ordinary Nigerians, especially local women who are contributing to the development of the nation’s economy. (NAN)
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