Media must operate within the law- Minority Leader
The Minority leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ndudi Elumelu, says though the National Assembly supports the entrenchment of press freedom in the country, the media must also endeavor to respect the rights of others and operate within the ambit of the law.
Mr. Elumelu, made the remark at a Capacity Building Workshop for the Press Corps of the House of Representatives in Abuja.
The lawmaker, observed that the advent of social media had also resulted in the influx of amateurs and quacks in the profession “in addition to the challenges of fake news, inaccurate reporting and misrepresentation of facts, with their serious negative impact on the society.
The frenzy for breaking news result to abuse of professional checks and information gate keeping that led to unpleasant social consequences sometimes resulting in avoidable violence social unrest, sectional animosity and hostility, personal loses, economic depression breakdown of relationship, killings and even suicide.”
The Minority Leader stated that another area of concern is that of remuneration and welfare of journalists, the condition and environment in which they practice as well as the challenges of ownership in the industry.
While commending the contribution of media to the sustenance of democracy, Mr. Elumelu observed that Journalists work under a very hazardous circumstance and the task can be frustrating in the absence of proper remuneration and that such a situation opens practitioners up to lures towards unwholesome practices.
He urged the organizers of the workshop to come up with suggestions and recommendations on issues of welfare and safety of journalists, fake news as well as the demands of social responsibility in the industry.
