Information Managers urged to Transform Media Practice

Information managers in government establishments have been urged to be abreast of the transformation in the media practice to get their job done.

A media and public relations guru, Alhaji Saadu Salahu gave the charge while delivering a lecture at a workshop organised by the Kwara State’s chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Ilorin, the state capital.

Salahu, who is also Special Adviser on Strategy to Kwara State governor, posited that media practice and public relations are today challenging professions due to economic hardship and digitalisation.

He noted that a lot of professionals have lost their jobs in the two profession to digitalisation.

“As government information officers, there is a challenge for you in getting your stories published because what you have in your press releases do not make news and the editor may not publish it, because it does not sell his paper. As information managers, you must therefore strive to understand the psyche of the news room; what makes news.  

“The media profession has gone through many transformation and as information managers, we must adjust to the reality of our time. You must have the necessary connection of relevant professional in journalism and public relations to get your job done,” Salahu submitted.

The Director of Information in the state’s Ministry of Communications, Alhaji Ayobami Akanbi, urged the participants at the workshop to take advantage of the programme to broaden their knowledge for improved performance in their jobs.

Earlier, the chairman of NIPR in the state, Dr. Saudat AbdulBaki, had highlighted the activities of the association and the need for information managers and officers to enroll as members of the institute.

She advised the participants to take the training seriously, describing the resource person as a media and public relations giant.

Dignitaries that attended the workshop included the Special Adviser on Political Communications, Alhaji Bashir Adigun and chairman, Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abdullateef Ahmed.