The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has tasked the nation’s media on positive reportage of government’s fight against insecurity.
The Minister gave the task during the 2021 Biennial Convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors going on in Kano state, with the theme “Media in Covid-19 Era: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Mr. Mohammed said the federal government is working hard to eliminate insurgency, Kidnapping , Banditry and other crimes going on across the country in order to restore peace.
In this regard, he said there was the need for media to report more on the positive effort of the government in trying to eliminate crimes and criminality in the nation than the negative side.
He said it was high time to look inwards on how to resolve the security challenges in the country and the Media have a big role to play.
“The convention is an opportunity for us as media leaders to reflect on our roles as the bridge between the people and the government.”
“We have to reflect on the growing concern about fake news, rumour mongering, misinformation and many more”
My appeal to my colleague is that, there should be more positivity in media and news coverage. We should see the country more as a glass cup that is half filled, not half empty”
We should be aware of our role in building social cohesion in the country and safeguarding national security,” said the Minister
The Minister was represented at the occasion by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mr. Shehu Garba.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State urged media practitioners all over the country to strictly abide by the ethics of the journalism profession, and avoid anything capable of putting the nation at the risk of disunity.
“The issue of abiding by the ethics of the journalism profession should be seen to be so dear to the practitioners of the pen as they are the ones to mould the opinions of the people to reflect the current realities on ground. The country could only be safe and secured if those entrusted with the task of information dissemination strive to live above board professionally,” remarked Ganduje.
The Guest lecturer Professor Umar Pate, who is also the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Kashete, Gombe state.
While speaking on the theme:Media in Covid-19 Era: Challenges and Opportunities,” said the pandemic has affected media industry in Nigeria in terms of Revenue and personnel loses adding that 23 media outlets are currently closed down due to impact of Covid-19.
“Covid-19 rudely compounded the predicament of media houses, thereby undermining their survival,” said Pate.
He said there was the need to design new business model for the media industry in Nigeria to survive outside adverts as it were, thereby turning the challenges to opportunities.
“As way forward I recommend subscription yordia houses as done in other climes for them to generate revenue. Diversification into broadcast by print media, especially Video on social media platforms,” said Pate.
He also advocated that government needs to go into intensive partnership with media houses, give them Tax Waivers as well as reduction of licence fees among others.
The president of the Guild, Mustapha Musa said the the convention has indeed , given indebt understanding of the challenges of the Covid-19 , as faced in the media industry and all the recommended opportunities need to be adopted by media houses for them to survive going forward.
The Executive Director News, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Ahaziah Suleiman equally stated that adoption of the recommendations will open up more opportunities for media houses to keep on surviving in the face of the pandemic.
Over 300 members of the Guild attended the opening Ceremony held at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano.
Ime N
