Journalists To Engage Fact-Checking Skills To Enhance Productivity

Participants at a two-day Media training on Misinformation and Disinformation have pledged to engage the skills of fact-checking to enhance productivity and ensure accurate reportage during Nigeria’s 2023 general election.

Speaking during the training session organised by the Institute for Media and Society, (IMS) with support from the European Union, Journalists from North Central Nigeria re-committed themselves to the ethics of the profession.

They also stressed the importance of strengthening the electoral process in the country.

The training, which is an activity under the Support-to Media Component of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance (EU-SDGN) Project, was targeted to empower journalists towards balance reportage before, during and after the nation’s elections.

One of the participants from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Abuja office, Hauwa Mundi stated that there is so much a journalist could do to improve their productivity.

“I strongly believe there is so much we journalists can do that may not necessarily be for our employers but for the sanctity of our conscience and profession,” He said.

Another participant from the Search Media Federal University of Technology Minna, Kingsley Oguche, stressed the place of fact-checking.

He added ’’that as long as journalists abide by the content of the training, media professionals would be able to effectively report developments in the 2023 elections.’’

Hamza Yushau; said ”equipping reporters with fact-checking tools such as Google image, scamadviser, Yandex, and Tin Eye amongst others will “kill the market of Mis-informers, Dis-informers and damage controllers.’’

Abraham Tonjul from Plateau Radio Television (PRTV), pledged to engage journalists on different sections of PRTV talk show on the use of fact-checking tools.

Earlier, the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Akin Akingulu said that the training would improve the professional capacity of journalists through exposure to fact-checking tools and other technical skills for news reporting.

Dr. Akingulu urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity available to them and the various training in their respective organisations to enhance better professionalism and balance in the discharge of duties as journalists in the 2023 elections.

He disclosed that the IMS would be partnering with broadcasting organisations on 2023 elections including the off-season elections.

President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ) Ladi Bala noted that training and retraining are important in enhancing the capacity of workers, particularly journalists.

“The media space is so dynamic and with the evolvement of new media platforms, even the information technology available, it beholds on us to acquire new skills on how best to deliver on our responsibility to Nigeria,” she said.

Olusola Akintonde