THE NEED FOR RESPONSIILITY AND PROFESSIONALISM IN INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

BY Emmanuel Odoh

There is no doubt that the guarantee of fundamental human rights, including the freedom of expression and press constitute one of the major differences between democracy and other forms of government. The freedom to hold and share information, ideas, and opinion not only deepens the roots of democracy, but also enriches the quality of human life and dignity.

Instructively, Nigeria is one of the nations where such freedoms are enshrined in the constitution. This is also in addition to the Freedom of Information Act which makes the land even more fertile for the cultivation of information and ideas. However, it is also imperative to note that every right comes with responsibility and limits without which the state would descend to anarchy. This has been aptly captured by Oliver Wendell Jr. who once said that “Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins”.

It is against this backdrop that the recent misleading media reports that there were moves in the Senate, through a private member bill by the Deputy President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu to legalise prostitution must be viewed as an abuse of the liberty to hold and impart ideas and information. This is more so when it is realised that there was never any such bill before the Senate or a motion on prostitution debated on the floor. Rather, the Senate actually debated a motion on the need to stamp out human trafficking in the nation.

This misinformation by just a single news medium that Senator Ike Ekeremadu had introduced a bill to legalize prostitution immediately became a subject of news stories and debate on the internet, newspapers, and the electronic media. Some broadcast stations also made such falsehood a topic of phone-in programmes where people expectedly called in to make derogatory comments about the National Assembly, while a print medium made it the subject of its editorial.

This is a very saddening development in view of the negative implications of such reports not only on the reputation of individuals and the Senate as an institution, but also to the Nigerian public which trust in the capacity of the Nigerian media industry to be professional, objective, and also rise beyond pecuniary interests.

It is therefore not surprising that this has once more reignited the call for the revival of professionalism and high ethical standards in the practice of journalism. Media professionals must uphold the age long journalistic obligation of gate-keeping and crosschecking of information before passing on such to the public. The false report on the senate clearly showed that there was no attempt to crosscheck the information at the disposal of the medium. This is most disheartening.

This scenario also bring to the fore the need for training and retraining of media personnel who cover sensitive bits such as the parliament. Such specialised personnel must also be able to discern mischief and political intrigues in whatever form they may manifest. This too has become most imperative in view of the endless allegations of compromise against some journalists who sell their consciences to the highest bidders.


Very importantly also, regulatory institutions and professional bodies should ensure that media organisations and professionals within their purview operate responsibly under relevant laws of the land and professional codes of ethics.
Indeed, all hands must be on deck to ensure no person undeservedly falls victim in the exercise of the freedoms of expression, press and information.



Source: FRCN daily commentary