By Goodluck Ikiebe
As the 18th All Nigeria Editors Conference, ANEC 2022, enters its third day, Editors have stressed the need for Media Independence and Security to achieve fair, factual and objective Journalism.
In his contribution at the executive session of ANEC in Owerri, the Editor in Chief of The Guardian Newspapers, Martin Oloja, identified the need for financial independence for free, fair and objective journalism.
Oloja stated that because of the loss of financial independence, the media cannot function effectively in monitoring the activities of politicians especially if they rely on them for sponsorship.
He said this had severely limited the social responsibility role of the press and reduced accountability on the part of the political class.
“The biggest advertisers are those, who we are expected to hold accountable and because proprietors are interested in the survival of their medium, this role is often cast aside,” he said.
Oloja noted that the expectation of the media’s public has not changed, adding that objectivity, fairness and factual reports remained the watchword.
Similarly, the Managing Director of the Sun Newspapers, Mr Onuoha Uke, noted that the media has the responsibility of setting the agenda as the general election approached.
Uke explained that Editors should be given room to play their roles as key stakeholders in the struggle for good governance by ensuring independence of the press is not compromised.
He called for security, free access to election venues and collation centres to ensure transparency and accurate reportage of the entire electoral process.
“The media has played major roles in democracy and has been in the forefront in demanding good governance right from before Nigeria gained independence.
“Journalists have set the pace and been in charge of moulding public opinion and response to topical issues and the present is an auspicious time for setting agenda to fulfill our responsibility of ensuring democracy survives,” Uke noted.
Also reacting, the Publisher of Real News Magazine, Mrs Maureen Chigbo, emphasised the need for proper information to get across to the public for informed decisions.
Chigbo stressed the need for the media to go all out to verify every fact before publishing particularly before, during and after the elections.
She equally urged the public to check the facts and rely on verified media houses and practitioners for accurate reports and take note of pointers to false news.
Chigbo stated that such news reports are often inconsistent, repetitive and poorly scripted and warned against reposting of such reports by the public.
“Information is power and it is my hope that the public has access to true information,
because of this, the media should ensure balance and objectivity in their reports and stick to the ethics of the profession to help build a progressive society,” Chigbo concluded.
The theme of the ANEC 2022 Conference is, “2023 : Political Landscape, Credible Elections And The Role of Editors.
Other activities lined up for today include Project tour, Induction of New members and Fellows at a Gala Nite.
