STAKEHOLDERS within the Nigerian media sector have called for the autonomy of media regulators.
The autonomy of media regulation, they said, would create a balance between upholding press freedom and ensuring accountability in journalism practices.
This call was made during a panel session at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Foundation in Abuja on Friday, May 3.
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During the panel session tagged “Navigating the Intersection of Media Regulations, Press Freedom Advocacy and Ethical Journalism in the Face of Environmental Crises”, the speakers stressed the importance of journalists adhering to the best journalistic ethical practices of truthfulness, accuracy, and verification while also urging media regulators to act independently and allow journalists to work without interference.
In response, the Secretary of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, Franca Aiyetan, who was among the panelists noted that NBC was established in order to have a strong Nigerian media.
“The NBC was not established as an attack dog for the government and, as such, would want the press to always work with it. If a detail about a truth will set two tribes against each other, then there is something wrong with that truth,” she said.
Also, another panelist, the Executive Director, Digicivic Initiative, Mojirayo Ogunlana said that laws protecting journalists in the course of their work are necessary, urging media professionals to exercise self-regulations so as to keep the government from taking advantage of any opening that would allow it to attack them.
“Threats to the lives of journalists should be declared as a state of emergency,” she added.
The panelists further highlighted some challenges faced by the Nigerian media including, political interference, inadequate funding, and limited capacity among others, noting that the media are often manipulated by politicians for their own interests leading to biased reporting.
Meanwhile, delivering the keynote address on “The Role of Nigerian Media in Reporting Environmental and Climate-Induced Conflict” at the event, the Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Akin Rotimi said the “constitutional role of the press is not just to be the mouthpiece or a public relations agent of the government but to critically hold the government to account.”
He went on to point out the importance of exceptional reporting and the accurate information that is disseminated, noting that these activities offer an opportunity to uphold the fundamental principles of press freedom, assess the state of press freedom around the world, safeguard the media from attacks, and remember journalists who have given their lives in the line of duty.
World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on May 3, with this year’s theme focusing on “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the Face of Environmental Crisis.” This theme underscores the role journalism plays in increasing awareness of the worldwide environmental and climate challenges, emphasising how journalism promotes accountability in environmental and climate affairs, thereby safeguarding our democracy.
Multimedia journalist covering Entertainment and Foreign news