American Consul General to Nigerian Journalists, Cross Check Facts before Publishing Story

Wed, May 3, 2017 | By publisher


Media


John Bray, consul general, United States of America in Nigeria advises Nigerian journalists to always cross check facts before publishing a story to increase credibility and reliability of platforms

JOHN Bray, consul general of the United States of America, USA, in Nigeria, has emphasised the importance of cross checking facts before publishing a story.

Bray, who stated this at forum to mark the 2017 World Press Freedom Day in Lagos, Nigeria, on Wednesday, May 3, added that the United States, understands that with more freedom comes more responsibility as advances in technology and increased reliance on social media platforms as sources of information make the accuracy and objectivity of your reporting crucial.

“Check and double check your facts before you put out a story- this increases your personal credibility and the reliability of your platform. Be thorough in your research and strive to look for every side of a story before you hit “send”’, he advised Nigerian journalists.

Stating that he studied Journalism at Northwestern University, the consul general said the annual celebration of the World Press Freedom Day whose theme this year is “Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies” always strikes a chord with him.

He recalled that in 1787, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson wrote that a free press is an important component of a functioning democracy.  He is famous for declaring that he would rather have newspapers without a government than a government without newspapers. As he said a couple of years later in 1823, “The only security of all is in a free press. …It is necessary, to keep the waters pure.”

“His words remain as true and as relevant today, as they did when they were first uttered. In a democracy, the press has a duty to hold government leaders accountable to the people, holding up for scrutiny any abuses of power by elected officials. Their role as the government’s watchdog is key to the system of checks and balances that is fundamental to the smooth running of every democracy.

“Unfortunately, not all governments accept such public attention. According to Reporters without Borders, more than a third of the world’s people live in countries where there is no press freedom. Most of them are quasi democracies, with systemic deficiencies in the electoral process, or countries where there is no system of democracy at all. Working under such conditions, journalists risk everything to hold regimes accountable.

“Before my arrival in Nigeria four years ago I had read about the courage and sheer doggedness of the Nigerian press in the dark days of military dictatorship.  In my time here, I have seen that you are still the voice of the forgotten. You have not lost your thirst for the truth or your willingness to go wherever a story leads you, thereby contributing to transparency, accountability, and good governance in your country.

“The United States strongly supports freedom of the press. We believe that an unfettered press is essential for democracy to thrive. The United States passed the Freedom of Information Act in July 1966, which went into effect the following year. Since then, there have been numerous amendments to strengthen the law.

“More recently, on May 17, 2010 to be specific, former U.S. President Barack Obama, signed the Freedom of the Press Act, named after Wall Street reporter Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan, four months after the September 11 attacks in the United States,” he said.

—  May 3, 2017 @ 19:50 GMT


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