IPC trains journalists ahead of 2019 general elections

Fri, Nov 2, 2018 | By publisher


Media

By Benprince Ezeh

Ahead of the 2019 general election, professionals in the media industry have been given a task to up their knowledge in the nation’s electoral laws to prevent the situation where they will be culpable of misleading the public.

Bolaji Adebiyi, editor, This Day Newspaper, gave the charge in Abeokuta, Ogun State at a two-day Capacity Building Media Workshop for Political Correspondents organised by the International Press Centre and the European Union–Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN. In a presentation entitled, “the Challenges of Election Coverage in Nigeria: A Reporter’s Account,” Adebiyi said that the lack of facilities for adequate research on issues, finance and poor access to the national constitution and its amendments had contributed to the challenges of journalism especially during elections.

“Stakeholders are to rise to the challenge of responsible journalism, report objectively, avoid sensationalism and be honourable enough to quit if the management compromised standards.

“The resource person charged participants to pass the knowledge gained through the workshop to other colleagues in the bid to enhance responsible journalism towards ensuring the desired change in the country,” he said.

Lanre Arogundade, the director, International Press Centre, IPC, said that the idea of the training was in the recognition of the important roles journalists on the political beat play in the dissemination of political information, noting that improving capacity of political reporters/correspondents from the Lagos and south west axis was to enable them effectively and successfully cover the 2019 general election.

Arogundade, therefore, urged political reporters to be the healthy heartbeat of political journalism through extension and elections reporting, hence the need for them to learn, unlearn and relearn to meet modern demands of the profession.

”He or she must have his/her skills constantly honed so it could disseminate information that adds value to the conduct of credible elections.

“In the context of modern day journalism, the political reporter cannot afford not to be able to use data to disseminate sensible electoral information. He/she cannot afford not to factor the human and social element into election reporting. Crucially too, he/she cannot afford not to be conflict sensitive or ignore the ethical and professional imperatives that underline good journalism,” he added.

The IPC director also charged participants to pass the knowledge gained through the workshop to other journalists in the bid to enhance responsible journalism towards ensuring the desired changes in the country.

– Nov. 2, 2018 @ 16:15 GMT |

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