Reporters enjoin to use digital tools, applications in covering 2019 elections

Fri, Nov 9, 2018 | By publisher


Media

A two-day training facilitated by the International Press Centre encourages Nigerian journalist to embrace technology in reporting elections

 

By Benprince Ezeh

With the 2019 general elections fast approaching, Nigerian journalists have been advised to embrace digital tools and applications while covering the polls. The International Press Centre, IPC, which gave the advice, said digital tools would enhance media professionals adequately and enable journalist in delivery of their duties before, during and after the election.

The IPC gave the submission at a two-day workshop for political correspondents in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The workshop was organised in partnership with EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, EU-SDGN.

Speaking to journalists at the training, Taiwo Obe, the founder, Journalists Clinic, urged journalists to be tech savvy and utilise the use of digital tools and applications in their reportage as they cover the 2019 elections.

Obe who pin-pointed the essence of social media platforms and internet technological tools in the economic and professional models of the media industry, said  that instead of complaining about poor welfare in Nigeria and censorship, journalists could harness the technological opportunities in creating personal blogs and several social media platforms.

According to him, Google trends collects data and formats it in numerous ways and it shows what people are most interested in. “Information illustrating election information collected can be shown in real time on graphs. Live stream is a way of publishing on Google that makes it possible to speak directly to billions of users.

“Reporters will be able to learn how to verify the accuracy and get permission to use first draft, raw video, the eye-witness media that cell phones make possible, in crisis reporting situations,” he said.

The trainer also urged journalists to always make use of videos because the masses now prefer watching than reading. “Technologies make it possible for YouTube creators to ask direct questions of candidates and make videos of the responses and release the information to even wider audiences,” Obe said.

BE

– Nov. 9, 2018 @ 19:58 GMT |

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