By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
Mal.Isiyaku Ahmed.
The Managing Director, Stallion Times, Kano, Mal. Isiyaku Ahmed, has advised journalists in kogi state to embrace data journalism as a complement to their traditional means of reporting events and dissemination for much better results.
He gave the advice on Saturday in Lokoja, north central Nigeria,in his address of welcome at One-Day Training on “Data Journalism and Media Standards.
Ahmed said that the training was part of series of such exercise organized for journalists in the state by his organization for them to understand how to identify, gather and explore a dataset for an investigative report.
According to him, the exercise is also for the participants to appreciate media standards in data journalism as well as understand data presentation in appropriate visual format, among others.
He said that data usage in journalistic reportage helped reporters to reduce words, boost their investigation, enable then to “say it as it is.”
According to Ahmed it is enable the participants learn new method of reporting for overall enhancement of their professional ability in the discharge of their statutory responsibility to the society.
The Stallion Times MD, called on journalists in the state to shun fear about data journalism in the course of reporting events and approach it with and fairness as a way of making government accountable for its policies and programmes.
The MD, who commended the kogi state government for maintaining a functional and accessible website:kogi government.gov.ng, called on the journalists to leverage on the opportunity of such information outfit to get relevant information for dissemination to the people.
He, however, cautioned journalists to exercise professionalism and fact-check data information before publication to avoid misinforming the public about policies and programmes.
A resource person at the event, Engr. Charles Mbah, who lectured the participants on introduction to data journalism and media standards in data journalism among other topics, said data journalism has the ability to empower journalists to do their work effectively and within the context of the ethics of their profession.
Mbah, who is an expert in data information, described data journalism as a strategy designed to support journalists carry out investigation.
Engr.Charles Mbah.
He called on the journalists to use tools of data journalism such as composition, comparison, location, distribution and relationship to achieve result-oriented reports.
According to him, through effective use of data, sticking to ethics of their profession, journalists can shape opinion and influence government policies and programmes, with a view to holding it accountable to the people.
Our correspondent reports that the series of training which has been on periodically in Lokoja since 2022, is being implemented through “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve Project-GDRIP.
Cross section of participants at the training.
A cross section of participants at the training session.
The exercise, supported by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and MacArthur Foundation, had 36 journalists, drawn from the print, electronic and social media in attendance.
