Mr Victor Egharevba, Ag ES, NPC (R) Mrs Stella Jibrin, Director of Research and Documentation, NPC (L) and Mr Adetona Aderoboye, Chairman, NUJ Ondo State
By Yusuf Haruna
The Nigerian Press Council (NPC) has called on media organisations across the country to imbibe professional and ethical standards to gain public trust.
Mr Victor Egharevba, Acting Executive Secretary of NPC, made the call during his address of welcome at the workshop for journalists from the South Western region of the country on Friday in Akure.
The theme of the workshop, organised by the NPC in collaboration with Lamfortte Resources Ltd,
is “Ethical Journalism: An Indispensable Assets for Media Integrity.”
“To maintain public trust, it is morally imperative for the media organisations to observe the highest professional and ethical standards in carrying out their duties.
“Journalism ethics, no doubt, seek to provide character and integrity to the media profession.
“To ensure that the media are well guided to continue to play its role through enhanced professionalism and engaging in ethical best practices that the Council is providing this capacity intervention.
“Putting out news item whose veracity and integrity are not established no doubt can erode the trust and credit of the media.
“It will be very sad if the pubic lose confidence in the integrity of the media which is the only institution saddled with the constitutional role of monitoring and holding government accountancy,” Egharevba said.
The NPC boss stressed that people depended largely on the media to create images, form opinions and quite often get guidance on issues.
He maintained that by nature, journalism had direct impact on individuals, groups and institutions.
“Hence, practitioners have to be guided by some norms in the discharge of their responsibility of transmitting information.”
Mr Adetona Aderoboye, Ondo State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, said the media had played prominent roles not only as watch dog of the society but as pillar to enhance an egalitarian society.
He described the media as indispensable in enhancing good governance.
“The situation is so bad that the ethics is being eroded by some media organisations in the country.
“This workshop is good, considering the contemporary realities in Nigeria. I charge resource persons to come up with better ways on how to enhance the profession.”
Dr Adesuyi Ezekiel, the Consultant said that the media was an intermediary between government and the people.
“Journalists in Nigeria are doing a great job, but however, there is need for capacity building for them to improve in their line of duties,” he said.
Mrs Stella Jibrin, Director of Research and Documentation of NPC said the mandate of the council was to enhance the highest standard in the profession.
“So we cannot sit in the office and monitor your activities; we need to rub minds to do the needful and be on same page.
“I urge everyone, here, to please ensure you put into practice the capacity and knowledge gained in this workshop,” Jibrin said
