The Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mal. Abdulhamid Sanni Dembos emphasised on the need for responsible and solutions-oriented journalism in reporting on insecurity in Nigeria during a speech at the International Conference organised by the Department of Mass Communication, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Monday.
Represented by his aide, Hajia Saudat Suleiman, the NTA chief acknowledged the challenges journalists face in covering sensitive issues like insecurity without inflaming tensions. He advocated for rigorous fact-checking and upholding media values of accuracy, truth and fairness when reporting on national development issues.
She acknowledged that Nigeria, especially northern Nigeria, had been dealing with high levels of insecurity. She said that for media practitioners, reporting on insecurity without fueling discord poses a challenge. She discussed how media framing theory under agenda setting theory asserts that media outlets selectively frame news stories, deciding what they feel should be reported and leaving other aspects out.
"Insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the North, poses challenges for media practitioners in objectively reporting without fueling tensions". Suleiman said. "The responsibility falls on media outlets in how they selectively frame stories related to insecurity and development issues".
Suleiman questioned how the media can frame information for development in an age of miscommunication and fake news. She said this poses a problem for communication that must be confronted through rigorous fact checking and other processes.
She stated that the NTA will continue working tirelessly with other institutions to address the issues challenging Nigeria with a spirit of patriotism and national unity. She concluded by emphasising on the need to stay true to journalistic values in order to overcome obstacles and meet these challenges.
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