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| Cross River Commissioner for Information Mrs RoseMary Archibong Esq. |
Efio-Ita Nyok|7 September 2017
Cross River State Honourable Commissioner for Information and Cultural Orientation, Mrs RoseMary Archibong Esq., Tuesday, reiterated the unrivaled importance of new media in information dissemination and accessibility while addressing online media practitioners, including reporters and publishers, domiciled in the Cross River State in her Ministry of Information office in Calabar NegroidHaven can report. She also observed that online journalists where portraying the Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade led administration of the state in positive light.
In a brief media parley with online media practitioners, the state information boss, Commissioner Archibong appreciated online reporters, editors and publishers domiciled in the state for what she referred to as a doing a good job. Archibong, who earlier on thanked them for honouring her short notice, observed that online journalism has come to give the picture to journalism generally. She highlighted the features of speed, accessibility and unique engagement that characterises the practice. She further craved the indulgence of online journalists in respect of publishing and reporting with a sense of mentorship of the youthful fans who are unsuspecting and vulnerable.
Her words, ‘I want to thank you all for honourable our invitation, even though it wasn’t a long one, but you responded. I have heard some names that stands out immediately, and those names are here, there are some that I am not familiar with, but I want to say, you’re all doing a very great job. You are doing a mega good job.
‘Online journalism is here to enhance the big picture of journalism: it’s here to give speed to news reportage and it’s also here to reach those areas that conventional media cannot reach. It is also here to engage the young ones to be interested in news. Because most of our young ones find it difficult to tune to the radio or television sets to listen to news, but online journalism made information dissemination a lot cheaper and more easily accessible and that is because, you’ve chosen to go that way.
‘I want to appreciate what you’re doing for Cross River State. I follow most of your news; because of my office, I am a member of so many platforms and I read the information on these platforms. And I see that you have projected the state, the programme and the project of our digital Governor, Senator Professor Ben Ayade in a very positive manner. That doesn’t mean you’ve compromise your journalistic ethics; you have not, only that you have reported the truth. I want to appreciate you for that’.
Commissioner Archibong also advised against hate speech as well as hate reportage. She opined that if information is not handled properly, it could escalate into crisis. Archibong said, concerning breaking news, that it’s basically bad news that break. She insisted that good news can also break. While calling on those present to break good news, she charged practitioners to be critical of stories before going to the press.
I want to echo positions against ‘hate speech and hate reportage’. We are in a dispensation we know there are hurt across board, but if we do not manage information properly, then we end up inciting, aggravating and sending the wrong signals. And that is not what journalism is all about.
‘I know that if news don’t break, they lose interest —and I just wondered when we’d have news that do not break, but will be of interest. The tendency is that, those things that constitute breaking news must be the bad things; death, flood, etc. But we can also break good news, I want us to also break good news, good information, it helps brighten the day.
‘I want to advise generally, please as online journalists, those that, at the snap of the finger, your news has reached Honolulu. Please, let’s apply more caution before recycling. Do not believe that everything you see online is true, let us be critical. There are two sides to a coin, you can present the side that will bring value addition and not the side which will incite into the carrying of arms’.
Concerning an up coming campaign for Youths, Archibong said, ‘My Ministry is going to commence activities in conjunction with you, the online journalists called, “Media Literacy Education for Youths” with emphasis on Social Media Management. That is, we have ambassadors and from time to time, we may go to schools and just talk about “Social Media Journalism”, not to teach them the crucial aspect of journalism, but just to give them an idea, as in they shouldn’t be recycling things because they read them on social media or someone sent it to them. We can work with you and NAWOJ, Nigeria Association of Women Journalist. You must make yourselves mentors, media mentors, especially the online media mentorship’.
On his part, the publisher of CalabarBlog and Acting Chairman of Association of Cross River Online Journalists (ACROJ), Mr Hope Obeten, said he’ll ensure that there’s no bias in reportage by online journalists. He used the opportunity to invite the Commissioner to a capacity building workshop upcoming in the state for media stakeholders. Emmanuel Ulayi, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media observed that the aim of media is to portray positive narratives. Emmanuel Unah, the publisher of MyCrossRiver made a point bordering on government support for online journalism. Publisher of CalabarReporters sued for information officers in various MDAs to be media-friendly. On his part, the publisher of NegroidHaven who stated that online journalists aren’t enemies of the state or government, harmed on retainership on the part of government with online media houses.
Publisher Obeten, said that ‘from the association’s end, they’ll ensure they’re not bias with their reportage and will continue make sure Cross River State continue to be the most reported State in Nigeria as it stands’.
SA Ulayi said that ‘the aim of media, especially the online and social media should be on the projection of the positive narratives of the state.’
Publisher Unah said,’ most of the stories being carried out by the online Reporters are mostly government-based stories. When the current Governor came in newly, he made known that there will be a form of relationship between the state government and online platforms by assisting in organising trainings and others’.
He pleaded with the Commissioner to relate to the Governor in concerned with the online journalists to sometimes assist these platforms to grease their work so to strengthen the relationship.
Publisher Ifop appealed with the Commissioner to task other MDAs to be friendly with the online publishers, especially in the aspect of getting/releasing first hand information. He also added that, ‘the government should look into the path of protecting online journalists, especially in the aspect of whistle blowing, to aid the policy achieve its goal.’
On his part, the Managing Editor of CrossRiverWatch, Jeremiah Archibong and Secretary of ACROJ pointed out that, ‘some MDAs even go up the scale to thwart the efforts of online publishers, sidelining them while giving the conventional media a go.’ He urged the Commissioner to give directives to the information officers to take seriously the growing rate of online media in the state, for they’re here to help elevate the state.
Publisher Nyok, said ‘online journalists are neither enemies of the government nor the state, but they’ve been mis-perceived. I humbly suggest a sensitisation programme for public officers, so as to aid them relate well with the media’. He further spoke about retainership for the online publishers, not to compromise them but to strengthen them to keep up with the pace.
Nineteen online media platforms were present including l Calabar24.Com.ng, TheEpistle.Com.ng CrossRiverEyes.Com.ng, Voplink.com, NigeriaSparrow.Com and some principal officers at the state ministry of information.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven
