Stallion Times trains journalists on effective conflict reporting
In a bid to encourage accurate, objective, and balanced reportage of conflict situations and curb worsening unethical media reports in the media landscape, Stallion Times Media Service on Thursday 13th July, 2023 held a one-day media training workshop for journalists and media practitioners on ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting’ in Kano State.
The sensitisation seeks to eradicate abuse of the code of conduct, irresponsible journalism sensationalism, biases, prejudices, and blackmail in news reportage.
The sensitisation workshop, which was one of its activities in year 2 of the 3-year Participatory Governance and Media Literacy project tagged “Get Involved, Dialogue and Improve (G-DRIP)” in Kano and Kogi States had participants from the print, broadcast, and blogosphere organisations all in attendance.
READ ALSO: Stallion Times trains 40 journalists on investigative reporting
The chairman of Kano State Council, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, during his goodwill message enjoined all journalists to continue to build capacity and uphold professionalism when discharging their duties.
The NUJ chairman Comrade Ibrahim further encouraged journalists and participants at the workshop to leverage modern technology to enhance their skills for effective journalism.
He recalled that during the analog era, journalists faced a lot of challenges with giving accurate newstories and reportage.
The Editor-in-Chief of Stallion Times Media Services, Isiyaku Ahmed, highlighted that the workshop is timely and important given the rise of unethical journalism practice and numerous unverified news reportages by some journalists.
He stated that some of the poorly written and framed stories by journalists sets the agenda for panic and danger which adversely leads to civil unrest within the society.
Isiyaku Ahmed further added that with the coming of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media, it is highly imperative that journalists be abreast of the requisite skills needed to be up to par with the demands of the profession. He decreed that in order to counter fake news and other negative and flawed narratives that have the propensity to incite violence in the society, journalists must expand their knowledge of the new and digital technology.
Dr. Ruqayyah Yusuf Aliyu of the Department of Information and Media Studies, Bayero University Kano who was the resource person at the workshop took participants through the topic ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting and Safety of Journalists and Ethical Journalism Vs Fake News’.
The event had a two-panel discussion session that was moderated by seasoned journalists. A communique was issued which states that conflict-sensitive reporting entails being sensitive and attentive to warning signals to conflict. It also addressed that the consequences of any conflict should not be underestimated. It opined that accurate conflict-sensitive reporting contributes to peace building and stability.
The communique also highlighted that the code of ethics of journalism is rooted in philosophy and this forms the basis of professional journalism stressing the need for journalists to adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession. It descrys that emotional involvement when reporting news story is completely unacceptable and condemnable in the journalism profession. It also reports that the safety of journalists is of critical importance in conflict reporting.
Recommendations in the communique charged journalists to report conflict stories accurately and objectively using a balanced approach. It further says that understanding the environment is crucial in conflict reporting and admonished journalists to avoid sensationalism. It also states that journalists should avoid profiling that could lead to victimisation rather it encourages that conflict report viewpoints should be peace-oriented, and that journalists should avoid stereotypes, name callings, and unnecessary profiling that tends to provoke and promote unrest and conflict.
It also recommended that conflict shouldn’t be allowed to escalate before reporting, and that fake news is false, misleading, unacceptable, and highly unprofessional.
It maintained that journalists, editors and media owners should build professional solidarity to promote ethics and good governance.
Additionally, It states that journalists should in spite of threats, redouble their efforts and live up to the values and standards of the profession.
The communiqué was signed by the Kano Council of NUJ Chairman, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, and the Editor-in-Chief of Stallion Times, Isiyaku Ahmed.
