Media’s role in promoting democracy
During the discussion, media stakeholders identified mid, short and long term issues, needs, opportunities and potential strategies for media engagement. Among the participants were academics, practitioners and representatives of media regulatory agencies and media gender activists. Some of the presentations were on “Improved Reporting on Democracy and Governance Issues by Professor Umaru Pate, University of […]
During the discussion, media stakeholders identified mid, short and long term issues, needs, opportunities and potential strategies for media engagement. Among the participants were academics, practitioners and representatives of media regulatory agencies and media gender activists. Some of the presentations were on “Improved Reporting on Democracy and Governance Issues by Professor Umaru Pate, University of Maiduguri, “Organizational Priorities in Institutional Capacity Building for Media Professional Organizations In Deepening Democracy’ by Mr Mohammed Garba National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists and ‘Media Engagement with the National Assembly’ by Mr Cosmas Ekpunobi, Chairperson, National Assembly Correspondents Chapel. Other presentations were ‘Media Engagement with INEC’ by Mr Jude Opara, Chair INEC Press Corps and ‘Civil Social Organisations Engagement’ by Mr Akin Akingulu, Executive Director, Institute for Media and Society
On the Gender front, the lead presentation was titled ‘Gender Issues in Democracy and Governance’ by Mrs Ene Ede of Abuja based Equity Advocates Among the participants at the session were Mohammed Garba, National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Asabe Baba, National President, National Association of Women Journalists, Ahmed Shekarau, Vice President (North), Nigeria Guild of Editors and Mr Segun Olaleye, Executive Secretary, Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria.
The Verdict
The presentations served to gauge the media’s capacity for engagement with promoting democracy and a verdict was delivered. The Presentations underscored the fact that effective and confident reporting of issues of democracy and governance is dependent on professional, individual and institutional competence and capacity. On the qualification of journalists, research shows that the Majority of journalists hold first degrees with few of them having additional qualifications. In addition, some of them have received specialised skills in reporting aspects of democracy particularly elections. On the needs assessment journalists feel they need more technical competence to gather, process and disseminate information on all aspects of democracy.
They also need additional infrastructure to facilitate their work.. On Editorial independence, stakeholders observed that media freedom and editorial independence guarantee institutional, organizational and individual capacity to professionally investigate and report democratic issues. Exploration of the legal environment, revealed that the Nigerian legal and policy environment is generally tolerant except for some inhibitions.
Among the enabling factors cited include Constitutional guarantee on the role of the media; the existence of a Freedom of Information Act (FOI Act); media professional Code of Ethics and an active civil society sector. In a comparison of levels of editorial independence in public and private media, research conducted showed that the private press have higher level of editorial independence than the government media particularly the government dominated broadcast sector. The research also highlighted the fact that the most inhibitions are not institutional but are linked to actions of officials and media owners leading to self censorship and ethical violations. The following areas of concern were also cited; editorial independence that is hampered by self regulation, intolerant officials, corruption (secrecy) and institutional resistance. Others are technical and institutional weaknesses, cumbersome judiciary and commercialization of news and views, susceptibility of media practitioners to societal stereotypes, cleavages and mindsets.