ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Executive Director, International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade has advised journalists to be safety conscious and avoid hate speech reporting.
The media right activist explained that conflict sensitivity arose from the media propagated ethically induced political hate speech, while also adding that conflict sensitivity does not encourage journalists to report untrue story.
“Don’t be half telling the truth,” he stressed.
He noted that the political history of Nigeria cannot be separated from the journalists, adding that without the media, there will not be democracy.
The IPC boss gave the advice at the day-two of the skill enhancing and capacity Building/Mentoring Workshop for Female Journalists, held in Rivers State in partnership with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ).
The workshop was organized by the International Press Centre (IPC) with support from the European Union-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN ll).
Mr. Arogundade, who was a former reporter at Panos Radio, urged journalists to cultivate the use of self-restrained or moderate languages, and avoid hateful comments while reporting.
He said: “Journalists or other media professional shall not use temperate languages, and avoid stereotype or expression that dehumanizes aspirants or candidate or other group on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, gender or disability.
“Journalists shall immediately request his or her interviewers/guests to withdraw any hate speech.
“Don’t use image or pictures that contain elements of hateful representation.”
Speaking further, he enjoined journalists not to present opinions as facts while reporting political stories.
Arogundade warned, also, that journalists should desist from assigning values to a political or electoral report.
“Seek evidence of all allegations and get the other side to respond. Do not present opinions as fact. Eliminate all biases,” he warned.
On the issue of security, the Editor-in-Chief of the Nigerian Democratic Report (NDR), told journalists that no story is worth their lives.
Participants at the training were drawn from the South-East, South-South and the South-West regions of the country, to utilize the opportunity and learn new skills that will improve their capacities and enhance the quality of news reports.