Kogiflame
Stallion Times Media Services had trained some working journalists practicing in Kogi state on conflict sensitive reporting.
The One Day workshop took place on Saturday at Modern Age Event Hall, Opposite Mama’s Christain Academy, Lokoja, Kogi State.
At the end of the workshop, a communique was issue to address and find lasting solution to some of the problems faced by practicing journalists in the field of work.
The communique issued at the end of a one-day Workshop on Conflict Sensitive Reporting organized by Stallion Times Media Services on 24th June 2024 read as follows:
In a bid to encourage accurate, objective and balanced reportage of conflict situations and the worsening unethical media reports leading to abuse or irresponsible journalism that pursues sensationalism, biases, prejudices, and blackmail, Stallion Times Media Service organized a one-day media training on ‘Conflict Sensitive Reporting’ in Kogi as 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.
The project is in collaboration with the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism under the Collaborative Media Project with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
The event was attended by a cross section of journalists from different broadcast, print and blogosphere organizations.
During the presentations and plenary sessions participants resolved that;
1. Participants call on Journalists through their important roles of information, education and entertainment to create awareness and ease political and other societal tension, caused by poverty, illiteracy and absence of good governance.
2. While believing that free, independent and pluralistic media provide a platform for debate and different opinions, Participants caution against the media being misused for propaganda purposes, to incite hatred and spread rumours, thereby artificially creating tensions.
3. The workshop believes that finding a balance between preventing harm caused by speech and protecting individual expression is a problem though important especially in conflict situations and Journalists therefore, have to stay clear of judgmental representations and should describe reality without embellishment.
4. Journalists must first understand the issues in conflicts in order to be objective and not to aggravate the conflicts.
5. Journalists must try to identify conflicts triggers.
6. Journalists should not suppress facts but should be mindful of choice of words in their reportage.
7. Journalists should recognized their constitutional roles in conflicts reportage.
And recommended that;
1. Peace building should be the core objective of journalism reportage.
2. Journalists should be mindful of their safety by adhering to usage of safety kits while covering in conflicts zones.
3. Journalists should adhere strongly to their Code of Ethics.
4. Journalists should not be carried away by the ‘Breaking News syndrome.’
5. Journalists, editors and media owners should build professional solidarity to promote ethics and good governance.
6. Journalists should in spite of threats, redouble their efforts and live up to the values and standards of the profession.
7. Media practitioners should expose, isolate, and eliminate all forms of incitements to intense hatred and violence.
8. Owners of media houses must provide a framework for providing healthcare and social protection for journalists.
9. Media professionals must be trained and re-trained on political, physical and social terrain in which they operate.
10. A body should be set up to regulate the activities of journalists in Nigeria.
Signed:
Adeiza Jimoh
Kogi NUJ Chairman
Isiyaku Ahmed
Editor-inChief
Stallion Times Media Services
