A Professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Christopher Ochonogor, has urged media practitioners to adopt conflict-sensitive reporting.
Professor Ochonogor, made the call in his keynote presentation titled “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Society” to mark the World Press Freedom Day, at the Ernest Ikoli Press center Port Harcourt, He emphasized the critical role journalists play in either fueling or reducing tensions within society.
According to him, media practitioners must be deliberate and responsible in their reporting to help mitigate sources of conflict. He stressed that journalists should avoid overstepping their influence but remain sensitive in the discharge of their duties.
Professor Ochonogor maintained that the role of media can not be over emphasised because they are gate keepers of information. While urging journalist to concentrate more on news that brings conflict resolutions and development to communities.
“Media practitioners should avoid sensationalism and inflammatory language, verify facts before publication, give voice to all sides fairly. Avoid stereotyping ethnic or religious groups, focus on solutions, not just problems”.
“Journalists must give a fair chance to all sides and avoid biased reportage”.
He further explained that journalism promote peace, urging journalist to engage in journalism stories that promote peace as it encourages dialogue through media platforms.
“Your choice of language may bring about peace or conflict, your framing of stories should be promoting peace. A careless headline can influence tension, be constructive in report writing”.
“Media is social responsible to Maintain peace in communities and Society. As media workers we can decide what we want people to think”.
Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, Rivers State Chapter, Paul Bazia, urged journalist to always verify their reports before breaking it. “we have to verify our facts, and re-cross-check, and re-cross-check. We should not be in a haste to break the news, we have to ensure that our stories are factual”.
“To build peace, we have to avoid some stereotypes. Like in crime reportage, we do not generalise a particular tribe or ethnic because someone committed a crime. It may develop hatred towards the tribe”, he said
Bazia encouraged journalist to focus on development stories, the little achievements, which can spur other people or communities to also strive to achieve similar developments. And thereby bringing peace.
Also, Speaking on the sub-theme “Fact Checking As A Tool For Peace Building” Pst Pious Idume, of Rivers State Overseer and co-ordinating overseer South South deeper Christian Life ministry, quoting from the Bible verse “For You Shall know The Truth And The Truth Will Set You Free” admonish journalist to report the truth at all times.
“If God loves the truth, and it’s only the truth that can set somebody free, error will cause more confusion. And when you give people the wrong thing, the tendency is that they will take the wrong decision. And if we do wrong, we displease God”.
“That’s why we must check what is right, give people the truth that will set them free, and God’s righteousness and peaceful will be extended”, he said
Media practitioners who spoke called on the Rivers State government to enact law that will protect journalists and enable them carry out their work professionally.
