By Abasifreke Effiong
General Notes: I will use public relations officers and media relations or media mangers interchangeably throughout this short presentation to refer to the same set of persons – Corporate Affairs Managers, Press Secretaries, Publicity Secretaries, Information Officers, Spokespersons, Media Advisers, Media Aides, and the latest additions, Media team and Media unit.
- This is my 18th year in practice as a journalist, so I’d speak objectively from my observations and experiences about the relationship between media managers and journalists in Akwa Ibom State.
The Reality
The relationship between media managers and journalists in Akwa Ibom state has evolved from the traditional unimpressive press boys tag to the modified “gentlemen of the press” tease. The attitude of media managers have changed from ‘let them write, then we attack’ to ‘shut them out’.
Two points are embedded in this statement, one, that the air, mood and mode of the relationship between media managers and journalists have not changed significantly, but their attitude towards what we write and publish have changed markedly.
There is a reduction in organised attacks against contents churned out by journalists and their organisations. There is a cease and desist of cloning of newspapers, of which I was a victim in 2019. Times Dispatch, Global Concord and others have been victims of cloning. There is reduction in arrest, detention, defamation charges against journalists, some of which were probably instigated on the advise of our brothers and sisters serving as media advisers.
However, media managers, most of whom are colleagues, sadly I must say, have not stopped condemning us, belittling our works and dignity, and sometimes frustrating our attempts to get information, unjustifiably.
Putting The Relationship In Perspectives
I will summarise the relationship approach between media managers and journalists in the State in five short points.
▪ A dinner for silence – is a prominent operative style of relationship between media managers and journalists in the State. Some media managers have shown in their attitude towards journalists that they do not expect journalists to write their stories objectively anymore because they had given them a hamper at Christmas, a gift at birthdays, a support for events. It is sad for journalists who invite them to their events. The thinking and attitude of media managers is that ‘because I had given you a gift the other time, you should look the other way even if my boss commits homicide’. If you dare not look the other way, they will, on the basis of that gift impugn your character mindlessly and try to discredit your report as being paid. Many journalists have shared experiences on this.
Sometime ago a renowned mediapreneur and manager in this state was a resource person at I workshop I attended, he presented a paper on government-media relations, so he asked this question “If you had just finished dinner with a public officer a fortnight ago, then next you have a story wherein you found that your dinner host faltered in character or neglected official responsibility, would you write the story?.”
Some of my colleagues who attended the workshop shirked away, may be out of respect, they said they won’t write the story. I raised my hand and told him I will write the story and would give the said public officer opportunity in my story to defend himself exhaustively. This senior colleague of ours told me there and openly “you won’t go far in this profession, but i wish you goodluck”. Of course, I retorted, that I will go far. A dinner or gift for silence is killing good, ethical journalism. It is a terrible, mischievous strategy that will never forge a collaborative relationship with journalists. It cannot earn the media managers, their bosses and organisations, a willing support which is of course priceless.
▪ Give to belittle. Many media managers often fake pretentious relationships with journalists by using a strategy I call, give to belittle. Sometime ago, I had to phone and vehemently upbraid some of my colleagues who were invited to a Christmas meeting by a government organisation, where food items worth just about N20,000, were shared to them. They were photographed while eating and while receiving the food items, and the pictures flooded the internet afterwards. The latent intention of the gift in this case might not have been to belittle, but bringing in the cameras to tell the story of that meeting made that media-relations event defective, it brought down the esteem of the journalists in the eyes of the public. This kind of strategy cannot create an ambient relationship and long-term friendship.
▪ Don’t mind them, don’t listen nor talk to them.
Personal experiences have shown that some public officers are sometimes willing to take pieces of advice from journalists, talk to them or provide data, but are advised by their media handlers to shut them out. This is latest practice in the industry. Yesterday, when I visited Redemption FM and had the privilege of listening to two very respected women journalists, Aunty Comfort Umana and Aunty Elsie Udofia, they shared their experiences about the number of times they attempted to make suggestions to Chief Executives, how many times they were attacked by media managers of those Chief Executives, for making such attempts.
There is too much, Sir kuboro enye, akpewed ndisime, aya nkid, coming from our colleagues who are managing public officers. Transliterated as, Sir, don’t mind him (Journalists), if he writes rubbish, he will see me”. This kind of attitude is not healthy for the profession.
▪ Better welfare for non-indigenous media organisations and reporters, and different package for the indigenous ones.
▪ Responsiveness to information request. There hasn’t been significant improvement in how quickly and positively media managers and their bosses respond to information request from journalists. I have tried to get an interview with a public officer for three weeks now. For these three weeks, I have called his media aide 15 times in 7 days, he has picked by calls twice out of 15. I have sent text messages thrice, and WhatsApp chats twice, he has not responded to any. Such stark irresponsiveness towards journalists cannot engender friendliness, cooperation, support and trust.
In addition to this, the air of arrogance we feel in phone communication with media managers and their bosses have not abated. Despite the fact that we help them filter these emotional roughs, their perception about us hasn’t changed much.
The air of ‘talk to them, they will listen’. They don’t want to listen to us.
The air of relationship is still decked with “use and dump them.” How else do you explain the attitude of government towards creating business enabling environment like construction of road for tax-paying media organisations like Redemption FM, Abak, Tang Sio, Planet FM, and Spectrum TV, Ibiaku Uruan?
Point Of Note For Parties
No responsible journalist, no matter his economic status, would contrive a relationship with a media manager, his/her boss or organisation, if he suspects that his credibility, personal dignity and professional integrity will be impugned. If there is any, then I beg him or her to change.
Conclusion
Let me quickly make few advocacies:
▪ A change in perception and attitude by media managers towards journalists.
▪ Review and thorough planning of media relations strategies and programmes to preserve the dignity of journalists.
▪ Cultivation of long-term friendship through collaborative projects with journalists and media houses. Assisting journalists with data-sourcing, capacity building, equipment fund are some of the ways to build sustainable collaboration with journalists.
▪ Quick and positive response to information requests.
To my colleagues, I should suggest that we make efforts to build relationships with media managers beyond the formal request-for-information outreach, this could help build collaborations.
Thank you for your attention.
Effiong writes: Evaluation of the relationship between public relations officials of government and organisations and journalists in akwa ibom state, a paper presented at the first Akwa Ibom State Maiden Media Stakeholders Summit in uyo, on Friday, 20 September
Effiong is the Editor, The Atlantic Observer
