A Nigerian mass communication expert has blamed massive decline of the traditional mass media on an increase in the use of social media for communication in recent times.
Daniel C. Akarika, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communications of Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, who stated this Monday at the opening 2017 Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Week, Akwa Ibom State Council, Uyo, noted that the communication industry has witnessed remarkable changes since the emergence of social media.
According to him, “The new media including T2go, LinkedIn, Whatsapp, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Google, Blog, live chats and Pinterest, among others have widened the spectrum of and method of communication.”
Speaking on the theme “Social Media and the Challenges of Social Responsibility,”Akarika observed that “the increase in social media engagement over the years has relegated the mass media and has made them to lose their edge as a potent introduction of social media in communication and has enhanced the way news and information are collected and communicated.”
He traced the existence of social media to three decades ago, and cited the uses of the media to include using it to market products, promote brands, connect to current customers, foster new business, use as an opportunity of expression and friendship buildings, promote scholarships by institutions of higher learning, use it for chats, find old friends and exchange messages, among others.
The disadvantages of the social media, according to him, include impersonation of notable figures/celebrities, blackmail of perceived enemies, hacking into people’s accounts, committing of cyber bully/crimes and causing trauma and suicide to people, among others.
On challenges confronting the media, the mass communication lecturer mentioned illiteracy/ignorance by parents and guardians, poverty and high cost of internet facility, lack of policy, adverse to changes, channel promoting pornography among young people as well as invasion of individual’s privacy, calling on the Federal Government to enact a law to regulate and check excesses of social media.
Charles Udoh, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, congratulated the leadership of the union on this year’s press week, and stressed the need for partnership that would yield dividends for the overall development of the state and fulfillment of the goals and aspirations of the government to the governed.
Udoh, who was represented by Praise Okon, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, charged journalists in the country to uphold code of ethics of the profession and the core values of the civil service in the discharge of their duty.
The commissioner, who was the special guest of honour at the occasion, advised journalists to eschew hate speeches in their reportage and avoid employing pull-him-syndrome tactics in their job performance, noting “The media fought in wrestling power from the colonial masters and was in the forefront for enthronement of the present democratic governance in the country.”
Senator Effiong Bob, who was the chairman of the occasion, applauded journalists for being development partners with the government and the political class, describing the press as a critical segment of the society that has been contributing to the development of the society.
Bob, who is also the proprietor of Comfort FM, Uyo, called on journalists to always investigate, confirm and publish factual and authentic stories to avoid tarnishing the image and maligning reputation of innocent people.
Earlier, Elder Patrick Albert, State Chairman, NUJ, had said the week would attract erudite scholars, including an eminent jurist, Justice Ntong Ntong of the High Court 2, Ikot Ekpene to speak on the theme and the various topics, saying “Needless to say that these assembled “Oracles” will meet our collective expectations in providing stimulating insights that will enhance our competence and better public perception of the role of the media as well as proffer other suggestions towards the general good and development of our society.”
According to him, “Let me restate that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm and the society’s watch dog, it behoves on us to preview very frequently, issues not only to improve the professional skills of journalists but to also carry out a prognosis on issues so as to offer insightful solutions that will enhance the peace, law, order and good governance of the society.
A preview of the past clearly reveals that our chequered political experience soon after independence and subsequent military interregnum resulted from high level display of political intolerance, religious bigotry, aggrandisement, nepotism and rascality on the part of the political class and not really on the systems we operated.”
Albert pointed out “As still witnessed today, these endemic features are still with us. Will the press be exempted as not being part in the political failures of the Nation? No, we cannot totally exempt ourselves from the woes of the past. However, it stands clearly that we contributed immensely to the success of our independence and in the restoration of democracy against military rule and its tyrannical management of our nation.”
“It is disheartening that we have newspapers and reporters who exhibit partisanship in their reportage than official news platforms of political parties. We have newspapers and reporters who are more judgmental than the Law Courts that have jurisdictions. We have newspapers and reporters who fabricate, twist and churn out wild imaginations against individuals. They publish ‘opinions’ as ‘news’. To curb this trend, we have regularly engaged in training and re-training of our members to enable them to be ethically compliant,” the NUJ boss indicated.
He called on members of the public who are maligned to seek legal redress or report directly to Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the union to arbitrate on such matters, remarking “Largely, we do know that those who flout professional ethical demands are not our members, but where any member engages in ethical misdemeanor, sanctions awaits such immediately.”
