Online publishers across Nigeria have been urged to imbibe professional and ethical standards if they are desirous of gaining public trust.
A lecturer from the University of Ibadan, Dr Tade Oludayo gave the urge on Friday, February 19, 2021, during a workshop organized by the Southwest Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP), held at Ilaji Hotel and Resort, Akaran, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State.
Dr Tade emphasised the need for publishers to observe the standards while carrying out their duties.
According to him, “Journalism ethics, no doubt, seek to provide character and integrity to the media profession.
“It is important to ensure that media men are well guided to continue to play their roles through enhanced professionalism, and engaging in ethical best practices.
“Putting out news items, with their veracity and integrity not established, no doubt, can erode the trust and credit of any medium.”
The don, who is also versed in media issues, stressed that the people depend largely on digital media to create images, form opinions and, quite often, get guidance on issues.
He maintained that by nature, journalism has direct impact on individuals, groups and institutions.
“Hence, practitioners have to be guided by some norms in the discharge of their responsibility of transmitting information accurately,” he stated.
The lecturer highlighted the strengths of Online Journalism to include unlimited space, global distribution, convergence (text, graphic and video), interactivity, immediacy and storage of retrieval.
He charged online media practitioners to jettison reports that lack credibility, ethical values, are opinion-based, engage in unbridled sensationalism and unsubstantiated opinions, among others.
In his welcome address, the SWEGOP chairman, Mr Olayinka Agboola, described online journalism as indispensable in enhancing good governance.
Agboola pointed out that the workshop was needed, considering the contemporary realities in the country.
He added that there was need for capacity building for the publishers to improve on the way they carry out their assignments.
Participants were drawn from Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, while the workshop would be rounded off on Saturday, February 20.
