Much are being said about Channels' television professionalism, protection of their guests and honouring of future invitation by stakeholders and, or, government officials. This is coming on the heel of the continuous trending of Lagos State Commandant of NSCDC's inability to remember his institution web address.
While two sides are now debating the issue furiously, one sighting the commandant's error as a pointer to the shabby state of resources manning most of the state's affairs, the other is of the notion that the joke and, or correction is taking too long as the after effects is beginning to take toll on the man and his family yet none seems to take into cognisance that Channels Television have no hand in the production, distribution of the 40+ seconds video.
As part of it practice, Channels television upload, daily, videos of selected programmes so that their viewers, anywhere they are, can watch them via their web portal.
The NSCDC episode was not the first and will not be the last.
Again, the advent of smart phones and portable electronic gadget, especially those that have video and audio editing facility, make it easy for users of such gadget to edit a whole movie, cut unwanted parts away etc, as such, the hilarious #OgaAtTheTop or #MyOgaAtTheTop is none of Channels' handiwork instead any of their viewers might have detected the error and decided to make a joke of it.
I scanned through www.Channelstv.com for the short version of the interview which went viral and found nothing of such on the television station's portal.
Disaster Manager of NSCDC, Olayode W.A. recently released a Press Statement with the multi-award winning television station receiving serious treat.
The press statement read:-
On a very serious note, I didn't see the question as an interview but an attacked exam question that needed an objective answer, even if our Commandant said the semi-right thing, it should be
the responsibility of the Channel crew to condone that aspect as part of
nobody knows all.
It was as the press were tipped to look down on us. In a civilized countries like US, the questionnaires would have been sent to the interviewee for revision 12 hours prior to the day.
Had it been this was done, My able Commandant would have adjusted on
that spot. He has a lot to attend to, I don't see it as a downgrade of
our integrity. Hence, the Channel crew should be warned. Not all
questions should be answered especially in that type of Private Station,
it is not a crime to have the knowledge of all but the idea is needed
in order not to leave any stone untouched.
Status quo must remain in our Mandates.
God bless NSCDC the more!
Olayode W.A. Disaster Management Dept., Lagos State Command.
I pondered on what disaster Mr Olayode was trying to manage, I again went through the press statement which revealed, clearly, another loophole in the appointment of officials to sensitive positions. In the case of Mr Disaster Manager, his notion that "questionnaires would have been sent to the interviewee for revision 12 hours prior to the day... in civilised country like US"... is nothing but the biggest blunder that I am, again, yet to recover from.
It becomes a double worry to know that this same executive blunder is coming from the same institution where #OgaAtTheTop comedy spring from.
Again, Olayode also hinted that Channels television should have 'cut off' part(s) where the Lagos State NSCDC Commandant goofed. Using Olayode's own language, "you should have been arrested, if we are serious about transparency in this country, for uttering a statement that amount to prevention of truth!".
As a journalist, a professional one for that matter, when a guest stammer on a question(s), a professional journalist will go for the killer which is >KEEP THE PRESSURE, if possible, rephrase the question(s), in case my quest did not understand the question.
The whole idea of journalism is to package information, and disseminate same in a manner that all questions that viewers may want to ask, is answered.
When question is asked, if the person is truthful in his/her response, in most cases, the answer will be straight, especially when the person did not expect such question.
But in a case whereby the person struggles to provide answer(s), in most cases, you've caught the person in a tight corner.
In the court of law, the same is the case when counsel pound witness with questions, the aim is of extracting the truth from such witness. In most cases, opposing counsel do try to swing his/her client from the web which mostly are never successful because the presiding judge knows that the truth is close and as such compel the witness to answer the question.
In all, there is nothing unprofessional in what Channels crew did, NOTHING... It is because we give room to #MyOgaAtTheTop too much, that is why we send questions to interviewee, that is why we leave questions that are not answered judiciously.
At Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria School of Journalism, a federal institution, there in no part of their curriculum that support sharing your question(s) with your interviewee... NONE. The biggest 'expo' you can give your guest is a brief on the subject you want todiscuss, Shikenah!
If the interviewer so wish, questions can be forwarded to the guest for familiarity sake BUT we should understand that such interviewer is not bound to follow such questions to the letter. Other interesting topics will show up during the course of the interview which the interviewer's insticnt will push him/her to probe.
Journalism doesn't have a side, no party or ally stays at the middle, if you doubt me, ask #MyOgaAtTheTop #OgaAtTheTop and he will confirm, #AndThatIsIt.
- Don
