The Nigeria media is daily becoming a laughing stock and I
wonder what kind of professionals are coming into the industry.
On Wednesday October 22, 2014, I appeared on Radio 1's
Business Today alongside Vice Chairman of the Lagos State Institute of Architect,
Mrs. Titi Adeleye.
Before the start of the programme, I had a rap with the
presenter (***), about her take on the topic we are about to discuss, HOUSING
FOR ALL IN NIGERIA. What her own take about President Jonathan's low income
housing estate is etc.
"AH", she replied, "I don't know o. Actually,
I never prepared for this 'edition' really”. She ended her sentence with a mordant
laugh and I just felt like wiping her grin face clean with a slap.
... Is this not a wasted effort, I mean my coming down from
the Mainland part of Lagos to the Island for the programme?
The producer informed me about the programme 3 days before that
day thus I went online, contacting colleagues/professionals just to get more than
enough data and do justice to a scourge ravaging our land.
While the programme was on, several calls came in from far
and wide, each making their grievances against government's clumsy attitude
towards housing known and their wishes. But while this was going on, my mind
continue to connect dots of how this will become a force for concerned bodies
to reckon with.
A day later, I checked the station's website to see if there
is an online version (text or audio download) so that I can work with something!
None. The general new on the site is appalling with the last soccer update
being about Di Maria’s £60 million transfer to Manchester United in August yet graces
the sport page in October.
And then I looked at the broadcast media in general... What
has been their input in the nation's building? What is media's role and how are
they performing it?
The media is regarded as the eyes and ears of the people,
the fourth estate of the realm. Seen by many as a body independent of interference,
neutral to all so as to give a balance report of events irrespective of who,
why, where or how.
Are Nigerian Media fulfilling these objectives?
Putting people in the know of things in Nigeria has been a
function the media has chiefly been doing though what gets to the people is another
matter. In the absent of an effective system of government, the media has
become a tool of informing and misinforming the general public, a situation
which confuses many as to which information to hold as genuine.
In place of these manipulations, Investigative journalism
would have been the ideal solution yet the emergence of 234Next newspaper (a
newspaper that trend more in Investigative journalism) was short-lived as it
was shut down under shady circumstances.
The twist and chain thus make the industry do what it knows
how to do best ~ promote.
Today, many presenters see their positions as venue to
become celebrities thus the extra length of research, contacting the
appropriate authority or follow up on a story/lead is never the case. A subject
and all it leads/revelations ends the moment the episode is a wrap.
Once a programme is assigned to a presenter, he/she coin a
marketable name for him/herself then follow his/her 'popularity' with weird
performances on social media.
The hope of many is to gain popularity for star status, celebrity
status or becoming marketable for endorsement etc.
So, where do these left the Nigeria Media industry?
In a manipulative hole, penetrable by the very rebels whom
it ought to keep a keen eye on.
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