US Consulate, WABMA Sensitises Journalists on Election Reporting

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Media heads and journalists in the South-south region have been trained on fact-checking, ethics of political reporting and coverage ahead of the 2023 general elections in the country.

The training was conducted by the West Africa Broadcast and Media Academy (WABMA) in collaboration with the United States Consulate General, Lagos, and the Enugu Literary Society.

It focused on investigative reporting for election coverage, fact-checking and detecting misinformation, safety in election coverage, ethnicity and religion in media and politics, media and 2023 election, others.

In his presentation, Professor Lai Oso urged journalists to be mindful of their professional integrity, saying that every reporter must be concerned about his safety and should report only factual stories.

Oso, who noted that media reports are very important because they set agenda for the society, said that “media motivate the masses to participate in the election process”.

He urged journalist to adhere to facts in their reports.

He said: “Journalists should always work on stories that helps build a better society and enhance good governance”, adding that journalists must be objective in their assigned duties.

Similarly, Professor Chris Ulasi noted that the “media plays an essential role in the proper functioning of a democracy,” and stressed that “bias preference and interests of media entities often aggravate polarisation of the citizenry and leave detrimental ethical implications.”

Ulasi further urged journalists to strive to be very supreme in exhibiting the duties of the profession.

Earlier, the Journalism Coordinator, WABMA, Mr. Ekene Odigwe, explained that the programme is aimed at enabling journalists to attract development through their reportage.

Odigwe said: “Since 2019, fake news has been a fixture on the social screen and somehow it begins to tickle down on to the mainstream. As we approach the election year, the pressure of who gets the news right comes to play in keeping up with theme and vision of West Africa Broadcast and Media Academy (WABMA).

“We put up projects like this to project with United States’ Consulate General, to help journalists to do better stories by identifying what to expect in the field and how to be able to maneuver the political scene in their reporting.”