Cross River State Government through its Commissioner for Information, Rosemary Archibong has disclosed the intention of government to take serious interest in the activities of online media practitioners in order to stamp out hate speeches in the state.
Archbong made this known at an enlarged meeting with online media practitioners in the state. The meeting may not be unconnected with fallout of a nationwide meeting of state information commissioners with the minister of information, Lai Mohammed in Abuja recently where the position of the presidency on hate speech was made to the state information heads.
“We are in a dispensation that we know there are hurt across board, but if we do not manage information properly, then we end up inciting, aggravating and we send the wrong signals. And that is not what journalism is all about,” she said.
While commending the online practitioners for their untiring efforts in putting the state ahead on the lips of the world via the World Wide Web and the social media, Archibong cautioned them against being in a hurry to break the news until facts are properly crosschecked.
“There are two sides to a coin; you can present the side that will bring value addition and not the side that will incite people into carrying of arms,” she said.
The commissioner further announced that the state was going to commence activities in conjunction with online practitioners on a programme tagged ‘Media Literacy Education for Youths’ that will emphasise Social Media Management while also planning to extend the programme to schools to give students an idea of how they should approach the social media.
Reacting, the acting Secretary of Niger Delta Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria (NAOMPON) and publisher of NegroidHaven.Org, Efio-Ita Nyok, said online journalists are neither enemies of the government nor the state, but explained that they have been unjustly ‘mis-perceived’ as being so; and so they are seen and treated in bad light by government representatives.
He suggested that the sensitisation programme for online practitioners also be extended to sensitise public officers, so as to aid them on how to relate well with the media, irrespective of their platforms and reportorial philosophy.
Nyok further sued for government to open its retainership for all online practitioners and not to its relations alone, and to do so without having to compromise the media.
On his part, Emmanuel Unah, publisher of MyCrossRiver.Com reminded government of the governor’s promise to maintain a relationship with online platforms by assisting in organising trainings and others.
He further urged the Commissioner to liaise with the governor to come out with a modality that will assist these platforms towards strengthening the promised relationship.
Also, Frankie Ifop, publisher of CalabarReporters.Com urged government to task public officers in MDAs to conduct themselves according to best practice when information about their departments are being sought by online media practitioners.
Emmanuel Ulayi, SA to the governor on media, said the role of the online media to project the positive narratives of the state cannot be overemphasised.
MIKE ABANG,Calabar
