Recap on Conversation #EveryoneIsAJournalist
The crossover of Bloggers into news publishing platforms in Nigeria has given rise to a debate among information consumers concerning who should or shouldn’t be called a journalist with reference to traditional and online publishers.
It is now evident that the advent of social media platforms has changed the dynamics of communication and possibly the understanding of what used to be known as journalism. The age-long profession is being threatened by the rise of bloggers and social media influencers, who are now acquiring “journalist” and “thought leaders” status.
As follow up to “Everyone Is A Journalist” article published on May 5, 2017 that highlighted the above mentioned dilemma, Nigerians shared their thoughts across social media platforms.
Twitter user Adenekan Moruff hinged on the dearth of journalism ethics;
@abdul_semi buttressed on the point raised by Adenekan Moruff
Adenekan Moruff raised concern on the issue of platform credibility. This was also shared by @abdul_semi, @adeola_pumpkin and Innocent Ekejiuba
Another concern raised was on “ethics” of journalism, shared by @Yincar @missifyfelix and Emmanuel Chidiogo;
Highlighting the many-to-many communication model of the digital media era, Mr Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, said;
There was also the perspective of journalism racing against time and accuracy. Journalism now has the burden of satisfying the bigger appetite for quick and apt information, while staying accurate. This was shared by Innocent Ekejiuba and @yewandeogunbajo, @vikkie2003 and Emmanuel Chidiogo
Sharing thoughts on the existence of Objective Journalism, @yincar and Innocent Ekejiuba said;
From the conversation it is evident that having journalism training alone isn't good enough. The key thing is satisfying the ethics of journalism - which is characterized by objectivity, putting away sentiments, balanced reporting and verifying information before publishing.
It doesn't matter whether you work for mainstream media, own a blog or Social media channel, satisfying the aforementioned ethics earns one the bragging right to play in the space of journalism.
Speed will continue to be the bane of verified information, however it must be said that in spite of the insatiable appetite of information seekers, a platform that ensures every info is verified before pushing out will in the long run gain trust and a dedicated audience.
