The Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Dr. Ladan Salihu, has cautioned operators of online and social media in general to pay attention to the credibility of the information they put across to members of the public to avoid misinformation.
Salihu gave the charge at Badagry, Lagos, while speaking with newsmen at the opening ceremony of Radio Nigeria’s (Lagos Operation) Content Providers Summit/Retreat, with the theme, ‘’Audience Focused Programming in a Changing Environment-Re-branding for content.’’
He called on operators to do more in ensuring the authenticity of the information they put in the public domain by ensuring that such information was not only verifiable but also in tune with the laws of the land.
Salihu, who was represented by FRCN Director of Operation, Mohammed Bello, said unless such was done, the credibility of online and the media industry in general might be at risk and opened to public ridicule.
Salihu noted that since there would always be information, those with the responsibility to provide such information must brace up to face the challenge that came with it.
While noting an upsurge in the social and online news media, which he said was a good development; Salihu said however, that it would not upstage the traditional media as radio, television, newspapers and magazines because of the issue of authentification and verification.
He said: “Here we are, the traditional media, the radio, television, newspapers and magazines on one hand, then we have the twitter, WhatsApp Messenger, the email, online journalism and all of that, all these have not taken the shine away from the traditional media. One has to be conscious today what you read on the social media, we need authentification, we need verification that is the advantage that the traditional media still have. I want to believe that the operators of the online media will do something when it comes to editorial judgement and, indeed, facts because facts are sacred and those editors of online need to do more.”
Vanguard
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