Vulgarising journalism with politics (II)

BY PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER

Factual issues are usually known to generate controversies- this is not an exception. Several negative reactions greeted this piece when it was first published sometimes last year. Those affected argued against the notion that journalism had a distance from politics as opposed to the stance of the writer. However, the fact remains that journalism profession has been ridiculed by so-called selfish and self-seeking individuals posing themselves as secretaries to certain political office holders without regard for the tenets of their profession. Without mincing words, it can be asserted that today’s journalism suffers the problem of greed and covetousness as opposed to that of military disruptions and attacks in those days.

From the onset, journalism has been a noble, reputable and dignified profession, having in its employ gallant writers, reporters and correspondences who at all times, are alert and active in their duty of informing, educating and entertaining the reading public.

Consequently, more gatekeepers emerged, giving the society a feel of security and protection against the odds in the society. Journalism has so far played a crucial role in educating people, transferring values and getting them adequately informed on what goes on in their environment and can be seen as a yardstick for measuring truth and responsibility.

It is believed that just as the watchdogs know their owners and those close to them, journalists know the norms and values of their society and would not do anything to let go the public trust.

All told, journalists have a history of trying to minimise vices in the society by exposing them, it owes the society an obligation to report events so that citizens would have sufficient information to plan their lives and avoid danger.

Surprisingly, recent checks and observations have revealed that the society watchdogs have thrown ethics cautiousness in the air on the platter of fame and money. Reporting and gatekeeping have long been replaced with name-calling and sides-taking which is exhibited in a typical journalist’s news or feature stories.

Journalists practising today write superfluous articles for people they support and paint opponents red before the public. This idiosyncrasy gets worse during election periods where they struggle to be read by their candidates; some aspiring to be Chief Press Secretaries, Press Secretaries, Assistant Press Secretaries, a Personal Assistant or a Special Adviser on media issues. So tense and heated does the race get that they quarrel and strive amongst themselves at social gatherings, social media networks and wherever they meet. Journalists took to PR publications and left their primary duty of informing, educating and entertaining. Titles like “If Governorship Requires Leadership, Udom is the Answer”, “Udom: Favoured by God, Loved by Men”, “Why Udom Emmanuel is the best”, “Oba the King of Kings”, “Nsima the Number One” and others filled newspaper pages that it became difficult to differentiate a politician’s spokesperson from a journalist. This is usually the trend during election periods. Journalists engage so much in advocacy writing, specifically on politics for the sake of money and position. Thus, the demarcation between politics and journalism was long erased and no one seems to be sure of where the tie between journalism and politics ends.

Journalists have now gone so far with their involvement in politics that they tilt stories to the favour of their choice aspirants; accept bribes to defame others in print, and even on the social media. They as well quarrel with colleagues who do not support their stand hence, we now hear of ‘Owo Udom’, ‘Owo Nsima’, ‘owo OBA’ as the case may be in a gathering of men of the press.

Issues of ethics have long been forgotten as the usage of illicit and vulgar words can now be mentioned of practitioners of this noble profession. Where then is our pride of place? If a journalist cannot differentiate between sentiments and facts, where then lies the professionalism of the profession we profess?

Journalism in Akwa Ibom state has become a piece of rag whose service is only needed when a liquid is spilled due to the unwholesome romance with politicians by journalists. A typical ‘newspaper’ report carries just political stories from its cover page to the last. Some do not even mind giving credence to only one politician from its cover page to the back page. Newspaper ownership is now a matter of looking for a politician to fund the production of the newspaper so that an inexperienced, over-ambitious and greedy young fellow can become an Editor-in-Chief without a degree to show for it. Need I mention the proliferation of Newspapers? Our stands are now filled with series of newspapers with ambiguous and non-communication related names such that one would not be surprised to wake up and see newspapers or magazines like ‘The Spoon’, ‘The Event’, ‘The Plate’ in circulation (if they do not exist already). The politically incited papers have so filled the air and with such ungodly, uncooked and cruel contents that the neutral ones are not sought for.

If one may ask, is journalism centred on politics alone or is it tied to it? Isn’t there any sector of this economy worthy of report than or like politics? Must we continue to muddy our dignified profession and reputation at the feet of those who look up to us? Our media have become strong political actors, setting up their medium to propagate their own view and that of their political parties. The stage is now a wrestling field where journalists and their editors clash at all times. All does not seem to be going well at all. The future of journalism in this state is at stake and one wonders where the upcoming generation will begin from. What foundation are today’s ‘stakeholders’ laying for tomorrow’s journalists? And what impression do they create before the students working with them on Industrial Attachment who will come back into the field after school when they fight at events for meagre amounts of money? These are questions all journalists must answer if they do wish their profession success.

None of these observations suggests that journalists should be devoid of political views and judgement because they would be less than citizens without them. Their views and judgement will be acceptable as long as there can be confidence. The emphasis is on drawing the margin between politics and our noble profession. Our worth is more than the cheap publicity we have so long subjected ourselves to. Any politician or aspirant who wishes to have his/her name in print should do it the right way instead of ridiculing us after events with amounts we cannot but accept to pay our transport back home. 

We ourselves should stick to our mandate of reporting objectively so that we can be known for what we stand for. Advocacy and criticism should be restricted to editorials which are clearly distinguished in a publication. News reports are intended to be objective and unbiased, devoid of sentiments and opinions and nothing more. Advocacy journalism intentionally and transparently adopts a non-objective viewpoint, usually for some social or political purpose. It is not in our creed so we should refrain from it. 

It is elementary for journalists to know that joining a political party or playing politics is not an option unless they plan to make their career from the party’s publications. Those who want to be credible reporters of news and politics for a mass audience cannot belong to a political party. If they do, they would have to declare their affiliation because it is a breach of their rights to citizens. It is often said that a word is enough for the wise but critical thinkers believe that even a wink is enough for the intelligent.