...calls for self-regulation, responsible reportage
Priscilla Akpanettot
Veteran Journalist and Managing Editor of Guardpost Nigeria, Ibanga Isine has warned that those who own and manage blogs as well as those who publish news items online are not in anyway shielded from the law of libel and defamation.
He said this when he addressed the Conference of Online Publishers in Akwa Ibom State (COOPA) at their 2023 Convention which held over the weekend in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.
The Keynote Speaker who spoke via a zoom session on the theme "The Future of Social Media: Exploring Emerging Platforms, Technologies, and the Landscape"; described a blog as a digital platform which allows individuals or organisations to express and share their thoughts, ideas and experiences on a wide range of topics.
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| Members of COOPA at the Conference |
"Can a blog be considered a medium of mass communication? The answer is yes and that is because technology has removed the barrier that once restricted mass communication practice to journalists, editors, and filmmakers", he explained.
"Today, laypeople can use digital platforms to share their feelings, thoughts, information and ideas with a large and broadly dispersed group of people for a little or no cost. Now...if blogging is a kind of mass communication, are bloggers who create and share information, ideas, and content subject to the same values, laws, and rules as other forms of mass communication? The answer is still yes", he said.
"If communications and media law encompasses all legal issues affecting the media and telecommunications industries, such as free speech, defamation, copyright, and censorship, stalking, bullying, privacy, and national security, are bloggers immune from liability if they violate the law?
The answer this time around is no. Here lies the reason many bloggers and online publishers have continued to be caught on the other side of the law", he pointed.
Describing the theme of the Conference as timely and incisive, the renowned Journalist said it was a call to COOPA members and journalists in the state "to upskill, cross-skill, and receive hands-on learning required to remain relevant, deliver value, and make profit in a highly disruptive global media ecosystem".
He dismissed the notion held by some bloggers that they live in a world of their own and are largely disconnected from the broader framework, values and practices of the media or mass communication, stressing that such perception is "extremely dangerous and could harm not only the blogger or online publisher, but also lead to the breakdown of law and order".
He therefore called on members of the organization to be more responsible content creators and become more valuable by acquiring requisite skills that would enhance their relevance in the highly competitive media space.
"Young and upcoming bloggers and content creators like you have reason to be worried, as major media corporations now deploy top-tier services of professionals and leverage their wide connections in corporate and political circles to pursue the huge amount of advertising revenue flooding into the blogging industry. While it is true that you cannot compete with them on equal footing, there are still steps you can take to ensure your own success, continued relevance, and financial gain. You must innovate, create, and serve".
"When deciding what to post next, it's important to think about the people who will be exposed to the content, how the content will affect them, and how to minimise the negative impacts while amplifying any positive ones".
Furthermore, Mr. Ibanga Isine charged his audience to refrain from being used as political tools of public office holders, adding that a lot of bloggers' arrest and detainment can be traced to their unholy matrimony with politicians.
"You must stop being mouth organs of politicians and do not deploy your platforms to fight their dirty wars. You will agree with me that a lot of the problems you have encountered as a blogger can be traced back to the materials you obtained from politically exposed persons or the posts you made about politically exposed persons. I will not fail to call out media aides to government officials and other individuals who breed crises for a living by giving false scoops and inflammatory stories to both bloggers and journalists. When these narratives are published and they spark a crisis, they go to their bosses and extort them under the pretense of handling the situation they created", he maintained.
"Some of these maggots in the political murky pond have never had a significant career or trade other than functioning as errand boys and purveyors of propaganda. You must avoid these people for they do not mean well for you and the society".
Consequently, he called on Government Officials to cease from rewarding such persons as their aides, saying they operate the dark media and put Journalists and bloggers into trouble.
"It is past time for the government of Akwa Ibom State, and indeed governments at all levels across the country, to stop rewarding misconduct by appointing people who insult, lampoon, and malignr citizens who criticise the government with the genuine intention of wanting them to deliver on the promise of good governance. When appointed, these individuals operate the dark media within the government's air-conditioned offices, fabricating reports against perceived enemies of the government. Such stories put journalists and bloggers in trouble".
Subsequently, Isine advised COOPA to shield itself from the influence of such people in the corridors of power, by establishing a set of ethical guidelines, a code of conduct, or a set of principles to govern their activities and promote ethical standards within their community.
"The establishment of such a framework would not only enhance the reputation of practitioners, but also serve as an indication of their professionalism. If your members are not immune from punishment for contravening the rules and regulations that govern the operations of the media and telecommunications sectors, then no one should advise you to create a framework to protect yourselves", he stated.
Meanwhile, the veteran gave the organization a thumbs up for being upbeat in the discharge of their functions and towing the part of professionalism.
"Let me remark that between 2015 and now, the Akwa Ibom State blogging community, under the aegis of COOPA, has done an excellent job of cleaning up the practice. I am glad to note that some of our criticisms sparked a sort of revival in the Conference, with many completing programmes in journalism and related media disciplines".
"For this, I would like to acknowledge my brother, Chancellor Nsewo, and his team for providing the quality leadership that has helped COOPA become what it is today. They have done an excellent job of reorienting and
rebranding what was once a motley crew of online warriors into a body of responsible and respected bloggers and online publishers".
He wished the organization well and urged them to keep up on capacity development, reminding that every investment one makes to improve his/herself and the society offers returns in more than one currency.
"But as you work on that investment, never leave your door open for someone to turn off your light", Ibanga Isine maintained.
At the Conference, a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court, Ekemini Udim also presented a Paper on "The Legal Burden of Online Publishing and the increasing Scourge of Harassment faced by Bloggers and Social Media Influencers.
Other Papers presented were on "Product Development and Prototyping" by Hanson Johnson; "Empowering Women in Tech: Bridging the Gender Gap" by EnoAbasi Emah and another by Idongesit Essien
Goodwill messages were received from COOPA's Patron, Mr. Akan Okon; Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Brand Management and Marketing, Sir. Ralph Edem; General Manager, Villa Marina Hotel, Mr. Carnice Ezirim and Ace broadcaster, Mr. Mr. Eshiet Rockefeller Nsudo.
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