MEDIA SURVEY KNOCKS THE GUARDIAN,INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS ON IBORI,IBRU NEWS REPORTAGE

MEDIA SURVEY KNOCKS THE GUARDIAN,INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS

ON IBORI,IBRU NEWS REPORTAGE

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU

A media survey is said to have criticized the style of news reporting and investigations of both The Guardian Newspapers and the Independent Newspapers.

In a submission at a recent one day seminar held at the International Press Centre in Lagos,a university don, Professor Lai Oso told a cross section of the audience that it was high time Nigerian journalists does something urgently about the falling standards of the profession.

The university don stated that he disagreed very strongly with anyone that calls The Guardian Newspapers or The Independent Newspapers as Nigeria’s best newspaper as they were found wanting during a media survey on there reportage of events surrounding the personality of Chief Onanefe James Ibori,Former Governor of Delta State and Mrs Cecilia Ibru,Former Chief Executive Officer of defunct Oceanic International Bank Plc.

Chief Ibori who is now in prison in the United Kingdom on account of corruption is the majority shareholder of  the Independent Newspapers while Mrs Cecilia Ibru’s extended family members own The Guardian Newspapers who were recently in the news for forgery as well.

Professor Oso explained that during the Ibori and Ibru saga ,there were certain part of the reports and investigations that both organizations refrained from exposing thus putting a lot of question marks on the competence of the editors.

His words:”This is due to the general and perceived bias of the ownership of the press which we all talk about while I accept that it is impossible for us not to have our own form of bias even as individuals the overall interest of the society should be paramount at all times”

He noted that the press should be neutral, independent at all times with the reporters been allowed to make there own choice of reports available.

Professor Oso insisted that a press that does not have the features of plurality ,representation, visibility, set agenda then the society will be in serious trouble.

He affirmed that if anyone desires to invite the press to an vent and that vent is not considered strong enough to get a press mention then the organizer of such an event should work very hard.

Oso speaks:”a more commercially oriented firm will have a different approach to news than the one that is conservative in its orientation”

“if you engage in any form of exceptional behavior either positively or negatively then you will certainly get a press mention either way”

The University don added that whether the Independent National Electoral Commission liked it or not the social media will play a significant role in building the future of the Nigerian nation during the 2015 General elections.

In a related issue,The Editor Sunday Edition ,The Independent Newspapers ,Mr Habib Aruna affirms that it was the press that changes and controls narration adding quickly that as a news hound despite having a bias the larger interests of the public was paramount.

He assured that the recent coverage of the governorship elections in Oshun state has brought a lot of legitimacy on Governor Aregbeshola ‘s victory at the polls.

Aruna speaks:”The shape of the race was determined essentially by what was happening on the social media”

He pointed out that in the future it was critical for anyone who aspires to have a mention in the press to keep the media informed of his activities .