Awesome Ekene
A conference for media professionals and social media influencers held Wednesday in Awka, the Anambra State Capital, has buttressed the need to abolish laws bordering on criminal defamation from Nigeria’s penal code.
Participants at the conference organized by the Association of Digital Media Core Advocates(ADMCA) said the call has become expedient, as such law was being used as tool by the wealthy members of the society to intimidate journalists in the country.
The one day conference on cyber aggression, cyber bullying and safe use of social media, also urged Proprietors and Publishers of Media Outfits to guarantee job security and welfare of journalists working under them.
A communique issued at the end of the conference reads in part, “There should be regulatory body and measures to checkmate fake news and libelous reports in order not to mislead the general public.
“Government and society should see journalists as the moral compass of the society and should be treated with respect at all times.
“Cyber bulling and stalking have caused great damage to the integrity of the victims and have also infected stigma on their victims.
“It has also affected the professional practice and ethics of journalism profession which robs off on the society negativity.
“Journalists should at all times verify and balance reports before going to bed.
“Publishers of media organisations and other stakeholders must ensure job security, welfare and protection of practitioners.
“More issues concerning information management should be discussed in due course for the purposes feeding the society with the right facts.”
While unveiling a new Online Newspaper, tagged “Hardcore News”, the National President of the Association, Dr Chuma Harris Odili said he intended to drive the online publication towards achieving set goals in the media industry.
He said, “Apart from the fact that we will be dwelling on an emerging but vert disturbing aspects of digital media practice, called cyber aggression, we will be unveiling our response to responsible and ethical digital media practice, which is an online newspaper called, Hardcore News.
“Hardcore News is our answer to all the issues we will be raising as regards this growing trend called cyber aggression,and you will confirm this when you check out the portal at www.hardcorenewsng.com.
“As unhealthy as this may appear, ADMCA will always urge balance when digital media practitioners want to share whatever story they have online.”
Delivering a lecture on Cyber Bullying and Stalking, Dr Chukwuma Onukwo from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka listed negative effects of cyber bullying to include increased stress, depression, low esteem, long lasting emotional effect among others.
He urged stakeholders in the media industry to act professionally and mobilize effectively to control its effects.
