The Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria has called for the regulation of social media practise in order to protect the overall interest of the country.
ALSO Tribunal sacks APC’s KKO
Rising from a two day 6th Annual conference in Abeokuta,the Ogun state capital with the Theme:National Interest,Freedom of Expression and Governance in Africa,the body as part of its 15 -point communique said this is necessary,” in order to ensure that national interest is
reflected but without affecting the freedom of expression.”
The body which is made up of Communication Scholars and professionals in the country, said professionals, ” should take control of social media in order to ensure professionalism and
protection of freedom of expression”.
It also said that ACSPN researchers should conduct communication studies on oil industry in order to
guide and protect the interest of the country.
The communique also resolved that: Nigeria should use big data to improve data generation and analysis so that it can drive
development especially the Sustainable Development Goals.
ii. Government should establish e-participation initiative in order to improve and strengthen
governance.
In the communiqué signed by Professor Nosa Owen-Ibie, the body added that;
Conventional media organisations should be engaged in producing programmes that will
curtail fake news in Nigeria;
Film professionals should be sensitive to cultural and ethnic stereotyping through names given to characters in their films to avoid conflicts in the society; Regulatory bodies should take steps to correct film makers in this respect. ; Broadcasting should be used to promote agricultural production in Nigeria by
establishing community radio stations in all local government areas in the country.;. Television stations should promote programmes fighting human trafficking. 10. Stakeholders should come up with national communication policy that articulates and
addresses national development and governance challenges ; Journalists should be trained and retrained for professional practice;
Media practitioners should engage in research to back up their stories and desist
reporting merely from press releases issued by agencies and organisations ;
Media options such as plays and music should be explored as tools for public
sensitization and mobilization;
Nigerian newspapers should give prominence to editorials in discussing violence during
elections. and lastly that;
Journalists, media professionals and academics should not associate themselves with anything that is fake, adding, “they should rather do whatever is possible to bring Nigeria into the right path through professional report”.
