An arrangement of newspapers pictured in London on March 23, 2017, as an illustration, shows the front pages of the UK daily newspapers reporting on the March 22 terror attack that claimed at least three lives in Westminster central London. Britain’s parliament reopened on Thursday with a minute’s silence in a gesture of defiance a day after an attacker sowed terror in the heart of Westminster, killing three people before being shot dead. Sombre-looking lawmakers in a packed House of Commons chamber bowed their heads and police officers also marked the silence standing outside the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police nearby. / AFP PHOTO
A media expert, Malam Isma’ila Funtua, has urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to curb abuses in online and social media platforms in the country.
Funtua gave the task in his opening remarks as the Chairman of the 13th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference and Extraordinary Convention in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Funtua, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ) Governing Council, said the media was being attacked by unqualified individuals.
He said that Nigeria was the only country where news published online was made available to readers free without charge.
“The leadership of the NGE should be focussed to advancing journalism practice as watchdog of the society.
“Nigeria is the only country where news online are free which is not so in many countries.
“The NGE should check abuse with focus to avoiding being unbiased and disassociate itself from collecting gratification,” he said.
Funtua also enjoined publishers and media owners to pay salaries of their workers, adding that prompt payment of salaries of workers will discourage gratification in the profession.
He said that the nation’s media industry was fiercely competitive and among the fastest growing sectors in the country.
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