The Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Management Academy, Abuja, Mr. Peter Oyeneye has argued that for the digital economy agenda being pursuit by the Ministry of Communications and digita economy to be successful, it must leverage on effective media reportage.
Mr. Peter in a presentation titled ‘Professionalism and Ethics in Modern Reportage’, which was delivered recently in Lagos during a 5-day capacity building training for ICT journalists, believes that journalism is so sensitive and important as it affects the operation of both the private and public sectors of the economy. Thus, effective media coverage must be encouraged.
“There is a need for effective reportage in digital economy. We cannot have an effective digital economy if there is no effective media reportage,” he said at the capacity building training, organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for members of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA).
Calling on journalists to always display professional ethics in discharge of their duties, Mr. Peter stressed that a journalist who is ethical on his job helps the reputation of the nation, adding that digital economy will collapse without integrity.
“Digital economy will be negatively affected if our news stories are negative and inaccurate. The failure of the journalists to promote universal principles of human rights, democracy, justice, equity and peace will make investors turn their back to our economy,” he warned.
While calling on journalists to always verify their reports and be careful of what they say or write, Mr. Peter noted that news stories that are religiously or culturally biased will help to kill the spirit of digital economy.
