LASG CHALLENGES COMMUNITY MEDIA ON FACTUAL REPORTING
The Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Communities and Communications, Mr. Akeem Omoyele Sulaimon has challenged community media practitioners in all 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the State to be truthful, objective and factual in reporting happenings at the grassroots.
Sulaimon, who stated this during the courtesy visit of the Practitioners to his Office in Alausa, Ikeja said that the roles played by community media cannot be over-emphasised in bringing government closer to the people and ensuring peaceful coexistence of the people at the grassroots.
He added that information dissemination at the grassroots remains a vital way of connecting government with the local dwellers, noting that the community media reporters are expected to project the activities and programmes of the Government at the grassroots.
“Be factual, truthful and objective in your reportage so there can be a healthy relationship between the communities and the Government”, he said.
While giving instances of the negative effect of untruthful reportage on the growth and peaceful coexistence of communities, the Special adviser appealed to the stakeholders to avoid misinforming members of the public or circulating information that would be detrimental to community interest.
In his words, “What I’m telling you is more of a challenge. If you are reporting anything, first put yourself in the shoes of the receiver and anticipate the effect which the information you are putting in the public domain will have on your community”.
He assured the practitioners of capacity building in community reporting and integration with the government.
Responding to the charge, Mr. Obafemi Adesanya commended the present administration for giving them recognition and promised that registered publishers of community media would continue to promote peace in their various communities and cooperate with the government to inform people at grassroots of government policies and programmes.
