PROMOTING THE PRESS’ IMPACT ON NATION-BUILDING AS THE 2017
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY IS MARKED ON WEDNESDAY MAY 3
May 3 each year is observed as the World Press
Freedom Day. The World Press Freedom Day was approved by the United Nations (UN)
General Assembly in December 1993 following the recommendation of the General
Assembly of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO). The Day is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of
press freedom, assess the state of press freedom throughout the world, defend
the media from attacks on their independence, and among all, pay tribute to
journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Press can be described as the news
media and agencies collectively, especially newspapers and magazines. In the
same vein, freedom of the Press or the Press freedom is the freedom the press
workers or personnel have to communicate and express their views through the
media including print and electronic. While such freedom mostly implies the
absence of interference from an overreaching state, its preservation may be
sought through constitutional or other legal protections.
With
respect to government information, any government may distinguish the materials
that are meant to be public from the ones to be protected based on
classification of the information as sensitive, secret, and being otherwise
protected from disclosure due to its relevance to protecting the national interest.
Many governments are also subject to sunshine laws or freedom of information
legislation that are used to define the ambit of national interest.
The
United Nations’ 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right
includes freedom to hold opinions without interference as well as impart
information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers”. This
philosophy is usually accompanied by legislation ensuring various degrees of
freedom such as freedom of scientific research known as ‘scientific freedom’,
publishing, press and printing. The concept of freedom of speech is often
covered by the same laws as freedom of the press thereby giving equal treatment
to both spoken and published expressions.
Undoubtedly, the impact of the press on
nation building cannot be overemphasized. It is noteworthy that, the current
socio-political, ethnic and religious intolerance in Nigeria can best be
addressed by giving the press a free role not only in presentation of reportage
but educating the entire citizenry on the need to embrace absolute tolerance
irrespective of their respective affiliations.
The ongoing Boko-Haram terrorism in Nigeria,
particularly in the North-East region of the country, coupled with the current
crisis occasioned by herdsmen cannot be properly approached or tackled without
involving the press. In this aspect, the press would enable the citizens and
other concerned or affected groups to know what is at stake as well as what is
expected of them at any given time.
Of
course, it is the press that would enable the general public to acknowledge the
anticipated dimension of the said anomalies. Creating awareness and awakening
the consciousness of the populace in this regard or in a situation of such
cannot be compromised, and suchlike measure cannot be achieved without the
effort of the press.
Considering
the just concluded elections in Nigeria, we would agree to the obvious fact
that the role of the press throughout the exercise was not just enormous, but
unquantifiable. It was the press that enabled both the security operatives and
the general public to know where and when there was any form of pandemonium or
security threat as the case might be as well as the nature of the incident.
Among all, the press created an avenue for transparency as long as the polls
lasted which led to a credible, peaceful and successful exercise.
Inter
alia, as regards the activities of the political office holders or public
officers at large, the press has helped tremendously to fight bribery and
corruption that is often exhibited by the said personnel. It is the press that
enables the people to be fully aware of the steps being taken by the government
towards addressing any issue or anomaly alongside the respective efforts of
each of the government functionaries. Similarly, the contribution of critics in
national development or good governance through presentation of constructive
criticism cannot be effective without the press.
As Nigeria joins the global community to
commemorate the World Press Freedom Day, there is need for all concerned
authorities and groups in the country to safeguard the Freedom of Information
(FOI) law that is aimed towards restructuring the Nigerian democratic system. On
the other hand, there’s equally an urgent need for the release of all the
journalists and media personnel across the globe that are being detained
unjustly by the police or any law enforcement agency.
More so, the governments at all levels ought
to stop further arrest and intimidation of activists whom they perceive as
critics of their negative political agenda or mission. Suffice it to say; the
press ought to be given a thorough free role in reporting and seeking solution
to issues that may threaten the peace and unity of our great country Nigeria.
On their part, the members of the media must
at all times concentrate on objective or unbiased reportage; hence, they are
expected to think beyond their individual interest in any circumstance they
find themselves. In view of this, no member of the press should in any occasion
or on any ground publish any news/story without embarking on thorough and
adequate investigation. In other words, investigative reporting is expected to be
the watchword of every pressman. Think about it!
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