Nigerian reporters discuss PJ, journalist safety
About 120 Nigerian journalists gathered on Zoom on June
22-23-24 to learn about and discuss peace journalism. The event was sponsored
by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The journalists joined the Zoom conference from locations across Nigeria, including Abuja, Ibidan, Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto, and Bauchi.
On the first day, I presented the basics of peace journalism, and we discussed how it might apply in a Nigerian context. Two questions were each asked several times. The first was whether peace journalism is advocacy journalism. I responded that reporting about something is not advocating that something. War correspondents, after all, don’t advocate for war, they report about it. The same with peace journalists, who are reporting using the voices of peacemakers while giving information about nonviolent options, but not advocating for these options.
The second question dealt with the role of media vis-a-vis
government, and particularly a government intent on censorship. Exhibit A in
this censorship is the recent total ban of Twitter in Nigeria.
On the second day, we discussed reporting terrorism and
civic unrest, two topics of special importance in Nigeria. Asked to list the
weaknesses of Nigerian coverage of terrorism, the journalists listed not having
access to terrorists for comments/information; anti-Islam and/or regional bias,
and sensationalism. The strengths included providing the public with a wealth
of information about terrorist impacts.
As to how terrorism coverage could be improved, the
journalists listed several excellent ideas:
a.Being more objective
b. Helping to seek common ground
c. Balancing stories with information from all sides
d. Eliminating sensationalism
e. More careful work choice
f. Focusing on victims
-Carry out risk assessment before going to cover a conflict.
-Take caution to avoid second incident impact like in cases
of bomb explosions etc.
-Complete adherence to the principles of peace journalism.
-Sharing survival experience with other colleagues
-Balanced reporting can help journalists reduce risk of attacks.
-Have personal protective gear like pepper spray and bullet
proofs
-Watch utterances in your reporting or verbal communication
-While visiting a tense environment, wear garments that
clearly identify you as a journalist.
-Survey the area beforehand and stay far away from the area
of violence while reporting.
-Do your research so you don't get caught up in violent
clashes.
In sum, wrote one reporter, “Journalists have to avoid
unnecessary risks and ensure their safety first.”
I was impressed by the engagement and participant from the
journalists, especially given the challenges of a Zoom conference. As I told
the participants, I learned as much as they did about the complex and
challenging media environment in Nigeria. It’s my hope to engage these same
journalists face-to-face very soon.
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