Much Ado About Citizen Journalism and Ethics

Much Ado About Citizen Journalism and Ethics

Oluwaseyi Oduyela/Washington, DC

It is troubling to see how some “citizen journalists” have taken up the responsibility to (miss)inform the public or rather sell half-truth or total falsehood. Journalism is not about spreading lies; it’s about reporting the truth, giving all sides the opportunity to air their views. When you begin, as a journalist, activist, or political commentator, to alter the truth in the name of publicity, you’re not better if not the worst than politicians.
It is true some people will buy your bull shit, but trust me it’s not going to sell for a long time.
The truth is colorless, it’s neither APC, not PDP, it’s Yoruba, Hausa or Ibo. It is constant.
In this age of technology and with all cell phones capable of video recording, no one can bury the truth or feed people with distortions.
A respectable reporter will report what Oluremi Tinubu said that led to Dino Melaye’s reaction without lying and twisting things. A journalist who believes in ethics will not say that EFCC arrested Obanikoro’s wife with evidence without showing pictures of her arrest with such documents. It is just an irresponsible job.
If the EFCC claimed to have arrested her with the proof of what she was trying to get rid of, did they present the pictures? If they have the video of Obanikoro loading money into the plane for Fayose, can they make the video available? Did you ask for the evidence before you jumped to publishing stories?
I have seen videos of Mrs. Tinubu disrupting Senate proceedings, I saw her refusing to shake Senator Bukola Saraki and even tongue lashing him and where were these citizen journalists to talk about that?
Why should we and do we try to designate some politicians as irresponsible, call them thieves, thugs to the public and make others appear as saints? Who are we and who gave us that power to decide that?
Many of us don’t think of the consequences of our actions, and what we post, we are so blinded by the ambition of popularity that will soon become infamous or just seeking attention.
I have seen many pro-Buhari advocates who are no more, not because they are disappointed in Buhari for reneging on his promises but because they failed in getting the man’s attention. Some of them got rebuffed for proposals sent to Buhari, and now they turn against him.
I am not a moralist, but I think we should exercise caution on how we misrepresent things and people just because we have access to the internet.
Someone should also tell Mrs. Tinubu to take it easy on the floor of the Senate too; she needs to cut down on her excesses.
The real question is not that Oluremi Tinubu is friendly, humble and respectful. The real deal is since she has been in the Senate what she has done to improve the lives of the people she is representing? How many Bills has she sponsored or co-sponsored?
I have read the news since and no media has gone to her to confirm what happened? Our journalists have only made up “full statements” that are not on tape. Melaye has addressed the press on what happened; now it’s a challenge for rumor-mongering reporters to prove him wrong.
If you cannot prove Melaye wrong, by getting one single senator or video of what happened, then that’s unfortunate.
Let’s play fair; it’s an appeal.