sitemaster OF FLIMFLAM JOURNALISM, CONSCIENCE AND REGULATORY AGENCIES
Solomon Chollom
One wakes up each day to see one provocative news item or the other in the dailies on Plateau and Plateau citizens. Most of them are national dailies with international reach, a charade the indigenous, Plateau State-based online news outlets have recently joined.
Journalists are respected professionals, they are the voice, eyes, ears and, most times, conscience of the people. They must be seen to keep that posture irrespective of their position and disposition on trending issues. They must not be seen sacrificing professionalism for patronage or patriotism for parochialism.
A disturbing trend no doubt evolved in Plateau State sequel to the crises that rocked the state from early 2000 till date. It has over the years taken several dimensions, ranging from the highly inflammatory to the divisive, with a few maintaining the boundaries of objectivity and rationality. Most times the slain were demonized and projected as the warlords while the warlord polished and packaged as the endangered.
Reports of unprovoked attacks on innocent Nigerians in the markets, religious houses and social hangouts in and around Jos either went unreported or watered down as skirmishes even when hundreds of lives were lost and billions of naira of business investments destroyed. The flip side interestingly received over bloated publicity, mostly high- octane propaganda, a clear signature of flimflam journalism
Also, persistent dawn attacks on communities were overlooked while the number of decimated communities rose unprecedentedly with IDP camps increasing in numbers and sizes. At best, our journalists reported that the communities stole cows and were visited by their sins, a loud statement to standing professionalism to its head. If the appropriate news was captured, perhaps government would have been alerted to take appropriate action and stop the dissemination of same as presently witnessed across the nation.
Again, these media outfits were at it when stakes were high at the build up to the last general elections. The world was made to believe everything about Plateau and the citizens except their hospitable nature, clement weather, brotherhood and potentials to woo investors. A misunderstanding between husband and wife was as good as a headline news with tags such as "Plateau Boils Again" while developmental and peace building strides of government and stakeholders never attracted the lenses of media or, at best, met only their dry pens.
Of recent, the situation became more appalling and embarrassingly childish where the ongoing PDP congresses received weird publicity against giants news items that would have drawn commendations and recommendations on government delivery of democracy dividends. No one seem interested about decimated communities and the plight of the displaced people in the IDP camps. No one is interested in the strides government is making in recovering looted funds and where they should be ploughed to better our lives. No one cared to tell us why we suffered in uneasy silence while fuel scarcity reigned like a monarch in the mould of The King of Xandu. Investigative journalism has given way to beer parlour reportage and conscience is now in the market for the highest bidder.
In view of the above, however, one wonders if regulatory agencies exist in the online print media. One seems to ask if the overt interest on and against glaring issues are in pursuit of an agenda to rock a peaceful boat on Plateau. One wonders if someone somewhere is paying for the flimflamming of news items for clandestine reasons. So many questions begging for answers
Accepted there are bad eggs in each profession but must we stand aloof and watch them defame our noble profession? Wouldn't regulatory bodies, civil organisations and security agents call the bluff off this little leaven before it leavens the whole lump?
