BY ESTHER QUI
Journalists have been exhorted to be reliable, apolitical and to be selective when disseminating information to the public. This encouragement came during a talk termed ‘Dangers of spreading false or fake news during conflict situations’, organised by the National Communication Council (NCC) as part of activities to mark the commemoration of World Press Freedom Day in Limbe, last Wednesday May 3, 2017, at the Musango Beach hotel.
This year’s World Press Freedom Day was commemorated under the theme ‘Critical minds for critical times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies.’
The President of the NCC, veteran journalist Peter Essoka, focussing on the theme of the talk, made the journalists to understand that ethical journalism is capital during crisis situations: “If a journalist does not speak or write the truth or do proper research before doing a report, she/he can derail the public. I therefore urge you to give reliable and authentic information to your consumers.”
Peter Essoka equally told the media practitioners that: “This journalism profession can either make or mar a journalist. We have gotten into a lot of mess today because we look over our soldiers… It is therefore essential for journalists to bring people to maintain peace and together in our society.”
The President, who used the opportunity to share his intriguing history of the profession, said: “Democracy without a good press becomes repressive.”
One after the other, Joseph Janvier Mvoto Obounou (vice president NCC), Jean Claude Otto and Charly Ndi Chia (members NCC), all shared briefly on their determination, zeal and passion to their work at a time when press freedom in Cameroon was still in ‘the closets’.
Charly Ndi Chia, who moderated the talk, advanced that: “The internet or social media has infiltrated the orthodox media, giving way to so much falsehood, and misinformation.”
During the question and answer session, Solomon Tembang of Eden Newspaper asked “What are some of the measures the Council has been using so far to ensure the strict respect of their sanctions?” While Leonard Kum of Hi TV Cameroon sought to know why the Council only cracks down on defaulters and quacks but does not reward or encourage exceptional journalism.
In response to the first question, Peter Essoka said: “We do not have a police force, yet we greatly rely on the administrators to see that all sanctions and decisions are effective carried out to the latter. However, we hope that in the years ahead, we are going to have a well structured system like that of Nigeria.”
Answering Leonard Kum’s worry, he said that plans had been made last year to organise a program that will award excellent journalism practice in the country, but was later postponed for reasons he could not disclose.
It should be noted that the National Communication Council had the same exercise in Kumba on May 4, 2017, where the members had a talk with members of the fourth estate on: ‘Dangers of spreading false or fake news during conflict situations’.