The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has organized a one-day capacity building training for Editors and Electoral Officials ahead of forthcoming 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
Penpushing reports that, the capacity building training was held on Friday, December 9, 2022 in Lagos, South-West of the country, with participants drawn from the region, while the first session has the topic, ’The New Information Paradigm and Elections delivered by Prof Lai Oso
The guest lecturer in his paper stated that role of media in the electoral process is now more visible and physical, and pointed out that gatekeeping in this era of technology is now poor ,which has been overwhelmed by the social media.
Penpushing further reports that, Oso stressed that the professionalism in gatekeeping in the media industry is now challenging, just as he called on need by all media organisations to tow the line of fact check
The Professor of Mass Communication Lagos State University(LASU) added that, monopoly of media owners have equally been broken by social media, noting that, the mainstream media have become the hunted by the social media
Penpushing also reports that, the second session with the theme,’The Impact of Online Harmful Practices on Election and Responses to Tackle Them’, was delivered by Ms Piterbarg Albetina, while the third training session has the topic ‘Covering Elections in Digital Era’, was delivered by Ms Pamela Makotsi Sittoni, Executive Editor at Nation Media Group(NMG),Kenya
The participants took time to robustly contributed and shared knowledge at the workshop, which also open their eyes to developmental journalism, as well having the benefits to further broaden their knowledge, particular on the new media as election is billed to take place within next few months
Penpushing reports that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Olusegun Agbaje in his goodwill message assured that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shall maintain a continuous engagement of all critical stakeholders and partners, particularly the media.
The Commissioner represented by Mrs Tadese, explained that this became necessary towards the achievement of free, fair, credible and transparent election,, stressing that media as the fourth estate of the realm has a significant and essential roles to play for the sustenance and consolidation of democracy and good governance in Nigeria, and particularly in this digital age
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