By Abdallah el-Kurebe, News Editor
The International Press Centre (IPC) has said that against the tide of hate speech and fake news reeled on the online media, the platform should rather be language and conflict sensitive reporting devoid of discriminatory ideology.
Delivering his opening speech at a two-day training workshop on conflict sensitive reporting of elections online in Abuja, the Director of the Centre, Mr. Lanre Arogundare stated that violent conflict during elections could occur if online journalism practitioners and bloggers refuse to embrace conflict sensitive principles.
The IPC Director, represented by the Programme Officer of the Centre, Stella Nwofia said the training was necessary because the online environment now occupied a very central place in media operations.
“First, it has offered a converging point for all the traditional and conventional media – The Radio, Television and the Print – such that we now speak of media convergence. Second, it has offered a very broad spectrum of information and dissemination as well as access to the media by millions if not billions of Internet users be they as individuals or groups.
“Third, Nigeria has a large population of internet users, and as a result there is a rapid increase in the number of journalists offering to practise online to reach this ‘Internet or Online population’. What all this means is that we simply cannot ignore what goes on Online in the name of journalism especially against the background of growing perception that online media and social media platforms are the major harbingers of hate speech and stokers of inciting flames,” he stated.
Aogundare disclosed that research findings showed that online platforms were used as tool to promote hate speech and discriminatory ideology.
“There is also some evidence that hate speech actually flourishes in the online environment. For example, the findings of an online survey on combating gender related hate speech online undertaken by PeaceTech and in which my organisation was involved, established that some are using online platforms as tool to promote hate speech and discriminatory ideology. It is believed that this is contributing to the shrinking of the political space for the inclusive participation of women and vulnerable groups in the electoral process and elections, as well as the political and governance structure in Nigeria.”
A cross-section of participants at the two-day workshop for Online Journalists/Bloggers on conflict sensitive reporting held in Abuja
IPC opined that in the realm of politics, violent conflict during elections could occur if online journalism practitioners and bloggers refused to embrace conflict sensitive principles.
“The emerging consensus therefore is that online journalists and bloggers need to strive to do better so they could be part of efforts that seek to remove hate narratives from political communication as a way of making the electoral environment healthier,” he stated.
He called on participants to be availed with the opportunity in the training, understand and imbibe the principles of fairness, diversity and objectivity in reporting the electoral process and the elections. “Our expectation is that the online media would be used as a platform for fair, balanced, language sensitive and conflict sensitive reporting of the elections.”
The participants, who came from the spectra of the media, including radio, television, the print and importantly, the online, listened to facilitators that were deliberately selected to impart knowledge around fake news and hate speech.
Dr. Ruqayyah Yusuf Aliyu of the Department of Information and Media Studies of Bayero University Kano presented papers including, “Understanding conflict, its nature and character” and “Hate Speech and Fake News: Imperatives of Ethics and Professionalism in Online Reporting in Nigeria.”
The Executive Director of CITAD, Dr. Yakubu Z. Yau presented “Contemporary Conflicts in Nigeria and Possible Impact on Media Coverage of 2019 Elections” and “Monitoring of Hate Speech Online: Observations, Lessons and Recommendations from Outcomes” while the Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed presented “Social Media and Elections: Giving Practical Effects to Conflict Sensitive Reporting Online” and “News gathering and Newsroom Gate-keeping in an Era of Hate Speech: Tips on Pitfalls to Avoid.”
The Plenary, which harped on “Emerging Issues” as well as “Real Life Scenerios” was practically engaging with participants leaving the workshop venue better informed on hate speech and fake news than when they came.
