The Nation Newspaper

Category: Media Nation

  • Adisa is AAAN President

    Adisa is AAAN President

    Chief Executive Officer, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Lanre Adisa has emerged  the 22nd President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).

    At the 51st Annual General Meeting of the association held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Adisa was elected unopposed by members, and took over the reign of leadership from Steve Babaeko to steer the ship of the professional body for the next two years.

    Adisa who had spent over three decades in the advertising industry cut his teeth with MC&A; Saatchi & Saatchi as a trainee copywriter before moving to Rosabel Advertising.

    Thereafter, he had a stint at Franchise and later Insight Grey where he left to join TBWA Concept. Driven by the passion to set standards in the industry, in 2008, he embarked on his entrepreneurial voyage with the establishment of Noah’s Ark Communications Limited.

    Until his emergence as President, he had served on various committees of the association. He was the Chairman of the Membership Committee and at one time as well as the Constitution Review Committee.

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    Over the last one and a half decades, he has been actively involved in the development and growth of the advertising industry culminating in his appointment as the Chairman, Lagos Advertising Ideas Festival (LAIF) in 2020, a position he led for three years.

    Speaking on his plans for the association, Adisa promised to continue on the legacies and achievements of his predecessor by ensuring that the association becomes more inclusive and representative in a way that everyone would be proud of.

    He assured that the leadership under his watch would work tirelessly to ensure that the professional body takes its pride of place in promoting the interests of member agencies not only locally but globally.

    To Adisa, “we will seek collaborations. We will partner with relevant stakeholders to give member agencies a sense of hope and belief in what holds us together.”

  • Global tech outage and Nigerian media

    Global tech outage and Nigerian media

    It came as a rude shock. Not many media houses, banks and airlines bargained for the recent global tech outage that disrupted telecommunication services around the globe. To some experts, it may be the worst cyber event in history.

    According to Microsoft over 8.5m computers around the world were disabled by the global IT outage. The glitch reportedly came from a security company called CrowdStrike, which sent out a corrupted software update to its huge number of customers.

    “We currently estimate that CrowdStrike’s update affected 8.5 million Windows devices,” Microsoft said.

    Speaking on the lessons Nigerian media can learn from the development, Executive Director Media Rights Agenda (MRA) Mr. Edetaen Ojo, said in today’s digital world, Nigeria like many other countries, has become heavily dependent on technology for the provision and delivery of various services both by government and private companies.

    He observed  there are no plans or advance preparations to mitigate the negative impact of system failures, which are increasing and some of which can have catastrophic consequences.

    He noted that customers and recipients of various public services are therefore usually left helpless and frustrated when technology systems fail.

     “The recent global tech outage that disrupted  operations of media houses airlines, banks, and other businesses has provided several important lessons, which like Nigeria can learn from and that can inform future planning to improve preparedness for such eventualities.  For instance, the outage highlighted the need for robust backup systems and fall-back options.

    “Media houses, federal and state governments in Nigeria as well as private companies must, therefore, ensure that they have multiple layers of backup systems to mitigate the negative impact of such outages.

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    Edetaen urged regulatory authorities in the media space and other sectors of the economy to do a better job of performing their regulatory functions, including by ensuring that governments and private bodies under their regulatory authority comply scrupulously with relevant regulations and standards that can help mitigate the risks associated with such outages as well as ensuring that back-up systems and plans exist.

    He noted that ‘it is also important that media houses, governments and private companies regularly test, update and upgrade their systems as may be necessary and put in place disaster recovery plans and interim measures that can be relied upon when such situations arise. Regular testing can help to identify potential vulnerabilities and will also ensure that both the primary systems and back up options function as expected during any actual outage.  Having a well-defined incident response plan, containing clear roles and responsibilities, appropriate communication protocols, and the steps to be taken for restoring services, is critical for effectively responding to such outages.’

    He, however, observed that the outage may have arisen during software updates adding that it is not inconceivable that cyber criminals and other malicious actors may also deliberately disrupt these technology systems.

  • Litmus test for The Ombudsman

    Litmus test for The Ombudsman

    The National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), the media Ombudsman, faces a major test, which has put it under public focus. A lot of people doubted the intention of the Nigeria Press Organisation (NPO) when it announced the setting up of the Ombudsman last year for The public to channel complaints against perceived infractions by the media. It is a two-leg system.

    First is at the level of media houses – each expected to set up an in-house Ombudsman to look into complaints by aggrieved members of the public.

    The second level is the central one set up to take protests and write reports for the NPO. The chairman of the Central Ombudsman panel is an accomplished journalist, Eluem Emeka Izeze, a former editor-in-chief of The Guardian.

    Others are: former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), A. B Mahmoud; deputy vice chancellor, (Academics) Paul University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna; a development specialist and country director, Care International (Nigeria), Dr. Hussain Abdu; editor-in-chief, Diamond Publications Ltd. and founder, Diamond Awards For Media Excellence (DAME), Mr. Lanre Idowu; Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Mr. Edetaen Ojo; a journalist, lawyer and arbitrator, Mrs. Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo; broadcaster, author and columnist, Mrs. Eugenia Abu; and chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Information.

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    The NMCC is an independent, multi-stakeholder co regulatory body. It was established by the Nigerian Press Organisations made up of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Guild of Editors and the Nigeria Union of Journalists. It works in collaboration with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria. The NMCC is tasked with providing the public with an independent forum for resolving complaints about the press, resolving all complaints quickly, fairly and free of charge. It is expected to do so, maintaining high standards of journalism practice, journalistic ethics and defending the freedom of the press and the rights of the people to know.

    The first assignment of the body was the protest filled by a government security agency against a former editor of an online newspaper, First News, Segun Olatunji.

    The complaint is that the newspaper published an untrue story about some public officials. Prior to filling the protest, Olatunji was abducted from his Lagos home and taken to Abuja.

    For some days his whereabouts were unknown.

    He was later released by the Directorate of Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja. When the agency was told that it ought to have used the instrumentality of redress provided by the NPO, it obliged and filed petition against Olatunji.

    The report of this petition is still being awaited by the public.

    Now, another petition has been filed. This time, it is from the Federal Government against a major newspaper – The Daily Trust. It was filed by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris.

    Idris is incidentally the immediate past treasurer of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).

    He was in office when the NPO set up The Ombudsman.

    The NPAN is the driving force of the NPO, which is the umbrella body of all the groups in the media space.

    Others are the Guild of Editors (NGE), the Nigeria Union of Journalist and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON).

    The Federal Government complained about the Daily Trust story on the Samoa agreement signed by the government with the EU/Pacific with the prospect of millions of dollar stuff loan to the country’s advantage.

    The Daily Trust reported that the agreement included a portion that will compel signatories to embrace Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ). This is offensive to Nigerians and contrary to the extant laws and the constitution of the country.

    The government denied that such a portion existed in the agreement it signed. Daily Trust, which initially stood by its story, later admitted some “lapses” in its report.

    The Ombudsman has written the newspaper to defend itself on the accusation of publishing untruth about the government.

    What report will it write? How will this impact on the standard operating practice of the media going forward?

    How effective will the recommendations arising from the report be on the industry? Questions and questions.

  • Idris, ARCON, TETFund, others canvas town, gown partnership

    Idris, ARCON, TETFund, others canvas town, gown partnership

    Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Director General, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Olalekan Fadolapo, and Executive Secretary, TETFund, Sonny Echono, were among dignitaries that stressed the need to bridge gaps between the industry and classroom to provide sustainable advertising.

    They spoke at the Advertising Industry Colloquim 2.0 held in Lagos. Idris was represented by Sunny Baba while Echono was represented by Vice Chancellor, Federal University Kashere, Gombe State, Prof. Umaru Pate.

    With the theme, Harnessing emerging technologies for sustainable advertising education and professional excellence in Nigeria, Idris said in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, the conversation fostered robust interaction between the academia, industry and examining issues in the marketing communications industry. In a digital era, he added the coloquim also empowered the youths for economic prosperity.

    Read Also: ARCON mulls ethical standards for industry stakeholders

    To Fadolapo, the industry is far from people conducting the research. Consequently, he addted it has become imperative to bridge the gaps. To him, ‘the contributions of the academia and stakeholders in the industry display the passion that helps us in our effort to realise the fundamental goals of keeping the profession and business of advertising and marketing communications healthy.’

    Echono noted, the classroom is expected to  be ahead of the industry but the reverse is the case in reality.

    He added, ‘we cannot afford to have digitally equipped industry with analogie trained students.’

    Chairman of the colloquium Prof. Rotimi Olatunji argued that “if there’s a lacuna between the industry and classroom, we will produce graduates that will not fit properly.

    We need more synergy with the industry in order to power development in the classroom. We want to produce graduates who will hit the ground running. We are often accused in the classroom that students are not ready for the industry.’

  • Centre honours Soyinka at 90

    Centre honours Soyinka at 90

    The Wole Soyinka Centre (WSC) is organising a lecture series in honour of the Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, who turns 90 on July 13.

    With the theme: The death of truth? Realisn, literature and journalism in an age of disinformation. The keynote speaker is Professor of African and African-American Studies and of Comparative Literature at Harvard University, Biodun Jeyifo.

    The chairperson is Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, and professor of Media History Umaru Pate.

    Read Also: Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting

    The panelists include poet and author Odia Ofeimun, CEO, RadioNow 95.3 FM, Kadaira Ahmed, human rights activist and lawyer Chidi Odinakalu  and reporter and opinion writer with Premium Times Chiamaka Okafor.

    The symposium will hold on July 13, at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre Onikan, Lagos.

  • NBC okays C54News

    NBC okays C54News

    The National Broadcast Commission (NBC) has granted approval to Future One Africa Television (FOA TV), a pan-African television station, to begin operations.

    This follows a significant investment of $7 million by the network’s CEO, Idris-Etanami Abiodun Usman, to establish a state-of-the-art broadcasting facility.

    With the NBC’s approval, C54News is now cleared to launch its innovative programming, showcasing the diversity and richness of African cultures, talents, and experiences.

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    The network promises to deliver high-quality content, including news, documentaries, entertainment shows, and more, catering to a diverse audience across the continent.

    FOA TV’s cutting-edge technology and creative approach aims to redefine the television landscape in Africa, providing a platform for African voices, stories, and perspectives to shine. The network has assembled a team of experienced professionals, including renowned journalists, producers, and presenters, to drive its vision.

    As C54News prepares to take over the airwaves,the audience can expect a fresh and exciting broadcasting experience that reflects the complexity and beauty of Africa.

  • Coalition faults arrest of journalist

    Coalition faults arrest of journalist

    The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has condemned  reported attack on the Kaduna state correspondent of the Daily Times Newspaper Gabriel Idibia, by officers of the Kaduna State command of the Nigerian police force on 11th of June, 2024.

    Idibia in a chat with the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) confirmed that he was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) police station, Gabasawa, while taking pictures of a large herd of cattle being shepherded by the police on Kachia expressway, a usually busy road in the state.

    He was thereafter taken into custody and brutally beaten up. Idibia insists that the physical torture severely affected his eyes forcing him to access eye treatment. His allegations have been corroborated by media reports and an eye witness that was arrested along with him.

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    Before his arrest, Idibia had presented his identity card to the police officers to identify himself as a journalist trying to cover the blockage of the Kachia expressway by the herd of cattle led by the same policemen. He was however denied an audience by the officers who asked him to leave the scene of the incident for no reason. The police officers thereafter seized his mobile phone and identity card when Idibia tried to take a picture of the road blockage and took him to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) police station, Gabasawa where he was detained from morning till late in the evening.

    Idibia added the policemen forced him to write a statement without access to his lawyers or colleagues. He narrated his ordeal, “on getting to the police station, one of the officers who brought me to the station punched me in the face, and hit one of my eyes, leaving me almost blinded.” He alleged that the police has threatened to indict and label him a bandit.

    Spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan, an Assistant Superintendent of Police said he saw no sign of assault on Idibia when the journalist met him in his office after he was released. He however did not deny his unlawful arrest and detainment.  He told the CJID in a phone conversation, “he was eventually granted bail on self-recognition.”

  • Experts push for effective communication

    Experts push for effective communication

    • By Evelyn Osagie and Kayowa Adegboyega

    With a mind of using communication to drive change, scholars and media practitioners under the wing of International Communication Association (ICA), held their annual conference across the globe last weekend.

    Themed: Communication and Global Human Rights, the communication experts called for a more proactive focus on human rights issues in the media. The conference explored best practices in the use and abuse of the media, social media and AI; while x-raying the need for communication experts to take advantage of the positives of three in pushing human rights, among others.

    According to the president of the Nigerian branch of the association, Dr. Ekaete George, this year’s edition was targeted at driving conversation on the significance of communication in fostering human rights. The two-day event was held last Thursday and Friday. In her view, human rights are a global priority and communication is central to contemporary global human rights in many ways. “It is manifest in public debates spurred by the mobilisation of rights movements as well as political or cultural backlash, efforts to raise public awareness about the significance of rights, especially given continuous violations of human rights and the tragic failure of inter-government institutions, states, and other actors to enforce rights. It is woven into fundamental questions of our times, such as overlapping crises such as climate/environment, health, migration, food insecurity, entrenched global inequalities, armed conflicts, threats to public safety, and social exclusion and hate.”

    For the Resident Electoral Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa State, Obo Effanga, who gave the keynote address on the theme, the effect of the abuse of communication rights sometimes seeps into the reportage by regular media who allow their focus to be driven by discussions on social media. “This has embarrassingly led to some situations where false information circulated on social media has become the basis of discussions and commentaries on the regular media, especially the ubiquitous phone-in programmes on radio and television, programme segments I consider very low-hanging in quality and professionalism.

    Read Also: Group seeks effective communication, collaboration among Nigerians

    “While the misuse and abuse of social media and AI technology in communication could lead to a breach of human rights, the responsible use of both could also help push the frontiers of human rights. Responsible use of both will ensure reaching a wider audience and building up awareness of human rights early in humans. It will also open up discussion on new areas of rights to push for, to reflect the changes in human dynamics.

    The conference, which opened on June 20 in Australia, was a hybrid event that was held across the globe in-person and virtually. It opened with a plenary with the theme called “A Conversation About Communication and Human Rights in Australia and the World”, and anchored by Rosalind Croucher, the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission. The next session took place in Nigeria with the theme: “Communication and Global Human Rights”. Followed by Effanga keynote. The quarterly seminar series by the Nigerian branch was anchored by Betty Abah, a human rights activist and Njah basseh a lecturer from the University of Cross River State. This was followed by a fully virtual hub session with the theme: “Development Communication in the age of AI: Frontiers for Media Studies in West Africa”. One of the key takeaways from the conference was that human rights cuts across different landscapes.

  • Idris chairs Ishiekwene’s book presentation

    Idris chairs Ishiekwene’s book presentation

    • Vice President Shettima expected

    The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, will chair the unveiling of ‘Writing for Media and Monetising It’, a new book on getting rewards from valuable content written by the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP, Azu Ishiekwene, and published by Premium Times Books.

    Vice President Kashima Shettima is expected as the special guest of honour.

    The event will hold 10am today at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. The ‘two-in-one event’ will also feature a panel discussion themed ‘Reflections on the Media’.

    A statement by Azu and Premium Times Books described the unveiling as ‘one of the most genuinely anticipated events in the media in the first half of 2024’.

    They said: “We are delighted that after weeks of promotional efforts and reviews to highlight a book that offers significant value and reward for content creators, especially the media, the public will finally get this book in their hands.”

    Chairman of the event, Idris, said of the book: “It significantly closes the gap between practice and entrepreneurship – a gap that has impoverished the media industry.”

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    Also expected at the event that will be hosted by the Chairman of LEADERSHIP, Zainab Nda-Isaiah, are the Publishers of Vanguard, Sam Amuka; Chairman of TRUST and NPAN President, Malam Kabiru Yusuf; and the Founder/CEO of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi.

    Other publishers, media owners and top executives, including the Founder of Folio Media Group and NPAN Treasurer, Fidelis Anosike, are also expected.

    News anchor and journalist Reuben Abati is the book reviewer, while the panel on media comprise the founder/CEO of RadioNow 95.3FM, Ms. Kadaria Ahmed; professor of Mass Communication/Dean of Post-graduate School, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi; Editor-In-Chief of PUNCH, Adeyeye Joseph; CEO of Aegis & Blue, Emeke Ishiekwene; and newly graduated Mass Communication student, Miss Chisom Ukomah.

  • Protecting journalists’ online rights

    Protecting journalists’ online rights

    The Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), in partnership with IFEX, has organised a workshop themed Digital autonomy and digital resilience: Enhancing accuracy and reliability of information to address issues such as importance of digital literacy, digital autonomy and resilience in the context of crisis and conflict; understanding misinformation and disinformation in the context of crisis and conflict among others.

    CEMESO is implementing the European Union Support to Democratic Governance (EU-SDGN) Phase 2 while IFEX is a network of organisations that promote and defend freedom of expression and information.

    Participants at the workshop held in Lagos included media professionals; human rights defenders, content creators and online actors. They unanimously agreed that media professionals whether hybrid or online are constant target of attacks in cyber space.

    Executive Director, CEMESO, Akin Akingbulu said that the workshop is to reflect upon and address the fundamental pillars that uphold any vibrant democracy; respect for constitutionalism, the rule of law and unwavering dedication to fostering strong civil societies. He noted that central to these principles, is a free press—an essential cornerstone without which democracy falters.

    He described media as lifeblood of democratic politics, acting as the guardian of truth, voice of the voiceless, and watchdog of those in power. He stressed that through pluralism and open communication, the media fosters healthy political processes and establishes the bedrock of good governance.

    He however observed that misinformation and disinformation present pervasive challenges to democracy by undermining the integrity of information and eroding public trust in democratic institutions.

    To him, in the digital age, where information spreads rapidly and easily, false narratives can sway public opinion, distort political discourse, and manipulate electoral processes.

    These phenomena, he noted, threaten credibility of democratic systems and endanger the fundamental rights of citizens to make informed decisions.

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    He urged participants to reaffirm their dedication to upholding media independence, freedom of expression and access to information.  “As we embark on this journey together, let us reaffirm our dedication to upholding media independence, freedom of expression, and access to information. Let us embrace the spirit of collaboration and mutual support as we navigate the complexities of the digital age. The power of truth transcends the barriers of falsehood. Together, let us forge ahead undeterred and unwavering, in our pursuit of a world where the free flow of information remains the cornerstone of democracy,” he added.

    Speaking on Strategies for enhancing accuracy and reliability of information, Publisher, BONews Service Blessing Oladunjoye noted that accurate and reliable information is crucial in today’s digital landscape, because information ‘flies’ around easily, and you want to ensure that you’re consuming the right information, and also disseminating the right information to your audience.