An erudite Professor of Mass Communication, Lagos State University, Prof. Lai Oso has called on Journalism institutions in Nigeria to salvage what remains of the media practice by not toying with courses that will imbued public opinion measurements in future media practitioners.
He hinged the success of the future media on practitioners' knowledge and ability to aggregate
public opinion as a source of credible and people oriented news.
Prof. Oso who made this assertion while delivering a lecture titled: "The Future of Journalism and Democracy in Nigeria" to mark the 7th edition of the Waheed Kadiri Lecture Series held at Waheed Kadiri House, Nigeria Institute of Town Planners Secretariat in Abeokuta said Journalism has derailed from the core practices of basing its report on public opinion which is suppose to be sources of credible and people-oriented news.
He decried the framing of news items which is largely decided by economic and political power and influence in today's journalism practice, saying if news would be a true reflections of societal feeling on an issue of public importance, it therefore must reflect the whole lots of diversities among its sources and the people must readily be at the centre.
Citing global practice, Professor Oso reflected that what is helping journalism in the advanced world is largely, the practitioner's ability to aggregate and reflect public opinion in their news items. This according to him has earned them the trust of their audience which is crucial to media development and survival.
The guest Lecturer hammered on the fact that for Nigeria democracy to thrive, the media has an indispensable role to play especially in their sourcing for credible new items.
The erudite scholar further noted that the draconian policies of the Federal Government that has put the media under siege can only be countered by the people's support for the media which can only be enjoyed when the media move away from its elitist nature to reflect sincere opinions of the ordinary people through public opinion polls.
Dignitaries at the event include the Olota of Ota, Oba Prof. AbdulKabir Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Commissioner for Physical and Urban Planning, Ogun State, TPL Tunji Odunlami, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning, TPL Yetunde Dina, the Ogun State Chairman, NITP, Mr. Dotun Akinwale among others.
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