Media guru and activist Dr Chuma Harris-Odili has officially lunched an online media outfit, Hardcore news in Awka, Anambra State.
Association of Digital Media Core Advocates (ADMCA), during the unveiling of the online media organization also trained journalists and social media influencers, urging them to seek knowledge on media laws for better practice.
Angel Network News reports that the convener and National President, ADMCA, Dr Chuma Harris-Odili, explained that the programme was necessary to address some challenges facing the media on the cyber space and proffer solutions towards overcoming them.
Dr. Harris-Odili, who sought for expunging of criminal defamation stating that the rich and the powerful class were using it to silence opposing views.
In his words “Nigeria, like a few other countries, has enacted laws Amies at sanitising the system.
“While some aspects of these enactment are quite necessary, we at the ADMCA think that some of them, especially the one bordering on criminal defamation needs to be expunged from our penal code, especially as it is currently being exploited by the rich and powerful class to silence opposing views in the society, in active connivance with the law enforcement agents.
“So many examples abound, where social media posts, blog articles and podcasts have landed the disseminators in trouble. As unhealthy as this may, ADMCA will always urge balance when digital media practitioners’ want to share whatever story they have online.
“As digital media practitioners’ chase the lines, shares and view, they must bear in mind that Nigeria has a Cyber Crime Act 2015 which prohibits cyber-bullying, cyber stalking and cyber squatting,” .
In an interview after the event, Dr. Harris-Odili added by urging journalists to try to balance their stories through giving a fair hearing to all parties involved before publishing.
“Ensure that your story is verified and comfirm and sticking to the ethics of journalism and studying the media law so as to be more equipped.
The keynote speaker at the occasion, Dr Chukwuma Onunkwo, urged the media practitioners’ to be weary of information they disseminate on the Internet, because according to him, Internet never forget and publishing false and untrue reports could result into emotional and mental pains or even deaths.
Dr. Onunkwo, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, tasked the media on trainings and retraining of their staff, while advocating for solidarity supports and collaborations among members to overcome challenges.
Also speaking, the National Vice President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), South East Zone C, Sir Emmanuel Ifesinachi, frowned at indiscriminate arrest, intimidation and molestation of media practitioners in the country often carried out by the rich, politicians and law enforcement agents.
Sir Ifesinachi argued that journalists should be seen and treated as partners in progress as they perform their roles as societal watchdogs while holding the government accountable.
The NUJ boss urged government and the governed to stop using force on them but rather explore legal means of resolving whatever differences they had with the media at all times as it would be beneficial to society.
