Cleric charges media practitioners on ethics, urges better welfare for journalists

TO ensure objective news reporting, a cleric has called on journalists in the country to embrace the ethics of the profession.

Speaking in Abuja at the church service to commemorate the World Communication Day with theme: Communicating the Family: A privilege of encounter with the gift of love”, Director of Communications, Catholic Diocese of Abuja, Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, said that journalists should live up to expectations in the discharge of their duties.

He added:”l think that every journalist should think ethically about the values of his profession . In the elections that just ended, we saw some media organisations took partisan positions . It was very unethical. I believe that the time has come to reposition ourselves for the future and to ensure that we as journalists are balanced in our reporting and that we remain non partisan.

“We should look at all sides of the story and give others the possibility of responding to whatever is being said against them. I think that is the most important message for today ,” he said.

On journalists welfare, he stressed: “l do believe that a lot need to be done in this area . I am personally unhappy about the welfares of journalists in Nigeria today . I am not unaware that many journalists remained unpaid for months. And this makes things difficult for them . It makes journalists not to cover events as they should.
Sometimes when you don’t take care of them they are tempted to collect bribe.”

Commenting on this year theme, Alumuku said rather than families communicating wrong values, they should embrace edifying values that add to lives positively.

“In a world where people often curse, use foul language, speak badly of others , sow discord and poison our human environment by gossip, the family can teach us to understand communication as a blessing.