Recently Nigerians now live in constant fear, uncertainty and pessimism due to the constant tragedy of kidnaps, bomblasts and now ebola that's hit the country.. This is where the media comes in, we get to have a knowledge of all these bad news via the mass media (radio, television, newspapers, magazines, blogs, websites, social media). The Nigerian media is of the belief that bad and scary news stories makes more news, they report the good and bad news but lay more emphasis on the bad news thereby arousing negative emotions among the citizens. In cases of bomb blasts more time is allocated to reporting the story and reviewing the dead bodies of the blasts,also in cases of the recent ebola disease outbreak, the victims are reviewed over and over again leaving little time to reporting any new projects the government has embarked on to improve the country's present state. We all know and support the fact that it is the duty of the media to report all news, but i think news that will instigate fear and insecurity on the Nigerian citizens should be treated with caution. They can be announced but not overemphasized on to the extent that even the foreign media gets to know the nitty gritties of the problems in Nigeria.
Truth is the U.S and other developed countries have got their own problems, plenty of them at that but how many times do we get to hear of them via the media? Even if they release such news its very few and shallow news that we don't get to see their weaknesses.. Infact most times they barely report their short comings as it really is but they report Nigerian news like they run the country.
Nigerians even tune up to foreign news networks in search of Nigerian news because we believe their report is more credible. How many heard of the $20 billion safe schools initiative fund that was initiated by the UN special envoy for global education Mr Gordon Brown to develop and enhance education in the terrorism ravaged areas of Nigeria during the word economic forum? What about Aliko Dangote's decision to invest $2.3 billion in sugar and rice production in the north of which he signed $1 billion dollar rice investment memorandum of understanding at the state house Abuja on 1st August 2014, also the current news that the boko haram sect. Supposed leader Shekau (the impersonated shekau) has been shot dead, at least this is a news we all want to know more details about.??? I could go on and on because they are so many.
These news were just reported while emphasis kept been laid on the ill-occurrences in the nation. It is time for Nigerians and the Nigerian media to stop looking out for shocker news that keeps portraying Nigeria as a terrorist and corrupt country. There is hope for Nigeria and one of the steps that should be taken to take the country to greater heights is RE-ORIENTATION OF THE MASS MEDIA. They should be taught on how to report bad news to avoid bad name for the country as well as unnecessary panic from the citizens... Shuu? Abi no be so?..
AUTHOR: Jennifer Ezeonyeasi,
She's Studying Mass Communication at Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, Lagos, Nigeria.
Note: This piece is Exclusive to www.ThatYorubaBoy.com©
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