Guardian As ANEC 2013 Ends, Editors Urged To Emphasise Media Industry Issues SUNDAY, 25 AUGUST 2013 00:00 FROM KABIR ALABI GARBA, ASABA NEWS - NATIONAL Adesina FROM the next edition in 2014, the template of All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC) may be modified to take on critical issues affecting the media industry, alongside issues of national importance. This thinking emerged Saturday at the conclusion of more than a two-hour brainstorming session where issues of code of ethics, retirement, Nigerian Press Council (NPC), and beat associations were critically examined. The regret, however, was lack of adequate time to discuss these industry matters dispassionately and exhaustively before arrival at consensus. Strongly advocated was the need for the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), the organisers of the yearly event, to begin to focus more on how to uplift the profession and media industry, and reduce the involvement of government officials, who had heavy presence in this year’s edition tagged, Asaba 2013. A very top journalist lamented during the hot debate: “You see the dilemma now, for two days, government officials such as ministers, governors, and DGs of agencies have been talking to us. Now that we are discussing industry issues, we are constrained with inadequate time! We do not need these ministers, these DGs. We should pay attention to things that are critical to our profession. These people do not respect us any more because of the behaviour of some of us (editors). They see us as just going around to collect money. With that perception, why should they respect us? Some of us who have served as officials of the Guild kept away from NGE activities because it derailed and attention was not being paid to critical issues.” He counseled the leadership of the Guild to take lead in the professional reengineering the industry urgently requires at the moment. With ‘Nigeria Beyond Oil: The Role of The Editor’ as theme, the four-day conference ended on a resounding note last night with decoration of 10 personalities as Fellows, while 57 editors were newly inducted. The new fellows are Gbenga Adefaye, John Ndukauba, Bayo Atoyebi, Jide Adebayo, Segun Babatope, Olusegun Aribike, Bonnie Iwuoha, Folu Olamiti, Modibo Kawu and Buki Ponle. Editor, The Guardian on Sunday, Abraham Ogbodo, was among the newly inducted members. But for the discussion on retirement tagged, ‘Life after the Chair’, The Editors’ Colloquium, featuring three distinguished journalists- Mallam Garba Shehu, Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe- sharing their experiences, other issues generated very hot debate and two divergent camps emerged. On the code of ethics, which was approved since 1988 in Ilorin, Kwara State, the consensus was that the document was long overdue for a review, but that the ongoing review being undertaken by the UNDP in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and input from NGE and other stakeholders should be subjected to further discussion under the umbrella of Nigerian Press Organisation comprising the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), NUJ, NGE, and probably other stakeholders such as Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and Media NGOs. With respect to NPC, which had had, according to Ray Ekpu, a “turbulent history”, the house agreed that the structure that ombudsman should take needs to be critically debated and consensus reached among stakeholders. It is glaring from the submissions by senior journalists such as Ray Ekpu; Managing Director of The Guardian, Emeka Izeze; immediate past president of the Guild, Gbenga Adefaye, among others, that misgiving and distrust still exist among media stakeholders and government officials promoting a renewed NPC that is acceptable to all and sundry. The Executive Secretary of the Council, Bayo Atoyebi, had set the tone for discussion with a presentation on what could be tagged: NPC, the journey so far. If debate on review of code of ethics and NPC was hot, the beat association generated more heat. It was roundly observed that the development had not only become a cartel, it is now eroding the integrity and credibility of the profession; hence the need to find a lasting solution. There were also comments on the inability of some owners to fulfil obligations to workers, with mention made of irregular payment of salary and other welfare issues. Ted Iwere moderated the session. The wide applause that ushered him off the stage reflected satisfaction by the editors.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 06:07:36 +0000
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