Adesina, Ekeh @ GOCOP Inauguration Harp on Responsible Online Journalism

 Mr. Femi Adesina, special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity and Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman of Zinox Group, have called for robust and responsible online journalism in the country.

Adesina who was a guest at the launch of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), a body formed by professional journalists with not less than 10-year experience, said the government of President Muhammadu Buhari appreciates the place of online journalism and it is passionate about the standardisation of its practice.

He said in a speech he titled: “Let your light shine,” that the nation cannot do without online publishing despite the realisation that it “can lift up or pull down an administration”.

The SA (Media) to the President said the change that was witnessed in the country in the last elections had a chunk of the support from online publishing.

Adesina however said it has also been realised that online today has the good, the bad and ugly and referred to the arraignment of three bloggers for their decision to “bad or ugly”.

He said for this reason, practitioners now need to correct the lapses noticed among online publishers by continuously doing peer reviews.

He added that others who make use of online news platforms, according to research, take in the information provided but still wait till the following day for the “traditional media to validate it. “That is the challenge the online media must overcome.”

Adesina said among other challenges are concocted stories and the use of foul language, adding: “People believe operating online gives them the liberty to use uncouth language.

“Do peer review. Be ready to defend any falsehood you write. Those who see online publishing as licence to do what is not right should be ready to pay for it.

“This association should able to do a separation. Bad coin tends to drive good coin out of circulation. It is important an association like this should thrive, prosper and do peer review.”

On his part, Leo Stan-Ekeh, who was the Guest Speaker, said in this age and time, no one can avoid online media.

He said he told those who cared to listen 29 years ago when he launched desktop publishing that it was either you are in or out, but yet a lot of people still do not understand that online publishing, and by extension business, has come to stay.

Eke said the future wealth of the country lies online, stressing that with the distress in the economy, Nigerians should not be blind to the future wealth.

Ekeh said a lot of people took exception to his comment during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan that the failure of the government to pay attention to online publications was going to cost them the election.