MTN Nigeria has trained some journalists on fake news, hate speech and alternative truths as threat to the future of the media.
MTN said the training, which took place in Abuja, was to build the capacity of journalists with a view to improving their reportage.
Facilitated by NECCI, a consulting firm, the training also focused on leadership and organisational structure as enablers in media practice, crisis communication and new media, as well as ethical issues of social media in journalism.
Resource persons at the training included Dr. Okey Ikechukwu, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, Hope Afoke Orivri and Dare Ogunyombo.
In his presentation on ethical issues of social media in journalism, Dr. Ikechukwu said journalists were faced with myriad of challenges as a result of activities of social media operators.
He said to reverse the trend, journalists and social media operators should adhere to the ethical aspect of spreading information by ensuring its accuracy.
On her part, Orivri said fake news, hate speech and alternative truths should be checkmated by media practitioners by dishing out accurate information.
Also, Ali-Balogun noted that with social media, crisis communication became very important, especially to PR practitioners, while Ogunyombo said with the right kind of leadership, every media organisation would function well.