How to be a professional journalist

What does it mean to be a professional journalist?
You will be right to say having the required professional qualifications, working as a journalist and being a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media professional bodies.
However, more than the above requirements is the need to be very professional in our practice of the profession like other professionals who uphold their code of ethics.
While the code of ethics for Nigerian journalists clearly states that its provisions should be observed, many journalists in the country don’t.

Some have not even read the code or are not aware of its existence.
If we want to be respected like other professionals, we have to approach our work with the highest standard of professional sense of duty.
How can we do this at individual and corporate levels?
The preamble of our code of ethics states thus: “Journalism entails a high degree of public trust. To earn and maintain this trust, it is morally imperative for every journalist and every news medium to observe the highest professional and ethical standards.”
“In the exercise of these duties, a journalist should always have a healthy regard for the public interest. Truth is the cornerstone of journalism and every journalist should strive diligently to ascertain the truth of every event.”
Issues highlighted in the code include editorial independence, respect for privacy, confidentiality of sources, decency, reward and gratification, social responsibility and access to information.
It doesn’t matter if your colleagues get away with violating the ethics of the profession, you should be the professional journalist you are supposed to be if you desire to become an accomplished world class journalist.
Regularly up-date your skills through continuous education, be an expert in the beat you cover, don’t compromise on best practices, be accountable and subject yourself to self-regulation.