Lekan Otufodunrin recently participated in a tweet chat on #NewsroomPolitics. His shares his views and that of others on the issue in this piece.
I am not sure if I have been a victim of newsroom politics in my about thirty years of being a journalist. I probably have been without knowing.
I have been denied positions I thought I deserved more than others and redeployed from top positions for reasons I didn’t understand. Rather than think I was a victim of #NewsroomPolitics, I have learnt to make the best of whatever situation I find myself in my career journey.
#NewsroomPolitics is real like in any workplace. Normally, who gets assigned to one beat or the other, promoted and other newsroom management decisions should be based on merit but sometimes it is not.
Editors and reporters have personal agendas which they sometimes prefer to pursue at the detriment of the other staff and the interest of the company. Some people don’t get what they deserve because of some conspiracies against them or the inordinate ambition of some editorial staff.
So what options are opened to journalists who are at the mercies of newsroom politicians who will stop at nothing to get what they want like desperate politicians competing for political offices?
Here are some of the some of the top tweets on #NewsroomPolitics during the February edition of Lagos #Journotweet, an initiative of @GidiNewsSie which is a platform for exclusively discussing trending issues in the media environment moderated by @ObaAdeoye1
Adedeji Ajayi @Day_ji
#NewsroomPolitics means the act of getting undue advantage over your colleagues in the newsroom, painting others bad to make yourself good.
Ola Awakan GrPr @OlaAwakanGrPr
#NewsroomPolitics is a cankerworm that destroys the ethical prowess of every media house. It is bad for the profession
Ola Awakan GrPr @OlaAwakanGrPr
@GidiNewsSite #NewsroomPolitics waters down the ethics of journalism
Alooma Idris Kasumu @slimalooma
Its a shame what some editors have turned this profession to. #NewsroomPolitics cost me my first job.
Oba Adeoye First @ObaAdeoye1
…but I really think any editor who wants the best for himself should not allow anything in the mould of #newsroompolitics to come to play
Wale Fatade @walfat
@lotufodunrin While an editor might not like your face, ALL editors love good stories. Stars will always shine, office politics or not.
Don’t be easily intimidated by #newsroompolitics . Learn to speak up when youLike in other sectors, we need to prepare reporters for leadership. There is more to management than knowing how to edit #newsroompolitics
A good reporter may not necessarily be a good newsroom manager. We usually loose good reporters and end up with bad editors. @ObaAdeoye1
Newsroom Rules. 1. Editors always right. 2. If u are in doubt if editors are always right, check rule 1 #newsroompolitics @ObaAdeoye1deoye1 get the chance to. He who is down needs not fear falling- Lekan Otufodunrin
Lekan Otufodunrin @lotufodunrin #newsroompolitics if you cant beat them, don’t join them. Overtake them @ObaAdeoye1 @lekanpaul @mayowaCSNews
Lekan Otufodunrin @lotufodunrin
@ObaAdeoye1 Try to understand it, Live with it and plan your exit to prove them wrong in another media house you move to.
@ObaAdeoye1 You may get kicked out due to #newsroompolitics but work will speak for you someday in the same place or elsewhere- Lekan Otufodunrin
Lekan Otufodunrin @lotufodunrin
Be master of your craft, Know the ground rules in your newsroom #newsroompolitics
Lekan Otufodunrin @lotufodunrin
Like in other sectors, we need to prepare reporters for leadership. There is more to management than knowing how to edit #newsroompolitics
Like in other sectors, we need to prepare reporters for leadership. There is more to management than knowing how to edit #newsroompolitics-Lekan Otufodunrin
A good reporter may not necessarily be a good newsroom manager. We usually loose good reporters and end up with bad editors – Otufodunrin @ObaAdeoye1
Newsroom Rules. 1. Editors always right. 2. If u are in doubt if editors are always right, check rule 1 #newsroompolitics – Lekan Otufodunrin @ObaAdeoye1deoye1
Have you been a victim of newsroom politics? Share your experience with us. Send to info@mediacareerng.org
