By Samson Adeyanju Uwala
A media scholar, Dr. Dele Omojuyigbe, has urged the media to always ensure careful investigation of its reports before publication or broadcast.
Omojuyigbe made this remark during the public presentation of his book “Media Language and Ideologies” on Wednesday, March 30 at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos.
According to him, the media has a role to play in whatever affects the society which relies on media content.
He said that there is social relations which binds the public and the reporter, and creates the link between the two, which will make the public to either trust the report or not.
“Don’t forget they also interpret news, and if you are showing something on television, they are watching what you’re showing and if what you show contradicts what they see, then you are doing yourself unknowingly,” he said.
Also speaking at the public presentation, Editor, Tell magazine, Ayo Akinkuotu, said there is now a distance between books and students.
“We have come to an age whereby people have stopped loving books. During my primary school days, I remember reading a book called “Mountain Small Daughters” that I have it in mind to write such book later. Even as I lecture in this Institute, I remember giving my students an assignment to discuss “If leaders are readers, then what are writers?”
He added that if a student love books, then he cannot be alone, since books will be seen around him and such person won’t be boring.
In the book review, member of The Nation newspapers Editorial board, Femi Macaulay, stressed the importance of the book as a communication tool in journalism.
According to him, the book covers broadcast media and language dynamics, current affairs programmes and perspectives, and live broadcasts and perspectives.
“The book is a product of critical thinking and it is rigorously analytical. It is an engaging book, particularly because of its many local case studies. Media language and ideologies has the nature of a textbook, but it is more than a textbook.”
Guests at the event included Provost, Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Gbemiga Ogunleye, renowned language columnist, Ebere Wabara, Registrar and NIJ, Dotun Adenijo.
