It came in the news yesterday that the team of president-elect of the
federal republic of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari bans the African
Independent Television (AIT) from covering his engagement until issues of ethics and standards are sorted out.
Today, the APC released a press statement by their national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed which states the AIT and other accredited media houses are free to cover the activities of General Muhammadu Buhari.
The earlier news had created some widespread speculations all over the country which led to some Nigerians questioning how democratic the action was. One of the many critics was a nairaland user with the moniker, Barcanista.
I must confess, "Press Freedom" and "Freedom of Speech" is very crucial for the growth of democracy anywhere in the world, infact it is the lifeblood of democracy. Freedom of Information is one of the factors that differenciate "Democracy" from "Autocracy".
As provided by the law, their are limitation to the Freedom of Press.
As a result, freedom of expression is not absolute and can be limited when it conflicts with other rights.
International law declares freedom of expression to be the rule. Limitations are the exception, permitted only to protect:
* the rights or reputations of others
* national security
* public order
* public health
* morals.
The African Independent Television (AIT) with their attacks on General Muhammadu Buhari breached the "Ethics and Standards of Journalism".
Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists. Historically and currently, this subset of media ethics is widely known to journalists as their professional " code of ethics" or the "canons of journalism".
These are some of the principles in the "code of ethics" or "canons of journalism" and how the AIT violated them.
Principle of Truthfulness: Truth is most often used to mean being in accord with factor reality or fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. The commonly understood opposite of truth is falsehood, which, correspondingly, can also take on a logical, factual, or ethical meaning.
The AIT has violated this principle by broadcasting some hate documentaries against the likes of Buhari, Tinubu and Osinbajo. In Buhari's documentary, some of the false story cooked up there were:
1. Fela NEVER mentioned Buhari in $N2.8B scandal. He mentioned OBJ. AIT edited that part off.
2. Buhari did not expel Ghanians from Nigeria. Shagari of the NPN did. AIT made a FALSE assertion.
3. Gloria Okon did not disappear under Buhari it was under IBB and Dele Giwa was murdered for it.
4. Fela’s mother the GREAT Funmilayo Kuti died after OBJ Kalakuta in 1978 Buhari came into power in 1984.
Principle of Accuracy: Accuracy and precision are defined in terms of systematic and random errors. The more common definition associates accuracy with systematic errors and precision with random errors. Another definition, advanced by ISO, associates trueness with systematic errors and precision with random errors, and defines accuracy as the combination of both trueness and precision.
The AIT lacks accuracy in it hate broadcast against Buhari, the attack against him lack actual facts, some of whic where:
* Buhari did not expel Ghanians from Nigeria. Shagari of the NPN did. AIT made a FALSE assertion.
* Fela’s mother the GREAT Funmilayo Kuti died after OBJ Kalakuta in 1978 Buhari came into power in 1984.
* AIT alleged that Buhari has been losing since 1999. This is a lie. Buhari’s first shot was in 2003. In 1999 Chief Olu Falae of ANPP/AD contested against Obj.
Principle of Impartiality: Impartiality also called evenhandedness or fair-mindedness is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.
It was clear to all sane Nigerians that AIT were partial and bias during the presidential campaign. They give out hate speech against the APC and were very friendly towards to ruling party, the PDP.
AIT also violated the principle of fairness by bringing in Buhari's late wife and his daughter into the broadcasted clips. It's an attack to personal liberty which a citizen is entitle to. AIT even went further by disobeying a court injunction which stopped them from broadcasting those documentaries.
AIT also breached the Priciples of Objectivity, Principles of Public accountablity, Principle of societal acceptance and Principle of moral conduct.
I can't really state the constitutional purnishment meant for the violation of this act, but I clearly understand the wise saying which says; "No offender goes unpurnished".
Source
Today, the APC released a press statement by their national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammed which states the AIT and other accredited media houses are free to cover the activities of General Muhammadu Buhari.
The earlier news had created some widespread speculations all over the country which led to some Nigerians questioning how democratic the action was. One of the many critics was a nairaland user with the moniker, Barcanista.
I must confess, "Press Freedom" and "Freedom of Speech" is very crucial for the growth of democracy anywhere in the world, infact it is the lifeblood of democracy. Freedom of Information is one of the factors that differenciate "Democracy" from "Autocracy".
As provided by the law, their are limitation to the Freedom of Press.
As a result, freedom of expression is not absolute and can be limited when it conflicts with other rights.
International law declares freedom of expression to be the rule. Limitations are the exception, permitted only to protect:
* the rights or reputations of others
* national security
* public order
* public health
* morals.
The African Independent Television (AIT) with their attacks on General Muhammadu Buhari breached the "Ethics and Standards of Journalism".
Journalism ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and of good practice as applicable to the specific challenges faced by journalists. Historically and currently, this subset of media ethics is widely known to journalists as their professional " code of ethics" or the "canons of journalism".
These are some of the principles in the "code of ethics" or "canons of journalism" and how the AIT violated them.
Principle of Truthfulness: Truth is most often used to mean being in accord with factor reality or fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. The commonly understood opposite of truth is falsehood, which, correspondingly, can also take on a logical, factual, or ethical meaning.
The AIT has violated this principle by broadcasting some hate documentaries against the likes of Buhari, Tinubu and Osinbajo. In Buhari's documentary, some of the false story cooked up there were:
1. Fela NEVER mentioned Buhari in $N2.8B scandal. He mentioned OBJ. AIT edited that part off.
2. Buhari did not expel Ghanians from Nigeria. Shagari of the NPN did. AIT made a FALSE assertion.
3. Gloria Okon did not disappear under Buhari it was under IBB and Dele Giwa was murdered for it.
4. Fela’s mother the GREAT Funmilayo Kuti died after OBJ Kalakuta in 1978 Buhari came into power in 1984.
Principle of Accuracy: Accuracy and precision are defined in terms of systematic and random errors. The more common definition associates accuracy with systematic errors and precision with random errors. Another definition, advanced by ISO, associates trueness with systematic errors and precision with random errors, and defines accuracy as the combination of both trueness and precision.
The AIT lacks accuracy in it hate broadcast against Buhari, the attack against him lack actual facts, some of whic where:
* Buhari did not expel Ghanians from Nigeria. Shagari of the NPN did. AIT made a FALSE assertion.
* Fela’s mother the GREAT Funmilayo Kuti died after OBJ Kalakuta in 1978 Buhari came into power in 1984.
* AIT alleged that Buhari has been losing since 1999. This is a lie. Buhari’s first shot was in 2003. In 1999 Chief Olu Falae of ANPP/AD contested against Obj.
Principle of Impartiality: Impartiality also called evenhandedness or fair-mindedness is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.
It was clear to all sane Nigerians that AIT were partial and bias during the presidential campaign. They give out hate speech against the APC and were very friendly towards to ruling party, the PDP.
AIT also violated the principle of fairness by bringing in Buhari's late wife and his daughter into the broadcasted clips. It's an attack to personal liberty which a citizen is entitle to. AIT even went further by disobeying a court injunction which stopped them from broadcasting those documentaries.
AIT also breached the Priciples of Objectivity, Principles of Public accountablity, Principle of societal acceptance and Principle of moral conduct.
I can't really state the constitutional purnishment meant for the violation of this act, but I clearly understand the wise saying which says; "No offender goes unpurnished".
Source
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