THE POPULAR means of communication and dissemination of information to a wider audience in the twenty-first century is the mass media. The television, newspaper, magazine, radio, and recently, the new media, otherwise referred to as the superhighway, consisting of platforms including the world wide web (www), Facebook, X handle, WhatsApp, email, sms, Telegram and search engines – Google, Yandex, Ask.com, Yahoo, DuckDuck Go, – just to list these few.
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication or any other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive or inconvenient. Also, it is a survival strategy deployed by managers of information to protect their job. The NBC alludes to the fact that media organisations should “inculcate in the people the spirit of tolerance of all shades of opinion, and promote social justice based on the responsibilities and rights of the individuals in the society.
These new media platforms and search engines have made information accessibility and availability just a click away. The sole dependency on platforms like television, radio and tabloids for the same information has greatly reduced. The new media, as much as it’s a welcome evolution in the industry, but it’s not bereaved of its teething challenges that can ignite conflagrations of unimaginable magnitude.
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Gatekeepers are to synthesise the information, not to abuse the sensibilities of the receiver and take the edge of gory scenes are virtually absent on the new media platforms. The critical role of the author, sub-editor and editor is jettisoned by these platforms and any novice armed with a gadget to serve the purpose of information dissemination embarks on the trade and spoon out unedited information. These lieutenants in the industry use the third eye and the sixth sense to erase materials that could be injurious to the citizenry. As much as their role is important in the industry to ensure balanced, accurate and relevant information dissemination and other line personalities involved in the process of news and programme content production, inadvertently stretch the scrutiny to inconvenient levels, that defeats the purpose of the broadcast content to sycophancy.
Here we safely refer to broadcast content, as any material transmitted in visual or audio format accompanied with sound using any of the means of communication. Interviews, news and current affairs production, documentaries, spotlights, features, programmes, commentaries, sports, advertisements and infomercials contain broadcast content that can be adjudged worthy of the airtime of any station after due diligence might have been deployed to sieve unwanted content.
In ensuring worthy content is transmitted on any medium, the Nigeria Broadcasting Code (NBC) states on page eleven, under the character of Broadcasting, paragraph two, that: “Broadcasting shall influence society positively, setting the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of a nation for the public good”.
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The code also further opines that: “by means of broadcasting, every Nigerian is expected to partake in the sharing of ideas and experiences that will enrich the life of the citizenry and help them live in a complex, dynamic and human society, as stated in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), still drawing inspiration from Nigeria broadcasting code, under the social objectives number three “disseminate impartially, news and opinions in a manner encouraging meaningful and articulate dialogue and discussions of issues of public interest.”
For us in Benue State, our lot was a single narrative. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a literary giant, opined that the single story as a narrative presents only one perspective, repeated again and again. She asserts that the danger of a single story is that it can result in perspectives based on stereotypes and is strongly opinionated.
As much as the code has empowered media organisations to ply their trade professionally, almost always these stations play a role in self-censorship of broadcast content to dance to the whims and caprices of their instituting authority.
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication or any other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive or inconvenient. Also, it is a survival strategy deployed by managers of information to protect their job. The NBC alludes to the fact that media organisations should “inculcate in the people the spirit of tolerance of all shades of opinion, and promote social justice based on the responsibilities and rights of the individuals in the society.
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So, when mass communication mediums are caged and gagged from transmitting other shades of opinion, a departure from the views of the government in power is a noble and honest disservice to such an authority. Divergent views will only engender robust dialogue to properly align the agenda of the administration to achieve optimal success in the process of enunciation, implementation and execution. A syncretistic approach is advocated for the Alia administration to serve humanity to the Glory of God.
As we commend the Alia administration, we also crave its indulgence to initiate and stimulate healthy discussions on pertinent issues of concern, including the new national minimum wage; its commencement date, revenue profile of the state, clearance of salary and pension arrears, the perceived cold war between political gladiators, initiation of alternative sources of income through improved agricultural practices, intra and inter-ethnic clashes, criminality in the Sankera axis and consequential adjustments of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage which the immediate past administration denied the Benue workforce.
For us in Benue State, our lot was a single narrative. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a literary giant, opined that the single story as a narrative presents only one perspective, repeated again and again. She asserts that the danger of a single story is that it can result in perspectives based on stereotypes and is strongly opinionated. This was the scenario we found ourselves in, until the administration of Reverend Father Hyacinth Iormem Alia.
We applaud the administration for not breathing down on government stations in the state. A reasonable latitude to operate with minimal supervision has been enshrined for the churning out of information as regards the government and human enterprise in general.
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As we commend the Alia administration, we also crave its indulgence to initiate and stimulate healthy discussions on pertinent issues of concern, including the new national minimum wage; its commencement date, revenue profile of the state, clearance of salary and pension arrears, the perceived cold war between political gladiators, initiation of alternative sources of income through improved agricultural practices, intra and inter-ethnic clashes, criminality in the Sankera axis and consequential adjustments of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage which the immediate past administration denied the Benue workforce.
Also, undue censorship is believed to deprive stations distinguished and accomplished personalities to ventilate their opinions as regards issues and deny the government of a second opinion, in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to offer “A Forum for the exchange of comments and criticisms representing every stratum of the society, as required in a Federal State like Nigeria in which the views and opinions of everyone are included in the national consensus.”
We strongly believe when these issues and many more are ventilated using means of communication, our society will be the greater beneficiary, and since governance is a collective enterprise, all shades of opinion should be entertained to engender a sense of belonging in the Benue project.
We also salute the media houses in the state, especially government-owned outfits in living up to their mandate and enjoin them to sustain the spirit at providing education, entertainment and information to the people of the state to checkmate unsolicited narratives and beer parlour conjectures that always spew half-baked truths that mar the good intentions of government towards its citizenry.
Furthermore, the proponents of contrary views should employ tact, diplomacy and elegant expressions to state their position and not descend to the realms of street urchins and country rustics. Guests of prodigious intellect should advance congenial arguments and distance themselves from casuistry and political patronage.
Also, undue censorship is believed to deprive stations distinguished and accomplished personalities to ventilate their opinions as regards issues and deny the government of a second opinion, in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code to offer “A Forum for the exchange of comments and criticisms representing every stratum of the society, as required in a Federal State like Nigeria in which the views and opinions of everyone are included in the national consensus.”
Once this is adhered to a constructive agenda setting dialogue will ensue.
Mr Tiav, a broadcast journalist, writes from Makurdi, Benue State capital.
