The National Sports Commission (NSC) director-general, Honourable Bukola Olopade’s special assistant on media, Kola Daniel has posited that the advent of social media has polluted the ethics of traditional journalism.
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Sports247 reports that Daniel disclosed that he prefers the hard core style of journalism that depended on facts, details and accuracy, rather than the modern style of speculation and hasty deliveries.
He added in an exclusive interview with Sports247, “I prefer the old style of journalism for several reasons. The style of journalism we saw in the 90s and early 2000s was full of repute.
“In those days, you wouldn’t write anything if you are in doubt of your content. You must get your facts before you write.
“You cannot put it one air if you are suspecting anything about it. That’s the principle I was taught at the Institute of Journalism.
“It simply means ‘leave it if you are not sure about it.’ Don’t guess. But it’s different nowadays. Somebody can fabricate a story and easily put it online.”
He then explained the weaknesses and negative aspects of modern news reporting, as social media has made almost every person see themselves as a journalist.
“Nowadays, you can write anything you want, once you have a phone. You can just look for a platform, put a story up, and no one will ask you about it.
“On the other hand, journalism of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s depended on your name first. Once you write what is not true, you lose your credibility, and nobody will believe you again.
“You lose your personality and credence. But, nowadays, people are not scared of prosperity. Every Tom, Dick and Harry is now a journalist.”
Daniel concluded with a charge to all Nigerians in the modern age to follow discretion and normal codes of news coverage and dissemination, so that the true values of journalism will resurface in the country.
“Once they have a phone, they look for a social media account and they put out news without passing through the ethics and norms of human conduct.
“They leave out the professional aspect of it. So, I prefer the traditional style of journalism, which gave us more respect and built the right personality in us.
“I hope we will return to news reporting the way your personality defines it. We need constant training and retraining to change the mentality of the modern day Nigerian,” Daniel submitted.
 director-general, Honourable Bukola Olopade's special assistant on media, Kola Daniel){kind=link}