The Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, African Newspapers Nigeria Plc, publishers of the Tribune Title, Edward Dickson, has lamented the challenges the traditional media is facing in Nigeria, stressing that it has been an ailing industry for long.
Dickson viewed the challenges of traditional media as deadly, explaining that the industry already had ‘Covid-18’ before the advent of Covid-19.
He said that over years, the Nigerian media houses were already being treated at what he called ‘the proverbial intensive care unit’ adding that it was increasingly onerous and difficult to stay afloat in the business’ murky waters.
He lamented that things are so bad with newspapers’ industry to the extent that every copy of publications is being sold at a loss.
“And, you see, it has been those of us that God put in charge that are doing our very best to ensure that we keep publishing even if we have to burn fingers. The newspaper industry must survive. It must not crash because if it does, then, our society will be in deep trouble”, he stated.
The Tribune boss berated the perspective of Nigerians on online news media, stressing that it is has credible as traditional media, if professional done.
He defined a professional journalist as “somebody that has gone through prescribed courses in Journalism at the university or polytechnic or the institute of journalism”.
He said the formal academic training makes a difference between him/her and somebody who merely knows how to string one or two sentences together in English or whatever language.
He noted that the dichotomy between the traditional journalists and bloggers as well as those who operate on the social media will soon disappear.
“This is because we are at the infancy stage of this development. If you take a cursory look at the names of the people behind the numerous online publishing outfits, you will find out that they are mostly our colleagues who worked with the traditional media outfits who have moved on to establish their own newspaper platforms online. All our traditional newspapers also have online platforms”, he explained.
Speaking on ‘fake news’, he said “Only those who seek fake news get fed with fake news. I belong to a generation of ‘old school’ journalists. Yes, I feel bad when I see folks publishing fake news. But then, if you see or read fake news, you will know. Most fake news stand only on one leg. It is a taboo to publish fake news or one-legged story at the Tribune House. The reaction of the other side must also be published. If you are interested in authentic news, you know where to go, even, online”.
On the issue of regulation, Dickson submitted “the media in Nigeria remains one of the most regulated”.
