Opinion: How Not to Use New Media. By Rotimi Atere

Date: 2014-04-26

The advent of democracy in Nigeria, and the accompanying freedom of expression has opened up the information superhighway. Unlike in the past, the nature of information dissemination is no longer restricted to the conventional media (print and broadcast) but more readily, the social media (what is also known as the electronic media). The growing trend now is journalism online. Through the internet, the face of journalism is changing in the country. Kwara, as a unit of the Nigerian federation has had a fair share of this trend. From the pioneer Ilorin.info to others like Kwaraonline.com, Kwaralefro.com, kwaranews.com, Inside Kwara, e-kwara.com , Kwara Sight, Kwara Eagle, Kwara Facts and lately kwara247.com, the information super-highway has never had it so good!

Give it to them, these platforms have contributed in no small measure to the advancement of information dissemination in the state, a situation that has greatly enhanced informed citizenry with all the resultant benefits. But beyond the giant strides of a few of the above highlighted platforms, it is heart-rending that a new low is fast creeping into the hitherto vibrant landscape where the likes of Dr. Femi Akorede, Abubakar Baba Sulaiman, Yinka Ajia, Oniyanji Kunle Suleiman etc are exchanging credible ideas.

This then brings me to a piece posted by the administrator of the kwara247.com yesterday wherein Senator Gbemisola Saraki was cast in unprintable aspersions. The report, which does not have anybody’s byline, is so offensive that I can hardly revisit it in this article. It is titled: Gbemisola Saraki: Asewo Tofe Di Guvnor.” The article was but a degenerated level of personal attacks hauled by the platform against the person of Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, obviously for no other reason than that she doesn’t share the same political ideology with their paymaster.

The first thing that came to my mind on reading the article is: why? Why would whoever is behind the kwara247 go this low in his hatched job? Does he ever know the implication of going this acerbic against otherwise well meaning Kwarans like Sen. Gbemisola Saraki in the long run? Too many questions begging for answers, Walahi!

For whoever cares to know, Kwara247.com is owned and funded by a former Governor of Kwara State but allegedly managed by his ‘internet savvy’ media aide. To me, the fact that the website has a ‘face’, no matter how remote, should be enough reason why its administrator should thread softly. For his (or her?) information, the law is no respecter of his anonymity. If he believes he enjoys the anonymity offered by the social media, and as such has the license to go dirty, he is damn wrong! It will be better to reflect on the recent rising influence of online reporting and commentary and the resultant fact that more internet ‘journalists’ are jailed worldwide today than journalists working in any other medium.*

To Ilorin circle of online journalists, I urge you all to stand up and be counted in the fight against blackmail platforms like the kwara247.com. We cannot afford to allow junk journalists, hatched jobbers and blackmailers to foul the airspace for us. We must guard jealously against the antics of inexperienced jobbers who would not give a hoot when the chips are down. The future of journalism is online and we are now in a battle with the enemies from within who are using blackmail, vendetta and barefaced lies to redefine public discourse in the state.*

To the administrator of the kwara247.com, the image of the solitary blogger working at home in pyjamas may though be appealing, but when the knock comes on the door, he will be all alone and vulnerable.

Rotimi Atere 
System Controller, FAAN

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Adebara     Alabere     Gabriel Fashanu     Olatunji Abdulmumeen     Kwara-SAPZ Project     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Emir Of Yashikira     ER-KANG     Titus Ashaolu     Ibrahim Jawondo     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Hamidu Olowo     Gani Saadu     Oladipo Akanmu Tolani     Amusement Park     Christopher Ayeni     T And K FOODS     Riskat Opakunle     BECE     Kunle Akogun     Grillo     Peter Obi     Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi     Nnazua     Busari Alabi Alausa     Sa\'adu Gambari     Ganiyu Abolarin     Ile Arugbo     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Ajakaye     Bello Oyebanji     Millennium Development Goals     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Ilorin Metro Park     Saudat Abdulbaqi     David Oyedepo     Michael Ologundea     Ayo Salami     11th Galadima     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Mary Kemi Adeosun     Arinola Lawal     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Overland     Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara     Ibrahim Mashood     Kwara TV     Ayekale     Edret Sabi Abel     Lanre Badmas     Oniwasi Agbaye     Kwara     Saeedat Aliyu     Eleyele     N-Power     Computer Based Test     Ike Ekweremadu     AbdulGafar Tosho     Muritala Olarewaju     Bank Of Industry     Amule     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Baakini     Olabode George Towoju     Hajj     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Afin Descendants Union Of Odo-Owa     Neuropsychiatric Hospital     Www.Kwarareports.com     Oyedepo     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     Abdulrahman Onikijipa     Garba Dogo     Aliyu Adebayo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Oluwatoyin Lukman     Muhammad Yahya     Bond     Ibrahim Sulu Gambari     Innocent Okoye     T And K FOODS     Otoge     Raimi Iyanda     Fatimah Abdulkadir     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Jimoh Olusola Imam     Segun Olawoyin     Yusuf Amuda Aluko     Sherif Sagaya     Ajayi Okasanmi     Majlis For Sadaqah, Zakat And Waqf     Olatunji Ayeni     Oloye     Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen     Transition Implementation Committee     Bolaji Gambari     Mubarak Oladosu     Siraj Oyewale     Laolu Saraki     Idofin     Muhammed Abdullahi     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Omotoso Musa     Sa\'adatu Modibbo-Kawu     Yomi Adeboye     Ahmed Mohammed Rifun     Paul Olawoore     Adanla-Irese     Kwara NIPR     Galadima     Olosi Of Osi     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye     Ethical College     Jimba Babatunde     Ahmed     Yusuf Ali     Baba Isale     Gobirawa     Adedayo Yusuf Abdulkareem     Senior Special Assistant On Student Affairs     Kayode Issa     Theophilus Oyebiyi     2023 Elections     Bolakale Kawu Agaka     Dankaka     Playing Host     Sheikh Ridhwanullah     Sarah Jubril     Computer Based Test     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     Musa Aibinu     Adedeji Onimago     N-Power     Yahaya Abdulkareem     Edret Sabi Abel     Leke Ogungbe     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Micheal Imodu-Ganmo Road     Oni Adebayo     Shonga     Saka Onimago     HAMFAT Clinic And Maternity     Olaosebikan     Oluwarotimi Boluwatife Adenike     Kazeem Oladepo     KWASAA     Christopher Ayeni     Ghali Alaaya     Oke-Kura     Rafiu Ibrahim     Bilikisu Gambari