By Solomon Okpo | The Evangelist Opinion
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Akwa Ibom State Council, deserves commendation for organising a training on “Effective Crime and Court Reporting: The Role of the Media in the Administration of Justice.” At a time when the race to break news has become increasingly intense, particularly with the dominance of social media, the training could not have come at a more appropriate time.
Crime and court reporting is not an area where journalists can afford to operate on assumptions, rumours or half-verified information. A careless report can destroy a person’s reputation, expose a victim or witness to danger, prejudice public opinion and, in some circumstances, interfere with the administration of justice. Journalism may be about speed, but credibility must always be more important than being first.
The emphasis by the NUJ State Chairman, Comrade Nsibiet John, on continuous professional development is therefore timely. Journalism is evolving rapidly, and the reporter who refuses to learn will eventually become a liability to the profession. Crime and court reporters must understand basic legal procedures, terminology, court processes and ethical standards. They must know the difference between a suspect, accused person and convicted person, and must never pronounce an accused person guilty before the court does so.
The observation by the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Christopher Ekong, Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, deserves particular attention. Information released by a security agency at the point of arrest may not necessarily be the complete story that eventually emerges in court.
This is precisely why journalists must follow cases beyond the initial press statement. The police account is one side of the story; the court process may reveal additional facts, contradictions, legal arguments or entirely different circumstances.
This places a heavy responsibility on the crime reporter. A journalist must report what the court actually said, not what a lawyer alleged; what was established in evidence, not what social media users believe; and the status of a case, not what makes the most sensational headline. Arguments by counsel must never be presented as judicial findings. Similarly, an allegation must remain an allegation until it is established according to law.
Comrade Cletus Ukpong’s warning that “Everybody can publish, but not everyone can verify” captures one of the greatest challenges confronting contemporary journalism.
Today, virtually anybody with a smartphone can publish a claim within seconds. WhatsApp groups, Facebook pages, blogs and other platforms can spread an unverified allegation to thousands of people before a professional journalist has had the opportunity to investigate it.
But that is precisely why the professional journalist remains relevant.
The answer to the fear of missing out is not to abandon verification. Rather, journalists must become better at doing both: being fast and being accurate. A reporter who publishes false information first has not won the race; he has merely become the first person to damage his own credibility and possibly cause harm to others.
The two-source principle remains valuable, particularly in breaking news. However, two sources repeating the same rumour do not constitute two independent sources. Proper verification means going to the relevant authorities, witnesses or credible independent sources and testing the information before publication. Where an error occurs, the ethical response should be a transparent correction rather than silently allowing falsehood to remain online.
Another area requiring urgent attention is the protection of victims, witnesses, children and other vulnerable persons. The journalist must always ask: What public interest will this disclosure serve, and what harm could it cause? The fact that information can be published does not automatically mean that it should be published.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, was equally right to remind journalists that press freedom comes with responsibility. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are fundamental pillars of democracy, but they are not licences to publish everything without regard to consequences. Responsible journalism must respect individual rights, public order, national security and the integrity of judicial proceedings.
The media is often described as the Fourth Estate, but the privileges associated with that position come with corresponding responsibilities. Journalists are not merely distributors of information; they are important participants in the democratic process. When reporting crime and court proceedings, their work can influence public understanding of justice, policing, human rights and the rule of law.
There is therefore a compelling need for media houses in Akwa Ibom and beyond to invest more in specialised journalism. Crime and court reporting should not be treated as an assignment that any reporter can undertake without adequate preparation. Editors must also play their part by scrutinising headlines, checking facts and demanding clarity before publication.
The NUJ training should consequently not end as another event recorded in photographs and forgotten after the certificates are presented. It should become the beginning of a stronger culture of verification, fairness, accuracy and accountability among journalists in the state.
In the final analysis, the strength of journalism is not measured by how quickly a reporter publishes a story, but by how much the public can trust that story. The journalist must never allow the pressure to be first to become an excuse for being wrong.
Crime reporting must inform without condemning. Court reporting must explain without prejudging. Breaking news must be fast without sacrificing facts. And press freedom must be exercised with responsibility.
That is the journalism Akwa Ibom deserves and that is the standard the NUJ must continue to promote.
The Evangelist Newspaper therefore commends the NUJ Akwa Ibom State Council for the initiative and urges the union to make specialised training in crime, court, investigative and ethical reporting a continuing programme rather than a one-off exercise.
