NECA expresses concerns against fake news, trains journalists on fact-checking fundamentals

By allcitynews.ng 

As part of its efforts to reduce fake news, the leadership of  Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) embarked on training of journalists.

Noting that disinformation has played negative role in pulling down or businesses as main reason for the training, the Director General of NECA Adeyemi-Smatt Oyerinde, charged media especially practising journalists to go the extra miles in verification of stories before publishing.

In their submissions, Mr Lekan Otufodurin and Mr Lanre Arogundade reiterated the needs for fact-checking which is the process of verifying the accuracy of reporting and statements made by sources.    

This could be checked before or after the text or content is published or otherwise disseminated

Taking journalists on the fundamentals of fact-checking, two  media experts, Mr Lanre Arogundade of International Press Council, IPC, and Lekan Otufodunrin, the Executive Director, Media Career Development Network, urged media practitioners to embrace fact-checking rudiments  while disseminating information, especially as issue of fake news heightens. 

According to them, such developmental journalism, would not only ensure credibility of information, but seperates facts from fake news.

Tagged, “Combating Disinformation in a Digital Age and Fact-Checking for Responsible Journalism,” the one-day workshop, organized by NECA for journalists was held in Lagos, over the weekend.

Otufodunrin noted that the workshop came on the heels of growing  misinformation, as well as  disinformation in the nation’s media space, stressing that such act could be reduced through fact-checking. 

He noted that news space is awash with lots of misleading facts that might distort, deceive, and lead people astray.

“So, this workshop is to empower journalists to appreciate the need for fact-checking and apply it to day-to-day reporting. 

“Even when they cannot do it all the time, do it once in a while, so that the quality of our reports can be enhanced and evidence-based, which is very important.”

Adding to this,  Mr Arogundade said by December 6, he would unveil his fact-checking website, as part of his contributions to the media space, especially in factual information gathering. 

Some top government officials, as well as media experts, according to him, are expected to grace the occasion, scheduled to take place in Abuja. 

He decried the level of disinformation and misinformation trending in the global media space. 

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