Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc hosted a comprehensive one-day training programme for a select group of Nigerian journalists from diverse media outlets on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
This initiative aimed at enhancing professional standards and ethical practices in journalism was facilitated by The Media Training Room (TMTR).
The training focused on equipping participants with the necessary tools and insights to navigate the complexities of modern journalism, including the avoidance of fake news, unethical practices, and cybercrime. Additionally, it provided valuable guidance on how to gather and report on activities within Nigeria’s banking and finance sector.
Key facilitators at the training programme included:
- Jekwu Ozoemene, PhD, CEO, HIV Trust Fund of Nigeria, Africa Finance Specialist, and Adjunct Faculty at Lagos Business School (LBS), who covered “Essentials of Reporting Banking and Finance.”
- Peter Okwoche, an award-winning BBC journalist and host of BBC Focus on Africa, who led the module on “Fake News: A Case for Ethics and Professionalism in the Nigerian Media.”
- Deji Olatoye, Partner at The Lodt Law Offices, Lagos, who discussed “The Cybercrime Act and the Nigerian Media: Understanding the Legal Minefield.”
- Toni Kan, an award-winning writer, journalist, and freelance journalist at the FT, who addressed “Keeping Facts Sacred in the Age of Social Media, Misinformation, Disinformation, and Mal-information.”
The session provided journalists with critical insights into the extant Cybercrimes Act, strategies for effective news gathering and reporting in the banking and finance sector, and the evolving practice of journalism in the age of social media. The emphasis was placed on ethics and professionalism amid the rising tide of fake news.
Dr. Ozoemene highlighted the importance of incisive and analytical reporting in covering the sector and economy, urging participants to practice quality journalism, which involves bearing witness, digging into records, developing sources, and rigorous fact-checking.
Olatoye described the Cybercrime Act as “one of the most insidious pieces of anti-press legislation ever” and emphasized the importance of understanding its provisions and their impact on journalistic practice. He encouraged journalists to maintain ethical standards, especially in the digital age.
Toni Kan addressed the prevalence of fake news, misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information, noting that the term “fake news” has significantly impacted local and national conversations on various issues. He stressed the need for journalists to eschew unethical practices.
The Media Training Room, co-founded by Toni Kan and Peju Akande, is a skills-based, practice-led certificate-awarding institute that commenced operations in February 2018. The May 30, 2024, session, which saw the attendance of 27 journalists, marked the fourth in a series sponsored by Stanbic IBTC.
