The editor in chief and publisher of Journal.NG, Comrade Ismail Aniemu has described Social Media as a revolutioner and liberaliser of journalism practice around the globe in the 21st Century.
Comrade Aniemu said this in a lecture he delivered during the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) Exco Retreat on Wednesday at Rockview hotel Apapa Lagos State.
The retreat which was with the theme ” Understanding the Customs Modernization Project” was a train the trainer event, to avail the participants with the knowledge and benefits of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) e-Customs/ modernization project embarked upon by the Service.
In the lecture titled, “Role of Social Media in Journalism Practice”, Aniemu noted that the advent of social media in our world has made it more easier for anyone to become a reporter at anytime from anywhere and making wide impact.
He insisted that it no longer a matter whether persons reporting are trained in journalism practice or not.
Middle ,Acting President of ANLCA Dr Kayode Farinto Collins, to his right, Chairman of the event, Comptroller Kunle Oloyede, of Tin Can Island Customs Command, represented by DC Enforcement, Deputy Comptroller GI Aliyu, and to his left representative of Controller FOU A, DC, Administration, Deputy Comptroller AG Ali sandwiched by AMJON Exco members at the event.According to the publisher, while social media practice has its low side like dissemination of fake news, it has digitalized the practice of journalism either as a career or pastime hobby. He noted that social media has taken journalism into the street.”Everywhere is a newsroom, everyone given the opportunity to to own a Smart phone is today a reporter, editor and publisher”.
On the importance of social media in journalism, he said , “At a face value, journalists not only benefit from the exposure that digital environment brings, but also have unlimited amount of information available at their finger tips.
As a reputation builder, Aniemu opined that it can be difficult to imagine a society without social media, pointing out that journalists had to break boundaries in their field or win major accolades to have good reputation.
The Maritime resource person also highlighted, the challenges social media could pose for quakes in journalism practice such as fake news, unethical practices, mob journalism and regulatory impediments.
He pointed out the challenges of social media to include cyber crime offenses when a fake practitioner is caught marlinnig innocent people which attracts maximum of two years jail term or two million Naira or both.
The event which was chaired by Comptroller Kunle Oloyede of the Tin Can Island Customs Command, represented by DC Enforcement, Deputy Comptroller GI Aliyu , also has in attendance Acting President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto Collins Phd, DC Administration at Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Deputy Comptroller, AG Ali among other dignitaries.
