Government has no business in media

Everybody is aware that the government has the upper hand in controlling the media as regards its day-to-day activities, especially in Nigeria. Media should be given full autonomy and power to operate so as to discharge its duty in a way it should be done without violating the rules and regulations of the profession.

Government has no business in media after the issuance of the license to operate the media station in-as-much as the media station has been following the rules and regulations given by the Nationals Broadcasting Corporation.

For instance, a government-owned media station is an instrument for the politicians to wage war against the opposition party. A government radio and television station can never criticize the ruling politicians regardless of their wrong conducts in governance.

It is unprofessional for the government to be selecting the kind of news to broadcast to the public. The ethics of the profession prioritises freedom of expression and dictates that it remains unbiased in all its conducts. I vehemently stand against the involvement of the government in media in the sense that any media that is operating under government will not follow the ethics of the profession.

Any media organisation that gate-keeps information that is beneficial to the masses has violated the rules and regulations of the profession. The fact remains that media is a body that can stand on its own without the appendage of government. Government should allow the media to stand on its own so that it can professionally thrive.

The BBC and CNN are well known all over the world simply because of the autonomous power given to them to operate. Nigerian media industry should be given the same autonomy to practise so as to get world recognition.

Rev. Oladimeji Michael Olalekan,

Ibadan

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