Press Freedom Day: Media Expert Warns Against Recruiting Non-professionals

 A media expert, Dr. Piman Hoffman has condemned the recruitment of unprofessional by some media organizations, saying the attitude has dented the image of the journalism profession in the country. 

Hoffman, an Assistant Director with African Climate Reporters, noted that some private media organizations now recruit “phone callers, quacks and other unprofessionals into the field of journalism”.

Hoffman made the observation when he spoke to newsmen on Sunday in Kaduna on the World Press Freedom Day.

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He advised such media organizations to stop the embarrassing action in order to save the profession.

Hoffman urged the Nigeria Union of Journalists and other statutory bodies to intervene, so as to weed the profession of quacks who are daily soiling the image of the noble profession.

“There is need to join hands collectively so as to kick out quacks in the profession,” he added.

According to him, the private media organizations are encouraging cheap labour and trampling the rights of their workers.

“They are using them for cheap labour while abandoning the trained ones that graduated from schools of journalism and mass communication”.

Hoffman also urged media organizations to be paying their workers on time in order to strengthen their efforts, noting that most media outfits in the country were either not paying or underpaying their workers.

He also appealed to media organizations to equip their staff with the necessary working materials and training to perform optimally.

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The expert said journalists should shun yellow journalism and fake news, and strive to promote peaceful coexistence in the country. 

Hoffman stressed the need for journalists to be trained more on science Journalism so as to support the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

World press freedom day is celebrated on May 3, every year.