Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Business Journal magazine, Prince Cookey, has urged the federal
government to float N100 billion bailout fund for the media industry to support
operators and safeguard jobs of journalists and other professionals.
Cookey said at the 5th Anniversary Lecture/Awards of the
magazine in Lagos that the media industry remains a critical component of the
Nigerian society, especially in a democratic dispensation.
He said: “It is important to note that before, during and
after independence, and even now, the media has continued to play crucial roles
in sustaining the Nigerian dream. If other sectors deserve bailout, the media
industry deserves it even more. What is good for other sectors must also be
desirable for the media industry.”
He traced the current state of the industry to the global
financial meltdown which he said, took the lives of many media organisations in
Nigeria while the declining fortunes of the economy has made it difficult for
many Nigerians to patronize the products of media houses and especially
generate advert patronage from corporate firms.
Cookey said rather than complain endlessly about negative
coverage in the western media, that we must tell our own story through own
media. He lamented however that “our own media cannot tell our own story from
the grave or hospital bed. The media industry in Nigeria is sick and in dire
need of medical attention in form of financial support. Accordingly, we are
asking the Federal Government of Nigeria to support the media industry with
N100 billion bailout fund to sustain operators in the industry and save the job
of journalists and other professionals working in media houses.”
According to Cookey, “the advent of the global financial
meltdown took the lives of many media organizations in Nigeria,” the publisher
said at the event.” And today, even those that survived the economic tsunami
are still limping and struggling to meet obligations to their employees as at
when due. We cannot continue to pretend that all is well with the industry—all
is not well. We need help urgently.”
The publisher also tasked media owners in the country to
work together as one body to initiate measures to raise awareness on the
importance of reading newspapers and magazines regularly and listening to news every
day.
He said the federal government can also assist the industry
by reworking the economy to enable more Nigerians have the capacity to buy
newspapers and corporate firms to place more advertisements.
Meanwhile, Mallam Isa Yuguda, Executive Governor of Bauchi
State commended the Board and management of Business Journal on the 5th
Anniversary/Awards of the magazine, saying the occasion provides an opportunity
for sharing views and experiences towards consolidating its achievements and
galvanizing it to further contribute to the socio-economic development of the
country.
“Business Journal has
since inception stood out as a magazine whose main concern is the economic
development of the country. The theme of the magazine’s 5th anniversary which
is, ‘Is Nigeria Growing Forward or Developing Backward?’ Is not only thought
provoking but underscores its concern and desire for the economic and
socio-political development of Nigeria,” the governor said.
Yuguda who was represented by, the Head of Service of Bauchi
State, Abdon Gin, said the theme is not only timely but also relevant to the
current reality of the Nigerian situation from which angle one looks at it.
“One can ask the question: with all its natural endowments,
can Nigeria be said to have developed economically or how has Nigeria fared
politically since independence over 50 years ago, especially since the return
to democratic rule 14 years ago.”
Dr. Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian
Communications Commission (NCC), commended Business Journal for hosting the
event which he said is an opportunity to reflect on our performance as a
nation.
“It is indeed
significant that this event is taking place in September 2013 which marks yet
another anniversary of the mobile revolution in Nigeria which began in 2001. On
our part, we have often spoken openly about the indispensability of the media
to our industry’s success story. It is for this reason that we have chosen to
be part of this event as it is being hosted by one of the publications that had
also contributed to the success of the industry,” he said.
The NCC chief said the commission considers the media as a
very close ally in furtherance of the telecom revolution in Nigeria as it
provides the bridge between the commission and its stakeholders. “It is also
obvious that significant majority of our population depend on the media for
information regarding access and applications for telecommunications products
and services.”
No comments:
Post a Comment