By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, (SNB) has challenged its membership to strengthen professional standards and use their platforms to counter misinformation, promote peace and deepen democracy in Nigeria.
Stakeholders attending the third Annual General Meeting, held at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre, Bauchi, with the theme: “Countering Misinformation, Promoting Peace and Strengthening Democracy,” emphasized that unless professionalism is upheld, broadcasters may struggle to maintain public trust and effectively fulfil their responsibility of providing accurate, credible and balanced information to the public.
Declaring the meeting open, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, described broadcasting as a powerful instrument for connecting government with citizens, promoting education, preserving culture and facilitating public dialogue.
Represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Muhammad Auwal Jatau, the Governor urged broadcasters to prioritise verification, accuracy and responsible reporting, particularly at a time when misinformation, disinformation and manipulated content can spread rapidly across traditional and digital platforms.
He said the state government recognizes the media as an indispensable pillar of democracy.
He equally disclosed that his administration has invested more than three billion naira in the comprehensive overhaul and modernisation of the state owned radio and television stations.
Welcoming members of the Society, the President of the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, Professor Umar Pate, expressed appreciation to the Bauchi State Government and people for hosting the AGM, describing the choice of Bauchi as deliberate because of what he called the state government’s attention to the media and broadcasting industry.
Professor Pate said although the society is relatively young in its current independent operation, the society has a history spanning decades and now has about 500 registered members, with delegates attending the AGM from several parts of the country.
He commended Bauchi State Government for its investment in broadcasting, particularly the rehabilitation and modernisation of the state’s radio and television facilities and expansion of community radio services.
Professor Pate identified funding, technology, content, credibility, safety and freedom, as well as changing audience behaviour, among the major challenges confronting the broadcasting industry.
The keynote speaker and Executive Director, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Famuyiwa Alaka, challenged broadcasters to recognise that radio and television remain central to Nigeria’s information ecosystem despite the rapid expansion of digital platforms.
Speaking on the theme, Motunrayo Famuyiwa Alaka, said the boundaries between broadcast and digital media have become increasingly blurred, with information moving rapidly between radio, television, social media, streaming platforms and messaging applications.
Alaka stressed that responsible broadcasting requires accurate, verified, fair and useful information, noting that a rumour originating within a community can enter a broadcast studio and gain wider visibility, just as television and radio content can quickly become digital material.
Representing the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, urged broadcasters to place verification at the heart of their work, particularly with the growing ability of artificial intelligence to generate convincing but fabricated audio, video, photographs and documents.
The AGM is also expected to feature the election of a new Executive Council for the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters, marking a leadership transition for the professional body.
The gathering brought together, broadcasters and media professionals from different parts of Nigeria to deliberate on the future of the broadcasting industry and its role in strengthening democracy, promoting peace and confronting the growing challenge of misinformation.
