Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Monday, urged the mass media to consolidate on its constitutional role of balanced factual reportage and agenda setting to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
Oborevwori also charged the media on dissemination of news and information that promote national unity.
He made the call in his remarks at the 30th anniversary of The Pointer newspaper held in Asaba, with theme: Honouring Truth and Unity Through Excellence in Public Communication.
The Governor, who bagged The Pointer’s “Exemplary Democrat and Transformational Leadership Award” at the ceremony, emphasized that the media must speak truth to power in a civil and responsible manner, and hold political leaders accountable to the people as enshrined in the Constitution.
He urged journalists to downplay news that aggravate the religious and ethnic fault lines in the country for the sake of enduring peace and sustainable national development.
Oborevwori said: “It has been thirty years of twists and turns, trials and triumphs in the turbulent world of print journalism. In three decades of its existence, I want to say without any fear of contradiction that The Pointer has done well in playing the traditional media roles of information, education, and entertainment.
“Even more significantly, The Pointer has been a strong ally of the Delta State Government in promoting the policies and programmes of successive administrations, while respectfully advocating for unity and peaceful co-existence.
“The media have a strong social and cultural impact upon the society; thus, it should reflect and project the positive image of the society. I dare say The Pointer has been very effective in this regard.
“I am proud to say that the newspaper has maintained strong editorial focus, professional editing, and reader-friendly layout. I am aware that many journalists who have passed through The Pointer have gone on to hold important political positions in government. For instance, my Chief Press Secretary was a reporter here for at least eight years”.
The Governor, who acknowledged challenges faced by the newspaper, said circulation had dropped with advertising patronage remained low while its online presence remained poor.
His words,”The circulation of the newspaper has dropped, advertising patronage remains low, and the newspaper’s online presence is nothing to write home about.
“As a result, the newspaper is yet to become financially self-sustaining after 30 years in the business. It continues to rely on government patronage and subventions to meet its financial obligations. This must change, especially in view of the current economic situation in the country.
“There is a compelling need for the Board and Management to review its operations with a view to making the newspaper self-supporting.
“There is a big problem when a thirty-year-old man is still dependent on his parents for survival and sustenance. I think the marketing arm of the newspaper needs to be rejigged in line with global best practices.
“There is need to have a mind shift as a matter of urgency. Even though the company is owned by the state government, it is also a business that needs to exploit opportunities in the market for profit and growth.
“In this age of new media, there is no reason why The Pointer should not have a robust, viable online presence. Most people now depend on hand-held devices for news and other information.”
He commended the Ebenezer Okorodudu- led Board for the current initiatives aimed at revamping the newspaper and tasked it to develop products targeted at different market segments to boost its revenues.
He said his administration remained irrevocably committed to openness and transparency in the business of governance, saying; “we see the press as partners in development and we are committed to providing the environment for them to continue the discharge of their duties without let or hindrance.
“The only thing we desire is that journalists should please fact-check their information with relevant government officials before publication for accuracy, fairness, and balance, in line with the ethics of the profession, and should not resort to blackmail.”
Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyavbaire, who said The Pointer Newspapers remained one of the outstanding state- owned print media in Nigeria, lauded the company for being a nurturing ground for exceptional journalists.
He challenged management and staff of the company to redouble efforts in promoting the policies and programmes of the state government, affirming that there was need for them to continue to train and retrain staff for maximum performance.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza, said the newspaper had delivered on its mandate of information dissemination across the state and beyond.
Osuoza said the Newspaper had endured over the years due to the professionalism of the board, management and staff, adding that the newspaper had consistently sold out daily copies and appealed to the Governor to increase the print run.
He commended Governor Oborevwori for upgrading and maintaining the equipment for the state’s owned media outfits.
Welcoming guests earlier, Chairman of The Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation, Publishers of The Pointer Newspaper, Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu said the company had
consistently delivered accurate information to Deltans, the South-South and the entire Nigeria.
He said the newspaper was founded October 28, 1994 and had continued to keep faith with growing prospects of readers in print, online and PDF platforms.
Okorodudu added that 20 per cent of the newspaper’s revenue had been set aside for staff training and development, stressing that the newspaper remained pointed towards the truth, unity and implementation of the State Governor’s MORE Agenda.