The mass media as the fourth estate of the realm should in partnership with the government build a successful nation. In other words, the mass media are the perfect critic and minister of any nation. Consequently, they must be handled carefully. Based on this, the mass media in Nigeria have a great role in sustaining our nascent democracy. In the words of Ebo (1996:21) as quoted by Umechukwu (2004:45) ‘‘ the mass media serving as the mirror of the nation as well as being in partnership with the government, afford the nation the need and urge to check and review its series of seeing, feeling by conscience and touching, hearing, smelling, tasting by experience, etc. through their capacity to evaluate circumstances and situation, discern information, distortions or modifications, portraying disruptions, diversions, and other influences in administration of public concerns’’.
It is on record that the press played a vital role in stimulating constitutional development and nationalistic series of agitation in Nigeria as well as other parts of West Africa. It was after the end of the First World War that nationalist newspaper came in circulation in Nigeria. There were a number of newspapers that helped to spread the nationalist cause during the period stretching from the end of First World War to the Second World War.
Simply put, a journalist is a person whose job is to inform people, educate the people, entertain the people and to mobilize them towards a desired goal for their communities. The places where journalists work are usually radio and television stations, newspapers and magazine outfits and other public offices, which need and employ public relations officers, information officers, etc.
The mass media in carrying out its functions as the fourth estate of the realm brings out government’s policy to the knowledge of the public by their agenda setting role. The mass media or press by agenda-setting role structure our perception of the society. The media many scholars have observed, define and construct social reality by their ability to direct our attention to certain issues and shape our opinion about them. They provide us with frames that structure our perceptual reality within which,we develop our opinions about issues around us.
I think and believe in this forthcoming 2011 general elections, the mass media need to interview applicants so that the electorate should know them very well. Such interviews, should be based on previous positions held, achievements, educational background, how he left his previous office, what plan he has for the mass audience, how to execute it and by what means. In conducting such interviews, the issue of ‘‘bread and butter journalism’’ must not come up, it has to be genuinely conducted so that the electorate will know who to cast their votes for the betterment of all Nigerians.
The press as the watchdog of the society has the responsibility of keeping members of the public or society informed. This includes making the people to know the day-to-day activities and dealings of those in government, whether military or civilian. In addition, the press also helps to ensure that government knows the feelings and yearnings of those who it governs. However, for the press to perform these functions efficiently and effectively, there must be press freedom. According to Benjamin Disraeli, ‘‘the press is not only free, it is powerful. That power is ours. It is the proudest that man can apply’’.
The third American President, Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), Democratic Republican once said ‘‘that a free press should be sacrosanct to the building of an enduring democratic culture’’. Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States and the greatest of the brightest minds of his time noted that the press is the engine room of any democratic system. He also said that journalism is best hope for a healthy policy. To this end therefore, the pen is not only mightier than the sword but it is mightier than the gun in modern journalism. This saying is used to illustrate the power of the press. It shows that the position of journalists should be properly recognized, they need to be respected in the society because they are ’Lions’ in their own rights. This is because the press can destroy any bad and illegal administration and can rebuild such if the need arises and improvement observed.
In the forthcoming general elections, the mass media should endeavour as much as practicable to appraise genuinely all political aspirants at different levels to inform the electorate through the mass media (print and broadcast) inclusive of genuine programmes and projects they have so far executed by means of supplement for the print media and documentary for he broadcast.
For the mass media to play their roles marvelously well in the forthcoming general elections, the Nigerian government should ensure that journalists work in the atmosphere of freedom from state harassment necessary for their protection. When government and security agencies are aware of the popular feeling of citizens in support of the democratic rights of journalists, they are more likely to reduce the frequency with which they invite editors and reporters for security chats. When the professional rights of journalists are tampered with, their defence should not be left to the effort of a few public-minded lawyers, but should concern everybody because of their roles. It is expected that journalists alias ‘pen soldiers’ should continue to live above board and exhibit professionalism and excellence. There should be no journalistic rascality in the practice of their profession so as to monitor properly and publish appropriately all about the activities of the 2011 general elections.
Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, cpae, son, emba
is a mass communication scholar and Chief Officer (Administration) at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria.
charlessoeze@yahoo.ca (08036724193).
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