The Farce Of Nigerian Journalism -By Ali Abare

It galls one to see some of our colleagues getting flared up following the suspension of the broadcast licence of Africa Independent Television.

Suddenly, all hell is break lose because NBC suspended AIT’s broadcast licence. Many of the rantings are misplaced and a complete trajectory.

I’m sure such journalists colleagues would have done great service to other colleagues by championing for media organizations like AIT to pay their staff salary.

Journalism has been so bastardized that individuals and groups float media organizations without a plan to pay their workers. And yet some of these so-called journalists can raise their voice when AIT is being brought under control.

What manner of journalism when journalists mostly depend on largess and tips from news makers? How are we sure that those crying blue murder are not acting from financial inducement?

Journalism in Nigeria is a farce because only a few media houses could afford to be factual and objective. The business is to oppose anything that does not appeal to our survival instinct. Every piece of journalism is now stewing in the pot of jaundiced politics.

Let every sincere and committed journalist join hands together to fight a worthy battle, ensuring that every working journalist is paid as at when due. That way, journalists can be in position to hold government, corporate entities and even individuals accountable to the people. It’s arrant falsehood to claim you are practising journalism when your livelihood depends on the favours of those you should hold accountable.

AIT is a monster, owing working journalists years of unpaid salaries and it’s amazing that it’s the same journalists that are rising to defend a slave master!