The Acting Deputy Editor of The Tide Newspapers, Mr Nelson Chukwudi, has challenged students of Mass Communication on hardwork and dedication to studies in order to become the needed future breeds of journalists in the nation’s ever-challenging journalism profession.
Chukwudi gave the charge during the excursion of some 300-Level students of the Mass Communication Department, Rivers State University (RSU), to the corporation, last Thursday.
Addressing the students at the end of the tour round the different units that aid the production of The Tide, Chukwudi stated that the journalism practice comes with a lot of responsibilities, maintaining that it required hardwork and dedication during studies to cope with the challenges of the profession
The acting deputy editor averred that journalism was a solid profession which provides vast opportunities for practitioners, but regretted, however, that most often; the personalities cultivated from the profession do not return the favours but treat journalists with scorn and distain.
He said, “For journalists, one thing is very clear: Journalism is a very solid profession. It makes people but unfortunately, most of those people it made fear or seldom want to support practitioners in the profession. But even so, it is a noble profession, and I urge you to approach your studies with an open mind, and the desire to make a difference in society”.
Describing journalism as a risky profession, the Editor said, however, that “the risk is that of exposure. It exposes us to good and bad people. As journalists, we see ourselves as endangered species because some times, we are targets of people who may feel hurt by our incisive reporting”.
While noting the National Universities Commission’s change of the Mass Communication curriculum, Chukwudi, stated that the students would specialize in the different fields of journalism of Print, Broadcast, New Media, among others, urging them to put in their best in their studies for excellent output.
The acting deputy editor, who took the students round all the critical sections in the corporation, reminded the students that the newspaper was unique, even as it is one of the oldest professions in the world with sustained and distinguished character.
Earlier, the Group News Editor of The Tide, Mr Victor Tew, while fielding questions from the students, explained the technicalities of the newspaper production from news gathering by the reporters to the production process of the newspaper.
Tew, who noted that all aspects of news gathering was challenging, further maintained that social media could not take the place of traditional journalism, particularly, print journalism, as it’s qualities stand the test of time.
Highlights of the excursion was a tour of the Newsroom, Library, Computer Section, and the two production facilities, including the old printing machines, and the state-of-the-art Goss Rotary Printing Machine, which prints about 30,000 copies per hour.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu