Rivers
Embrace Digital Transformation, Entrepreneurial Approach, Group Urges Journalists
A Non-Governmental Oganisation, Step-Up for Women in Journalism Initiative (SWIJ), has advised journalists to embrace new tools and formats to remain relevant and competitive in a fast-changing industry.
The Team Leader of SWIJ, Mrs. Ann Godwin, made the remark during a workshop retreat organised by the group for female journalists, in Port Harcourt.
Godwin said that in a profession driven by deadlines, breaking news, political pressure and public scrutiny, retreats provided journalists with the opportunity to pause, reflect, learn, heal, strategise and return to the newsroom stronger.
According to her, a well-rested journalist thinks more clearly, writes more sharply and reports more responsibly.
She urged media professionals to take their mental health seriously and ensure that lessons learnt were translated into measurable impact.
Godwin also stressed the need for skill upgrades and innovation, observing that the media landscape was rapidly evolving with the rise of artificial intelligence, data journalism, multimedia storytelling and audience analytics.
Also speaking, a Mass Media and Information Management Coordinator, Search for Common Grounds, Nigeria, Mr. Sunny Dada, emphasised the need for journalists to upscale their skills to keep pace with emerging technologies and digital interventions.
Dada noted that the rise of social media, bloggers, influencers, and citizen journalists had changed the news landscape, with many breaking news stories on digital platforms.
According to him, these available platforms are digitally enabled; journalists should understand the characteristics of these platforms.
He advised that journalists should understand the average digital tools needed to use to create and amplify their stories.
Dada stressed that journalists could not equate themselves with bloggers or influencers, given their professional training and legal recognition.
However, he added that failure to adapt to evolving digital trends could render them redundant..
“If you do not upscale, over time you’ll become redundant, you will have nobody to blame, because digital tools can help journalists produce stories within ethical thresholds and build trust with audiences,” Dada warned.
Similarly, Dr. Ngozi Omojunikanbi, Lecturer, Faculty of Communication, University of Port Harcourt, urged journalists to take advantage of the digital age.
Omojunikanbi noted that digital tools had highly interactive audiences and allowed real-time feedback, in spite of the challenges that came with their vast potential.
She urged journalists to upscale their profession in mastering digital tools, attend conferences, and choose platforms that mastered their goals.
On her part, Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Rivers State Chapter, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia, spoke on the topic, “Journalism Practice Beyond Survival, Growth, and Per Diem: An Appraisal of Entrepreneurial Journalism.”
She urged journalists to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset in order to thrive in the evolving media landscape.
Tubosia, who is also an entrepreneur noted that the journalism profession was facing disruptions, with many losing jobs due to dwindling financial fortunes of traditional media outlets.
She advised journalists to explore alternative revenue streams, invest in wealth-creating assets, and cultivate an ownership mindset to remain relevant in their profession.
According to Tubosia, entrepreneurial journalism goes beyond mere financial survival, saying journalists should embrace innovation and self-actualisation.
By: Theresa Frederick & Charity Amiso