A media expert, Mr Ted
Iwere, has said that re-inventing and re-organising the traditional media to capture current social media trends would be the antidote for their survival.
Iwere, who is the Managing Director of The Independent Newspapers Ltd, made the assertion while delivering a lecture entitled: “Today’s Newsroom, Tomorrow’s Newspaper: How to Survive and Thrive in the Internet Age.’’
The lecture was organised to mark the 80th birthday of Mr Sam Amuka, publisher of Vanguard Newspapers.
A book, “Voices from Within: Essays on Nigerian Journalism,” was also presented to honour Amuka.
Iwere stressed the need for newspapers to move away from just printing the news.
He said reporters and editors should acquaint themselves with the use of new gadgets to provide video, pictures and audios online.
Iwere advised traditional newspapers to move away from the trend of reporting what the social media would have aired and be ahead by providing updates and in-depth analysis online after news breaks.
“Nigerian newspapers must adapt to the internet age or face imminent death.’’
Iwere said that a digital newsroom must also be interactive.
He called for modification of traditional desks to accommodate new desks that were technology compliant, adding that newspaper owners must be innovative to remain relevant.
A former Governor of Ogun and Chairman of the occasion, Chief Olusegun Osoba, recalled that Amuka was the pioneer of magazine publishing in Nigeria.
“Sam was the first editor of Spear Magazine, 50 years ago and first to make us appreciate cartooning.
“He was as famous off-beat. Sam is a very cynical writer,’’ Osoba said.
Also, the Publisher of Media Review and the organiser of the event, Mr Lanre Idowu, said that journalists seldom celebrated their icons and that was the motivation for celebrating “Uncle Sam’’ at 80.
“We celebrate Sam because he is best of us, he is a mentor of no protocol,’’ he said.
Reviewing the book, Dr Abigail Ogwerry-Ndisika, Head of Department of the Mass Communication, University of Lagos, said the book was first published 10 years ago.
She said that in the current edition, one chapter was removed and eight additional chapters introduced to capture mastery of essays and the internet age revolution.
“Chapter two talks of making journalism more gender friendly,’’ she said.
Ogwerry-Ndisika, who represented Prof. Ayo Olukotun, advised writers to capture the humorous side of the celebrant.