Photo credit: ICJ Kenya
When elections are approaching in Nigeria, we tend to hear various stories which are cooked up by different interest groups.
My concern today is whether or not the press should take positions on political issues. Another issue that’s relevant here is if a particular media takes a position, could it be said to be free?
Let me first state the fact that freedom is a God–given right which is inalienable. That United Nations Organization and most countries support the fact is just natural.
But then, it’s also a known fact that it’s where one’s freedom stops that the next person’s begins.
That’s why we have laws of libel, defamation of character, and so on.
Now, as far as I’m concerned, the media could take positions. The position a media outfit takes will normally depend on it’s aims and it’s market.
If the outfit decides to pitch it’s tent towards, say a political group or ideal, I don’t see anything substantially wrong with that. Not as long as it’s not spearheading rumours about individuals belonging to other groups.
In any case, the laws of the land and the market are ultimate judges.
As I said earlier, people have the freedom to do what they must do as long as it’s within their constitutional limits.
So, saying someone has failed to appear on a TV program is not a “sin.” Nor it it wrong for a media outfit to take a stand.
It’s left for the people to check out the manifesto of each party and vote according to their conscience.
In any case, that’s why minors are not allowed to vote. In Nigeria, the voting age is 18. I believe an eighteen–year–old should be able to know what’s going on in society and who to vote for!
122022
