Business Post Contributor
If there is any reason that has made our journey smooth and aided our transition to the top as a corporate media organisation within this short period, it is our founder’s shared belief that the function of the press is very high and almost holy. That it must serve as a forum for the people, through whom they may freely know what is going on and to misstating or suppressing information is a breach of trust
This belief of our publisher no doubt brought about an in-built consciousness among the staff that, ‘every decision we make as a journalist when gathering, organising and presenting the news requires a value judgment; as different decisions bring different results.
Correspondingly, we are watchful always that our decisions at the Gbaramatu Voice, whether direct or indirect, intended and unintended, short term or long term affect others; that those decisions influence thousands of people’s opinions on political or other issues. Hence, our resolve to build a media practice/organisation anchored on professionalism, objectivity and resilience.
Again, as a group with a primary, but freely chosen mandate to ceaselessly project the Niger Delta to the global stage, we were not unmindful of the fact that the media in every evolving democratic society like ours is to among other functions inculcate and reinforce positive political, cultural, social attitudes among the citizenries. Create a mood in which people become keen to acquire, skills and disciplines of developed nations.
This is the reason why we are succeeding at all fronts- maintaining the flagship position and remaining a reference point in the estimation of the Niger Delta news consumes the world over despite coming at a time our nation was facing an agonizing economic crisis.
And as we currently race to the next level, our mission to deliver captivating content to our teaming readers not minding the distance has even become not just inevitable but eminently desirable as the Gbaramatu Voice of the fact that a free press is not a privilege but an organic necessity in a society.
That without reliable, and intelligent reporting, the government cannot govern because, without a viable media practise, there is no adequate way in which it can keep itself informed about what the people of the country are thinking or doing.
Very instructive also though on the negative side, we cannot shy away from the fact we have very lately seen media practitioners become more cautious than courageous in the discharge of their duties. And by doing so, assume a contributing factor to the nation’s socio-economic and political woes.
We have also watched with dismay majority of the practitioners overtly watch the making of political cum economic decisions that breeds poverty and perpetrates powerlessness, yet took the easy way out without addressing the underlying factors.
Media practice in Nigeria has seen power lately gone the wrong way but assumed it’s the right thing- watched the nation’s political gladiators redefine democracy in the image of their actions but viewed it normal.
And very lamentably, some groups and practitioners no longer see themselves as problem solvers or watchdogs of the society but now occupy a high ground they do not understand while leaving the masses that initially depended on them confused.
Despite these loopholes in both the practice and the industry, as we celebrate this milestone and brace-up for another eventful year, the major assurance we give to our news consumers and numerous stakeholders is that we are daily reminded of our core shared value which is to among other things remain with you- the people and serve you the best of our undiluted news stories, our investigative reports and other educative updates as they unfold.
