Investigative and data-driven journalism are critical and important in sustaining good governance and building public confidence in the system
President, Society of Nigerian Broadcaster and Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Kasher, Gombe State, Prof. Umar Pate stated this on Monday in a keynote address at a two-day roundtable on issues and challenges in investigative and data-driven journalism in the north-west, on Monday
He said investigative journalism is risky, costly, time-consuming and needs courage.
Pate said democratic survival in Nigeria requires transparency and accountability as corruption is existentially threatening.
‘’Revelations from multiple agencies at national and international levels indicate the prevalence of corruption and inappropriate behaviours that bother on negative tendencies capable of subverting the democratic process, ‘’Pate said.
According to him, hence, the imperative for good, accountable and evidence-based or data-driven journalism can command the confidence of the people and inspire policies to promote and protect democracy.
Speaking on investigative and data-driven journalism in the northwest zone, Pate, a professor of media history, noted that, the zone is served by heavily government-controlled and commercially minded broadcasting houses and largely upcoming but lowly professional social media; newspapers have low visibility
‘’Journalism and journalists are severally connected to governments and powerful political interests for reasons of ownership, economic survival and docile audience’’
‘’The culture of serious investigative journalism is weak across the media in the zone’’
On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Bayero University, Kano Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas lauded the efforts of Prof. Umaru Pate in changing the narrative of Mass Communication in Nigeria.
Abbas said it is noteworthy to mention that Prof. Umaru Pate facilitated the securing of the MacArthur grant for the Faculty of Communication in three different tranches of $700,000, $800,000 and $ 1.3 million.
He said these interventions provided by MacArhur has revolutionized the study of Communication and Media Studies in Nigeria.
‘’This has led to a major government educational policy change in the study of Communication and Media Studies in Nigeria,’’ Prof. Abbas said.
‘’As the leading broadcast training centre in Nigeria, our Faculty of Communication and Media Studies is going to have the following offering from next academic session.’’
Broadcast and Journalism Department
Development Communication and Strategic Communication Department
