1.0 The objective of this memorandum is to emphasize the need for trained media practitioners to get involved in the provision of social media contents. This objective, if effectively implemented, will help to bring in professionalism to the offerings of the social media as against the current trend where the platform is dominated by non-professionals, who are not guided by professional or ethical codes.
2.0 The Social Media, also known as the New Media, have become veritable means of transmitting messages to a wide spread and heterogeneous audience at a speed faster than radio and television, and indeed all forms of main stream media or traditional media. The social media, like the mainstream media, have media platforms such as Facebook, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter among others. Unfortunately, the Social Media in Nigeria are currently not regulated by any legislation. This has made the platform an all-comers affairs, owing to the fact that the Nigerian Constitution in Section 39 provides that ’every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.’ Subsections 2 also provide that ‘Without prejudice to the generality of subsection 1, every person shall be entitled to won, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinion.’ The implication of these Constitutional provisions is that everyone is free to transmit messages via the social media platforms no matter how incorrect or malicious. This scenario has raised lots of concern about the contents of the social media.
3.0 The important of this arrangement cannot be overemphasized. It will bring in sanity and credibility to the offerings emanating from the social media platforms. Like the saying goes, when good and bad ideas compete for attention in the market place, the good idea will eventually drive away the bad ones.
4.0 Council is accordingly invited to
i. Note that the social media platforms of communication are fast becoming veritable means of reaching out a wide spread and heterogeneously audience.
ii. Note that the platforms are currently dominated by operators that are neither professionally nor ethically sound.
iii. Note that it is important professionals deliberately draft themselves into the social media platforms in the course of carry out their traditional media practice by utilizing the social media platforms for their daily job routines.
iv. Note that eventually, the professional will successfully take charge of the social media platforms and invariably entrench sanity and credibility on the platform’s offerings or contents.
v. Approve and advice Federal and State Ministries of Information, and private media practitioners and owners intensify efforts at drafting their professional personnel to utilize the social media platforms, as well as put in structures such as materials that will facilitate this arrangement
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