Journalists in the state have been urged to be leery of the diction used in the report of events in the society, noting that they could upset the peace of the society with instigative and suggestive phrases.
Comrade Charity James (Ph.D.) during an In-house writing refresher session organized by The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ) Akwa Ibom chapter, listed areas for improvement.
The speaker who is the Chairperson of NTA Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, AKS Council stressed that tension and chaos could be quelled by a careful choice of words and could also be heightened.
“As Journalists conversant with their roles in agenda setting, caution should be exercised in the content of every reportage” she said
She cited the commonly used phrase “Fulani herdsmen” to be erroneous because the Fulani’s have not taken responsibility for the herdsmen’s destructive acts.
She also enlightened all on several news writing hacks, noting that online readers have limited attention span, and other things compete for their attention on social media.
Some of the tips include;
The correct use of punctuation, Short and simple sentences, adding that long and windy sentences bore the reader and sometimes conceals the meaning of the report, A clear understanding of the various audiences one is writing for will help in effective communication, Finding a writing style and developing a delivery style.
She recommended the emulation of impeccable and admirable writing style as well as sticking to a conversational writing tone.
Flowing with the trend. Comrade charity listed some improved vocabulary and commonly used words like “celebrant” to be outdated and is now replaced with “celebrator”, “Arrived in Lagos” should be replaced with “Arrived Lagos.” while “PDP flag bearer” should be replaced with “PDP Standard Bearer.”
She furthered that Proofreading should be handled by one’s colleague or anyone to ensure a thoroughly cleaned news item(s) before presentation/publication.
she also urged information officers in the local government councils, parastatals, and ministries to be creative and proactive in their respective roles. Adding that the only way to become a better writer is through consistent writing.
The Chairperson of NAWOJ, Comrade Uduak Ekong thanked the resource person and urged female journalists to act on the knowledge shared and improve on their practice.
It was the August congress of the Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ) Akwa Ibom State Council held at the NUJ Press Centre, Akwa Ibom State
