Yomi Layinka, the Special Adviser to Governor Ajimobi on Communication and Strategy, has urged Online Publishers to raise the bar and be professional in the discharge of their duties. He made the call in his office during a visit of the South West Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP).
Earlier, Chairman of the Group, Olayinka Agboola had pointed out that one of the distinguishing features of SWEGOP is that members’ do the job as it should be done and their activities are controlled.
While thanking the Group for the visit, Mr. Layinka, who was the Chief Operating Officer of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS, disclosed that social media has become a tool through which many people preach hate under the pretence of pursuing social causes. He therefore lauded the group for the promise of professionalism as he stated that nothing short of professional ethics is expected from members.
“Opinions are formed sometimes, not on objective reality, for instance, if you are a neat person, you will find it wrong seeing a cooking pot on a table. But if you are not, you won’t find anything wrong with it and even when a neat person tells you it is wrong, you may look at him as if something is wrong with him”, he said. Speaking further, he said “you can raise the quality of conversations if your standard is high. In talking about the Ajimobi brand, ask yourself whether your perception of public officers is objective. Some of us say he is blunt but what results have we been able to get from being diplomatic and politically correct?”
He also advised members on the maintenance of standard. ‘When moderating conversations, be mindful of your own standard. Raise the bar of conversation. The media must lead in an environment where we have decent conversation, not extreme conversation. And as gatekeepers, you must have the power to make the right judgment, to control who goes in or comes out”.
In attendance were Akin Oyedele, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Print and Broadcast and Funlola Adesina.
Credit: theanchoronline.
