The Challenges Facing Journalism in Nigeria

Today, many journalists without jobs want to call themselves publishers. This has led to a flood of poorly edited online publications. It feels like you read one and you have read them all. There is no variety, no richness, and no depth. News stories seem flat and the features lack excitement. Investigative work has become rare and often doesn’t exist.

"All the metrics for legacy news media are headed in the same direction: less revenue, far fewer reporters and editors, less profit to reinvest and less community clout.", Rory O’Connor

There is no doubt that journalism around the world is changing fast and facing many threats. Technology, government control, funding issues, and problems caused by journalists themselves are all hurting the profession.

Some of these challenges are not new. They have been around for a long time but take on new forms. For example, in the 1980s, Ray Ekpu was removed as editor of the popular Sunday Times. He had boosted the paper's sales but was moved to the Business Times. He wanted to bring the same success there but found the environment unwelcoming. Eventually, he moved to the Concord Group, invited by his friend, the late Dele Giwa. There, he became chair of the Editorial Board.

Concord grew stronger and benefited from issues at the Daily Times Group. Later, when Giwa faced problems with the publisher, he, Ekpu, and Yakubu Mohammed left Concord. They joined Dan Agbese to start Newswatch. This magazine changed how magazine journalism was done in Nigeria. They didn’t set up their own papers separately but worked together.

The same pattern happened later when Nosa Igiebor, Onome Osifo Whiskey, Dele Omotunde, Dare Babarinsa, and others left Newswatch to start TELL magazine. Good journalism is like music; it requires teamwork. Working alone doesn’t lead to quality news production, whether in print or online.

Many Media, Less News

So what do we see today? Any journalist who loses their job or gets caught up in newsroom politics quickly rushes to publish online. The result? Poorly edited and reported stories, often copied from the few remaining legacy media that still do the real work. We talk about having many voices in communication. But now we have many sources with the same news or no news at all. They all get information from the same sources with little difference.

One individual running an online news site in Lagos claims to report "Breaking News" about terrorist attacks in Borno State while sitting comfortably at home in Lambe or Ota in Ogun State. He has no reporters on the ground to cover the crisis. He just hops from one legacy media website to another to piece together whatever information he can find. Many news websites today operate without any real reporting, relying instead on legacy media that also have fewer on-site reporters, using freelancers who are paid per story.

Column writing, once the strength of journalists like Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese, and others, is now filled with those still learning how to write proper features. Anyone who can type wants to be called a columnist!

Nigerian journalists are now working in isolation. A good reporter wants to be an editor, even if they are not good at it. Editing is a skill that takes time to master, just like reporting. In the past, Giwa, Ekpu, Agbese, and Mohammed didn’t try to start their own media alone. They collaborated to create a strong news magazine. The same goes for Igiebor and the team that created TELL.

Today, many journalists without jobs want to be called publishers. This has led to a flood of poorly edited online publications. It feels like you read one and you have read them all. There is no variety, no richness, and no depth. News stories seem flat and the features lack excitement. Investigative work has become rare and often doesn’t exist.

The Legacy Media Too

The legacy media isn’t doing any better. Some managers seem afraid of experience, pushing out seasoned professionals. They hire inexperienced journalists at lower salaries, then promote them to editorial roles without the right experience. This trend sacrifices quality for quantity.

Column writing that used to be the domain of skilled writers is now taken over by those still learning the basics. Nowadays, anyone with a computer wants to write and be called a columnist!

Newspapers, both online and print, are struggling. Many readers are losing interest because the stories often focus on government events like commissioning projects or inspecting roads, even when there is little to report.

Court cases are poorly covered because experienced court reporters are rare. The days when The Guardian, Vanguard, Concord, and The PUNCH reported court cases in depth are long gone. Now, when a court gives a verdict, if ten websites report it, you get ten different poor interpretations or the same incorrect ones. Why?

Investigative stories are hard to find now because no one wants to pursue them or managers don’t want to fund them.

**Why can’t TV and radio producers come together to create a strong YouTube or podcast channel that is well-produced and organized? Instead, everyone seems to be working alone, producing subpar content that won't last. Where are the journalists who can create online versions of Newswatch, TELL, and other respected media?

Ego Massaging as Interviews**

Journalists are also not asking tough questions anymore. We let politicians buy airtime and gather people who won’t ask hard questions. This way, the interviewee controls the conversation, turning it into a case of the tail wagging the dog.

Many believe the Internet is killing newspaper readership. This idea is partly true. I have traveled and still see people buying and reading newspapers, even where there is free WiFi. Some people still enjoy holding and reading physical newspapers. The truth is that readers don’t feel they are getting their money’s worth and are moving away from news that feels more like public relations.

YouTube and podcasts are now the new trends. They are popular, and many journalists are jumping on the bandwagon, filling the Internet with low-quality content. Why can’t we learn from Ray Ekpu and others? Why can’t experienced reporters and writers team up to create a strong online platform rather than flooding the cyberspace with poorly sourced stories in a rush to call themselves “Online Publishers”?

Why can’t TV and radio producers join forces to create a solid YouTube or podcast channel that is professionally produced? Instead, many are working alone, producing low-quality content that won't endure. Where are the journalists who can give us a digital version of Newswatch, TELL, and other respected publications?

For instance, after this year’s hajj, seven pilgrims were arrested on their return. It was hot news for all media. What has happened since? There is also the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal. What we see from countless news sites are official statements and no independent investigations!