Matter of the Moment – Pluralism in Emerging Local Newspapers

With Monday Akpan

Communication is very vital to human existence, and, in fact, it is important to man as water is important to fish, hence the maxim in communication parlance that man cannot NOT communicate meaning man cannot do without communication.

        To this end, the topic of the matter of the moment is not a matter which one might think is a matter which a dog eats a dog, but it is that which tends to create public awareness to the fact that the emergence of many local newspapers today is in place not only that some of them are politically motivated but contribute immensely to the growth of the locality as well as its economy.

        To say the least and mostly for the records, the phenomenon of industrialization is closely linked to media ownership which in today’s world is itself of a  pluralistic, diversified nature which ownership and control went through considerable transformation since the Second World War and again both ownership and control patterns depend closely on the overall political system in the country.

        Newspaper publishing is a private and sometimes government commercial operation which in quite different ways become an indispensable component of development efforts and of social life in every locality.

        To this end, developmental media activities or/and as one may think and describe as “influx or proliferation of local newspapers” are not, in any way, a threat to freer information flow, but on  the contrary, one of the conditions of Democracy, since a more active participation in development choices and activities is part of  democratic way of life.

        Very often local communities use modern communication means (radio or television) adapting them to the needs of their environments and to the variety of local conditions thereby increasing awareness of the need for media instead of embarking or living on gossips, rumourns and hear-says especially by minorities, special interest groups, and community or political activities hence the need to express themselves without delay and with such means as are at their disposal.

        In the light of this, while newspapers which are commercial enterprises expect to sustain themselves by sales and advertising, they are not always viable on this traditional basis and in many cases, the financing, or at least the deficits are covered by government or political bodies.

        Therefore, the communication industry is closely connected with other branches of industry and the first being the printing and newsprint producing industries and electronics industry, which provide the media with the photo-setting  machines, the radio  and television  broadcasting equipment, the radio and television sets, and, other devices and equipment without which modern mass media cannot function and the purpose of the overall industrial complex which has had a number of divergent effects on the social, economic and political development of the council would have been defeated.

        This therefore, calls and stresses the need for the protection of journalists. The need to make provisions for the protection of journalists cannot be over emphasized since it stems from a number of considerations that go far beyond the matter of the moment but ensures the personal safety, independence and integrity of the journalists.

        Accordingly, the right to communicate and the right to receive communications is dependent, in the final analysis, on the provision of adequate safeguards for those engaged in the gathering and dissemination of information to the public as journalists are often embarrassing witnesses and targets facing physical danger in times of conflict, in wars both declared and undeclared, in  civil wars and even when covering public meetings and demonstrations which are suppressed by the forces of authority.

        The profession has good cause to remember journalists who disappeared, and never reappeared in many countries, many others wounded, tortured or kidnapped and newspapers subjected to bomb attacks.

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