Two major spikes in public engagement with media content over the last fortnight exposed both a threat and an opportunity. There was the Sex for grades expose on the BBC Africa Service and the chaotic narrative of a fake presidential wedding that became a social media sensation. Each activity generated intense fireworks, one to shed light and the other to provide entertainment for citizens at the expense of the high and mighty.
Many have pointed to the lull that descended on the television audience of young viewers as part of the reason for the excitement with these other activities. There is a lacuna in entertainment fare for the youth audience particularly. They filled the gap with user-generated content on the risqué side. More significantly, the gap speaks to a challenge that is as well an opportunity for the Nigerian media industry.
Social and online media have become dominant platforms for sharing of the narratives of Nigeria by citizens. They do so with passion but without the safeguards of professionalism. The consequence is the growing calls for stifling of freedom of expression by authority figures and their drum majors in society.
It would be the wrong approach to a problem that has within it the seeds for its resolution. Each of the scenarios are clearly within the competence of Nigerian media professionals to tackle. They have done so in the past and can do even better now.
Some analysts have pilloried the media for what they termed the lead of the BBC in doing a major impactful investigative report on the menace of “Sex for grades” in our higher institutions. If they are not alleging professional negligence, they point to the impact of the story as proof of the influence of that media surpassing that of the Nigerian media. We consider both allegations untrue, unfair and misguided.
Nigerian media continues to perform its role of traditional reportage as well as going the extra mile with investigative reports. Nigerian print and online platforms have reported various instances of sexual harassment and the damage it does to victims, the system and the society.
Exposes by Nigerian media cover governance, politics, health, societal failures and various other areas. On the matter of sexual harassment, our platforms have done a yeoman’s job, from print to online. An October 30, 2017 report in The Cable exposed the pimping of schoolgirls by security guards and teachers at Federal Government Girls College, Langtang, Plateau State. Old students of the school immediately set up a panel to investigate the matter, and the federal government followed afterwards.
Environmental analysis points to the fact of an audience seeking entertainment fare that can engage them. The need is acute because of the growing privations of citizens and their search for outlets for release, relaxation and refreshment. Entertainment is one of the best-known panaceas for release of tensions that Nigerians seek. Budgets are tight, yet advertisers seek platforms with strong audience pull as the market place for value exchange.
BusinessDay, in line with our remit as a business publication, sees more opportunities than threats in the situation. The exploitation of opportunities leads to the creation of solutions in products and services for the benefit of stakeholders and the society. The need represents an opportunity for the creation of entertainment fare on the airwaves that would keep our audiences engaged.
Public broadcast organisations in Nigeria occupy a significant share of the market. They also hold in their archives admirable records of responsiveness with programming that held the attention of Nigerian audiences across demographics and psychographics. We believe the public broadcaster, radio and television, can rise to this challenge and opportunity with a little tweaking by federal and state governments to allow greater empowerment and latitude to their managers. So too can the many players in the private sector. Here’s to all concerned: convert this threat to an opportunity.
