Verifying fallacies is almost as difficult as upholding the facts. The penetration of fake news and malicious statements has evaded media scrutiny, such that the hardship makes it almost impossible to believe every piece of information released from their stable. It is even more difficult with political invasions in most media houses. Affiliates of some of these political parties take turns releasing propaganda for the unsuspected masses to react to. These fallible stories have become so prevalent that most individuals are unaware of the reality. The pendulum is swinging so fast that we almost do not know the time or season to acknowledge it.
Stakeholders are almost complicit because they are as quiet as not being involved; the essence of publicity is to make the illusion clear without sentiments. However, the level of influence politics now has on our publishing system is gradually increasing to the point of damnation. The danger is as strong as libellous speculation that the masses may find it difficult to believe the truth. The advent of social media, justice, and reforms has created a culture that will make people feel unsafe to believe the media. The reason will be that the news published will always speak the mind of an affiliate of the present government. Whether the relationship is cordial or not, the information may be biassed.
There have been serious allegations of abuse of public belief in the system through journalism. A veteran journalist may not have built institutions void of tyranny or that the civilization degraded the standard. Movements of funds around the corridors of publication have been said to be true with some unscrupulous media men and women. They would peddle fake information and stories and will continue to emphasise these issues until the masses are bought over. Investigative journalism to unearth the facts is almost moribund. This act of deception may not be delectable to our democracy and the people’s interest in the system.
If a country must thrive, the media system should cultivate pure and core journalism. If the media must know, the populace is confused by what you churn out as facts. The system may permit an oath of secrecy for some national interest in information, but not to mislead the public with lies. If the government or the constitution is keeping a case secret, the course should be left at that and not a reverse intellectual directive. A more productive economy may have to learn from the past and realise that fake news can destroy what we plan to preserve as a nation.
Incongruent beliefs in culture and tradition have led to a situation far from peace and stability. Information can be misled, and leaders’ methods can be inappropriate. This can lead to misinformation and rash reactions. It’s crucial to verify the correct information before actions are taken, as some individuals may act rashly based on incorrect information.
Verification may be as dangerous as peddling the wrong information. The members of the press may have the ability to provide information but should also raise awareness on how best to check out the authenticity of the data provided. Integrity with some media houses will make people trust the facts coming out of them. On-air personalities (OAPs) should equally endeavour to distinguish themselves from those who are partisans. Partisanship will brew contempt with every word uttered by any person who has the privilege to influence the public.
Due diligence and transparency will always prevail over any attempt to manipulate the system. Humans are inevitably political, but the interest of the system, in tandem with objectivity, would likely lead to the fairness of your responsibilities. The infiltration of rumours that will become reality is a result of false assumptions made by people who are just too lazy to verify. If the events mean so much to us, we will try to establish the truth surrounding the news. If what the information is suggesting is something to go by, the response will probably be to confirm the source and affirm the facts.
There are damages and unprecedented destruction that have been inflicted by this unverified evidence that has been proven by others to be false information. The libel may go as far as the author still finds a place of covering from the light of truth. If such unverified claims are left at that, others may join the bandwagon, and the fallacy may appear to be the truth, but it can never be confirmed. Some outcomes of these false claims are found in some warring countries, as the reasons for some of these alterations are founded on the wrong dissemination of beliefs and practices.
Image makers in power should avoid affluence and avoid promoting their interests, as it may anger people. Using special advisers or personal aids should be done with diligence and fact-finding. There is a seat for power and community service, and credibility is found in genuine and truthful statements. Credibility is built on genuine and truthful statements, which can promote peace.
Olusegun Fashakin, a seasoned educator and Fellow of Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement, writes in via [email protected]
