The lecture, which was entitled, “Digital media and the 21st Century Challenges,” was delivered by Mr Lekan Otufodunrin, the Executive Director, Media Career Development Network, Lagos.
Mrs Funke Egbemode, the Osun Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation and Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, on Friday bagged awards at the NUJ Zone B Annual Lecture and Awards held in Ibadan.
In his lecture, Otufodunrin said the media needed to be viable and have the required level of independence, adding it must also come to terms with the challenges of the digital disruption of our industry and be compliant.
“Traditional media must also become fully multi-media in their operations to benefit from additional income that can be made from new media platforms.
“It’s not enough to have websites and social media platforms for the sake of having them, there is need for deeper understanding of the operations and technical know-how involved
“There is need for proper convergence in our newsroom sourcing and dissemination and to maximise the large number of staff we have compared with smaller platforms that make more money than we do,” said Otufodunrin.
He said at individual levels, every journalist must become digital savvy to have a role to play in the future of the media.
“The new media is liberating and offers opportunities for owning private platforms, but only digital attuned journalists can maximise the opportunity.
“The media have a major role to play in sustaining and building a virile democracy in our country and we must not fail to live up to expectations.
“We must appreciate our crucial roles knowing that without democracy our industry cannot have the freedom to operate as we should,” he said
NUJ Zone B has Mr Cosmos Oni as Vice President while Bamigbola Gbolagunte is Zonal Secretary.
Other awardees included Mr Donald Ojogo, Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ondo State, Mr Jide Ajani, Special Adviser on Media to Gov.Seyi Makinde and Mr Taiwo Adisa, another media aide to the Oyo State governor.
Egbemode, a former Managing Director of New Telegraph Newspapers, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, commended the NUJ for the awards.
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