After her months of research using content analysis of four National newspaper and electronic media especially news coming from Nigeria Televsion Authority (NTA), the Imo State Project Director of media and gender enlightenment initiative (MEGEIN), Associate Professor Nkem Fab-Ukozor under the sponsorship of world association for Christian communication (WACC), presented a Reporting Guidelines for mainstreaming Violence Against women, the practice code, policy framework to Imo State practicing Journalist across in the national and local tabloid in the state.
MEGEIN Focal Person together with her Project manager Dr. Alexander Onyebuchi made the presentation on Wednesday, 13th October, 2021 during a press conference at Imo state University , Owerri, Imo State.
According to her, this reporting guidelines, came up after 40 news stories was gathered and analysis saying that, the reporting guidelines came up as result of their research and are recommended for a journalist practicing in Imo state and beyond especially, during the reporting of cases of violence against women.
Also, Speaking the Imo state media and gender enlightenment initiative (MEGEIN), Project manager Dr. Alexander Onyebuchi, said, for an accurate account of Violence Against women cases, repoter should report incidence of the case from the point of crime scene, arrest and prosecution.
He further noted that, the reportage of prosecution and trial on VAW cases without adding the voices of the victims, eye witness accounts and perpetrators will not do justice to the stories. Stressing that, the report of the trials will only present the views of councils which may not show the seriousness of the offence.
Meanwhile, the highlights of the reporting guidelines as presented to practicing journalist in Imo state, is as follows, that the story headlines should reflect the actual content of the story that is every issue raised in the headline should be treated in the body of the story.
languages that degrade women should not be used in reporting cases related to VAW , this will ensure that the readers pay more attention to the act rather than the words used to describe the women / girl-child.
Men should not be reported in VAW stories in such a way that it tries to shade or justify their action.
When police officers are alleged to have committed crime in relation to VAW, news stories on these events should not be written as if officers cannot commit such crimes.
The reporting guidelines went further to charge all practicing journalist to always maintain the professional ethics of balance and fairness, Accuracy in their report on VAW cases while protection of minor and avoidance of gory pictures should be maintained.
Conclusively, the reporting guidelines, recommended that, Reporters / correspondents should have minimum of National Diploma (ND) Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree before they are allowed to practice the course. This will ensure that they had earlier received knowledge on issues of gender -equality in their course-work before picking up the job. Making journalism profession an all- comers affair is gravely in bad taste. And that, there should be more women in print journalism and as editor, as a way of promoting more gender- equality and women-sensitive reporting.
