Editors Urged To Apply ‘Law Of Common Sense’ In News Judgement

Associate Professor of Strategic Communication at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Dr. Sule Ya’u Sule, has charged editors to consistently apply what he termed the “law of common sense” in newsroom decision-making, warning that professional lapses could endanger public peace and the survival of media organisations.

Ya’u made the call in Kano while presenting a paper entitled “Who is an Editor?” at a one-day roundtable discussion with editors, organised by the Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs in collaboration with Nadeem Media Consult Ltd. The forum was aimed at strengthening newsroom practices and improving editor–reporter relations.

He described editors as gatekeepers and the internal surveillance system of the media, whose duties go beyond ensuring grammatical accuracy to carefully assessing the consequences of publishing sensitive reports. He noted that while a story may satisfy conventional news values, editors must interrogate its potential impact on peace, security and social cohesion.

“The law of common sense requires an editor to pause and ask critical questions: will this report inflame tensions, mislead the public or endanger lives? Without peace, journalists themselves cannot practise safely,” he said.

The don explained that editing involves eliminating ambiguity and unnecessary elements to guarantee clarity, balance and legality, stressing that editors must have adequate knowledge of names, offices and institutions to avoid costly errors that could expose media organisations to litigation or public backlash.

He further noted that editorial responsibility operates at multiple levels — from reporters making initial news judgments to sub-editors, editors-in-chief and digital editors — all of whom must balance political, commercial and audience considerations.

Also speaking, a lecturer in the Department of Media Studies, BUK, Dr. Mukhtar Magaji, underscored the need for stronger collaboration between editors and reporters, saying discipline and teamwork were essential in a challenging media environment.

In his remarks, the information Ministry’s commissioner, comrade Ibrahim Waiya, described editors as judges in the newsroom, urging them to weigh public interest, patriotism and security alongside professional ethics.