MRA Plans Workshops For Journalists On Media Laws

A non-governmental organisation advocating freedom of the press, known as the ‘Media Rights Agenda’ (MRA), has announced that it will convene a series of workshops across the country in the coming weeks to sensitise journalists about laws and regulations affecting the media in Nigeria.

The NGO said journalists will be equipped with a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape governing media operations to enhance their capacity to report ethically, freely and safely.

According to a press release issued to our correspondent yesterday by Mr Timileyin Adams, the programme officer of the NGO, the first of the workshops would be for journalists based in the South-Western states, adding that it will take place in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on August 6 and 7, 2024 while two other workshops will be held subsequently in Owerri, Imo State, for journalists in the South East and South-South; and in Abuja, for journalists from the northern part of the country.

Adams explained that the workshops are informed by the need to equip journalists with the knowledge and tools necessary to enable them to navigate media laws and regulations confidently, competently and safely.

“The legal landscape in Nigeria presents a complex web of laws and regulations affecting the media, some of which are misused from time to time by governments and other powerful members of the society to impede the work of journalists and the media.

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“These workshops represent a significant step towards empowering journalists with the knowledge and skills they require to navigate the complexities of these laws and regulations and enjoy the benefits of relevant regional and international instruments,” he said.

According to him, each of the workshops, which will span a period of two days, will cover a range of topics and issues crucial to journalism practice, including national, regional and international frameworks on freedom of expression, media freedom and the safety of journalists and legal frameworks that are inimical to media freedom in Nigeria.

He specifically said the topics will focus on digital security and common digital threats to journalism practice, ethics in journalism practice in Nigeria, beneficial legal frameworks for journalists and the media and how to avoid legal liabilities as journalists, among others.