UNESCO POSTER/VIDEO PRESENTATION
(total of 1 min and 5 mins each)
1 MINUTE PRESENTATION (1 min 2 secs)
The research questions for this poster presentation are:
Do media organizations adopt specific measures for the safety of journalists?
Are there policies in the media that deal exclusively with the protection of journalists’
physical and psychological safety?
What measures do journalists undertake to ensure their safety?
Some of the main results from the research are:
There is a need for a documented safety policy for media organizations.
There is a structured procedure for journalists when their safety is compromised.
Journalists lack insurance cover aside those personally acquired.
Safety is orally communicated.
Journalists are aware of UNESCO’s journalists’ safety indicators.
Some follow up for this research are:
What determines journalists’ safety policies in media organizations?
Documentation of journalists’ safety measures and practices.
An investigation of news organizations use of oral communication in opposition to
documented policies.
5 MINUTES PRESENTATION (4 mins 30 secs)
HELLO, MY NAME IS COMFORT BULUS ALSO PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF
DR. JOSEPH AYODELE. A POSTER PRESENTATION ON THE TOPIC: SAFETY OF
JOURNALISTS: MEASURES, PRACTICES AND POLICIES OF SELECTED NEWS
ORGANISATIONS
The research questions were prompted by the fact that organizations develop policies in
order to ensure efficiency and a collaborative working experience. Policy creation is central for
maintaining standards for how things are done consistently. It explains who, what, why and
when an action is to be completed. Policies are closely related to procedures which are the steps
outlined for policy implementation. Procedures are descriptive presentations of the actions taken
for realization of policies. These actions often guide the fair and equitable treatment of all staff.
Although policy documents do not provide solutions to all problems or challenges in an
organization, they serve as a guide and cover for general procedures. The benefits of safety and
safety policies are not universally appreciated. Risk management is often implemented once it’s
too late. Some managers hope that safety mishaps will not occur, but they do. The welfare state
of journalists working in any news organization is not dependent on just the economic and social
factors related to the life of the journalist but majorly on how the media and communication
systems are organized (Pöyhtäri, 2016). Media policy measures and the welfare state of an
organization together conceptualize the media welfare state.
The three research questions for this study therefore, were:
Do media organizations adopt specific measures for the safety of journalists?
Are there policies in the media that deal exclusively with the protection of journalists’
physical and psychological safety?
What measures do journalists undertake to ensure their safety?
In relation to the main results of this research it is worthy to note that laws or policies are created
in countries to maintain order. They are made to be implemented. In relation to journalists, laws
are enacted in order to protect, promote freedom of expression, safeguard lives and professional
rights. Despite the signing of the Freedom of Information Bill into law on the 24th of May, 2001,
journalists continue to face the challenge of safety in Nigeria. Having studied selected news
media organizations, some of the main results from this research were:
Security officials accompany journalists only when they are with top government
officials or in volatile areas.
The selected news organizations do not have an official safety policy document.
The journalism code of conduct and interpersonal communication between journalists,
forms the bedrock for journalists’ personal safety policies.
Safety measures adopted by journalists are synonymous with UNESCO’s safety
guidelines.
There is a procedural guideline that journalists follow once safety has been compromised.
Journalists need ‘safety’ insurance cover.
Safety guidelines are usually drawn up and communicated before the national elections.
We believe the following would prove useful as follow-up for our research:
There is need for research on journalists’ safety policies in media organizations that exist
within Nigeria and their determinant factors.
The documentation of journalists’ safety measures and practices for future reference and
development of better policies is a necessity.
The implementation of journalists’ safety laws in Nigeria, or the lack of it, should be
studied to determine the factors responsible.
An investigation of news organizations use of oral communication in opposition to
documented policies could provide insight on the art of communicating policies.
