Good journalism in Nigeria requires a healthy business model that most media houses do not have. It also requires a dedication to truth-telling that could cost you your life.
In the end, someone has to fund all journalistic activity, at least the serious ones. It is therefore important to find a working economic model. Otherwise, we will continue to have poorly paid/equipped journalists who create bad/incorrect/skewered/distasteful/half-cooked journalism in the hope of getting pittance from both their employees and those that sponsor their skewered writings. I have been lucky to work with good media organizations, but only one of them paid well enough to interest the ambitious me, and even that couldn't hold me long enough.
I do not blame journalists, media owners or anyone. But I think they all must come together to realize this is a business and find ways to make it work.
This was a great read David, I can only imagine the true depth of difficulty that fellows in journalism face when trying to report the stories that matter.
It’s a thing when functions where high ideals like journalism are required have to deal and navigate those ideals in the waters of economics. Not to even speak of political waters.
Though I think the internet with the zero marginal cost and zero distribution costs can offer some succor and spin sustainable business models.
In the end, someone has to fund all journalistic activity, at least the serious ones. It is therefore important to find a working economic model. Otherwise, we will continue to have poorly paid/equipped journalists who create bad/incorrect/skewered/distasteful/half-cooked journalism in the hope of getting pittance from both their employees and those that sponsor their skewered writings. I have been lucky to work with good media organizations, but only one of them paid well enough to interest the ambitious me, and even that couldn't hold me long enough.
I do not blame journalists, media owners or anyone. But I think they all must come together to realize this is a business and find ways to make it work.
This was a great read David, I can only imagine the true depth of difficulty that fellows in journalism face when trying to report the stories that matter.
This is good stuff. Words fail me as I read through my life and that of some colleagues in this piece.
It’s a thing when functions where high ideals like journalism are required have to deal and navigate those ideals in the waters of economics. Not to even speak of political waters.
Though I think the internet with the zero marginal cost and zero distribution costs can offer some succor and spin sustainable business models.
Thanks David.
Amazing write-up. Truly, journalism in Nigeria stands the risk of being called a joke.
Good stuff. 234Next’s story pretty much mirrors NN24’s. Both too a bold, audacious approach to journalism and both failed to live up to the promise.