Prof. Zhang Yanqiu of the Communication University of China,(CUC), Beijing, has charged African journalists to discontinue the excessive negative reportage about their countries.
Yanqiu, who is also the Director of Africa Communication Research Center at CUC, gave the charge in an interview with a Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday on the sidelines of the ongoing 14-day seminar in Beijing.
She said: “Every news reportage goes a long way to influence ideologies, mindset and belief systems of those outside who read it, watch it and even listen to it.
“Under the liberal media system, it seems that the media plays a major role in watching the government.
“When they watch the government, they tend to report a lot of negative stories to try to find the problems and the troubles of the government.
“So, when the media keeps projecting the nation as a place of negativity with no positivity and advantages, it drives away potential investors, tourists and even migrants who want to live there.
“In order to boost the growth and development of Nigeria and African countries at large, excessive negative news reportage must be put to an end.”
For developing countries like Nigeria. Yanqiu said that it is time for the media to start promoting the country’s image via positive reportage and also consider solutions journalism or constructive journalism.
“This means journalists not only find the problems, but also try to have the media be a facilitator or mediator to find out how the country can solve the problem.
“We are not saying Journalists should sweep the problems under the rug or not to criticise but everything should be done within boundaries with the aim of proffering solutions.
“So let the media as mediators invite different sectors or people concerned to talk about the issue and to find solutions to the identified problems.
“So, this is something I think the media should consider as the new concept,”she said.
A participant, Mr Yahaya Samuel, media supervisor at Jeffwood investment from Nigeria, lauded the Chinese government’s kind gesture and the opportunity to see China beyond the news.
He added that Nigeria is working towards discouraging negative news reportage and will strive to put in more deliberate efforts to project Nigeria and Africa at large in a positive light.
“From this training, we now have more understanding that the way our local media portray the country often contributes to shaping how the country and its citizens are perceived by the international community, including foreign investors,”Samuel said.
(NAN)