Obalowu, Comrade Aromaradu and the unprofessional act of Diamond FM

The media, as an institution, has for a long time enjoyed the position as a trusted primary source of news and information and also, because of its emerging function as a watchdog that monitors the running of the nation by exposing excesses, corruption, falsehood, misinformation holding those in power accountable, the media is regarded as the supplementary branch of government by providing checks and balances through populace feedback.

 

Few weeks ago, I registered my disappointment in one of the Radio stations present in Kwara State for a controversial report on Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s speech. Tinubu’s video while he was addressing the people of Edo State surfaced online where nobody could hear what the man was saying except “tranforming yahoo boys into manufacturers of chip and ehkkdkkfdvj” but this Radio station reported that he, Tinubu, said he would transform Yahoo boys into technological experts that will aid the country’s growth in technology industry. The news which was not only biased but also misleading must either be reported by Diamond FM (88.7) or a compromised station like Diamond FM.

 

The disrespectful action of Diamond FM and its staff members today confirmed every assumption that, the station is compromised, biased and lacks independence in its operation which has reduced them to a mere comedy outlet that should never be trusted again.

 

One will wonder when Diamond FM suddenly becomes an agency that confirms and challenges customer’s opinion on air. The same studio that always gives government of the day agents to say anything on their programmes. It was not a case where your station is asked to report something you consider untrue; it was a case where a pundit can be heard presenting his opinion on issues with backgrounds for his hypothesis. Even if the pundit’s comment becomes hard for you to swallow, as a newsperson, must you flew out of the hand?

 

The pundit, who must have paid for his time as a customer, was totally disrespected by the unprofessional act of Diamond FM to play music while he’s still making his comment. The disappointing act also insults the sanity of Diamond FM’s listeners and calls for a reason to doubt whatsoever Diamond FM has reported in the past because with what we saw today, it can be said the studio always plays according to the script written by the ruling party.

 

In fact, an apology should hurriedly be issued to the public for breaching our trust in them and to also have a clearer identity, they (Diamond FM) should either change their station to APC FM or rename it to a stone FM because their ethics potray nothing similar to diamond but a mere stone.

 

It’s my hope that Kwarans are watching closely as our media which is supposed to check the excesses of government has been turned against the citizens instead. Our democracy is obviously in trouble under the leadership of APC from national level down to the state level. The people must rise to the occasion and save democracy by sending away every tyrant that threaten the stability of the highly valued democracy and the functionality of our institutions.

 

Olota Abdulsomad

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