Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
In a bid to broaden the knowledge of practicing Journalists on modern technology, the Management of the Folio communications, in collaboration with the Africa’s industrial giant, the Dangote Industries, have invited over 50 Journalists across the North Central geo-political zone for training.
The workshop which commenced Wednesday at the cement village, Obajana, in Kogi state with the theme ” The convergence Journalism “, will lasted three days brainstorming on critical Media practice.
Head of Special project of the Folio Communication, Mr Pius Alabi, while welcoming the participants to the workshop, assured that the resource persons are very versatile in the areas they have chosen to discuss and therefore advised them not be listeners only, but contribute positively and effectively for the overall achievement of the objective of the exercise.
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He explained that the 3 day programme will centre on convergence journalism, the emergence of the Dangote cement company, it’s development, achievements and future plans. Others include social media journalism, Public Relations and Advertising.
Alabi thanked the Management of the Dangote Industries and that of the Obajana cement company for their reception, promising that Journalists will use their good offices to allow the whole world know about their activities.
The first paper with the theme Convergence Journalism was delivered by one of the longest serving editors in the Nigerian newspaper industry, Abdulkareem Baba Aminu.
He was the Saturday editor of one of the most influential newspapers in Nigeria, the Daily Trust, for 12 years after practicing for 2 decades. He is also a trainer of some varieties of sub sectors of Journalism.
He described convergence journalism as bringing together some varieties of the media based on either ownership, tactical or structural in information gathering and story telling through the television, radio,newspaper and social media.
Baba Aminu, who described the emergence of the convergence Journalism as revolutionary and an evolution that transforms communication through the media as more than one means that can be utilized to achieve more goals.
He however said though there are more gains in the idea of the convergence Journalism, there could be challenges especially if room is given for competition by being lazy , urging practitioners to keep up to update to sustain leadership.
Other challenges associated with the convergence Journalism, the renowned Editor said, include collusion with non Media fields like banks and other cyber crimes and persons using such platforms to denigrate citizens.
The media guru therefore advised practitioners to upgrade their skills on convergence media by being innovative and to chose areas of attraction to their followers and participants.
