They were called to be transparent and objective in their reporting.

Media men and women from Meme, Ndian and Kupe-Muanenguba Divisions in the Southwest Region have been called to stand up and prove their worth through investigative and transparent reporting.

The call was made by the Vice President of the National Communication Council, NCC, Peter Essoka, during a one-day workshop that took place on Wednesday May 13, 2015, at the Kumba City Council Chambers.

The workshop, which was organised by the Divisional Delegate for Communication Meme, Cynthia Molua, took place under the watchful eyes of the First Assistant Senior Divisional Officer for Meme, Epolewane Mbua Verklin.

It brought together close to 40 men and women of the print and electronic media. Opening the workshop, Peter Essoka reminded journalists that they were people of value and should not in any way turn the profession to beggarliness. He said to be a good journalist, one must be dedicated, apt and restrain from rumours.

The NCC Vice President added that professionals must promote transparency and accountability in their reporting. He reminded participants that journalism is not to attack personalities, but to send out information fit for public consumption.

Peter Essoka noted that the objective of NCC was to strive for the development of a free, responsible and professional press, contribute to the emergence of favourable conditions leading to the professionalization of media organs, and reinforce the capacities of actors to help promote legal and regulatory texts.

In his presentation on, “Ethical conduct, deontology and the making of a good journalist,” Charlie Ndi Chia, the Editor-in-Chief of the Post Newspaper and member of NCC, explained that ethics is about being responsible as the information disseminated has a huge impact on the public and the authors.

He added that an ideal ethical press is one that seeks true freedom. “We are out above everything else to promote self-esteem, sophistication and deontology; and in doing so, are sometimes pushed to discouraging sensationalism and the proclivity of certain media to invoke the polarization of negative partisan loyalties,” he noted.