Brown envelope journalists are ruining Nigeria’s media by eroding the public’s trust in the media, says the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard.
“Brown envelope journalism undermines the public’s trust in the media, erodes journalistic integrity, and defeats the media’s ability to play a transparent oversight role over government actions,” said the U.S. envoy.
Brown envelope is derived from cash inducements hidden in brown envelopes and given to journalists during press briefings.
According to Ms Leonard, one of the challenges that democracies worldwide face is an “unfortunate, pervasive lack of trust in the media.”
She decried financial inducement of journalists, saying that the “practice corrodes the institutional position of the media as what we refer to as the “Fourth Estate,” or one of our pillars of democracy.
Ms Leonard also urged Nigerian media to leverage their right to press freedom by countering propaganda and disinformation through regular and impartial fact-checking.
Speaking during a town hall meeting hosted by the Nigerian Guild of Editors on Thursday in Lagos, the U.S. ambassador said a team approach was needed to help improve public trust in the media.
The media-focused meetings and two-day workshops for over 200 editors will take place in turns in the six geopolitical zones across the country is supported by the U.S. embassy in Nigeria.
The U.S. ambassador also said access to accurate, unbiased information was critical to democracy.
“It ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Information that is publicly accessible to all ensures that elected representatives uphold their oaths of office and carry out the wishes of those who elected them,” the U.S. envoy further noted.
She noted that the Nigerian media could ensure that citizen voices were heard, which might help reverse voter apathy.
“Too often Nigerian elections are personality-based and lose focus on critical issues such as unemployment, inflation, and lack of health care,” Ms Leonard stressed, adding that the media could hold the candidates accountable for discussing issues.
