Skip to content

Calitown

News, Here, Everytime!

  • Home
  • News
    • Cross River News
  • Features
  • Community
  • Inspirational
  • Toggle search form
  • Otu Appoints Francisca Bassey As Unicross Substantive VC Cross River News
  • “I Am A Proud APC Member”: CR House Of Reps Member Refutes Link To ADC Cross River News
  • Death Is Sweeter Abroad: A Satirical Allegory On The Nigerian Political Condition! Features
  • CR Senator Maintains Buhari Was A Steadfast Patriot Cross River News
  • Man Electrocuted, Dies Trying To Steal PHCN Cables In Calabar South  Cross River News
  • Gov Otu Mourns Buhari, Says Nigeria Has Lost A Towering Symbol Of Discipline & Integrity Breaking News
  • Cross River Born Abuja Based Pastor Shocks Widow With 4-Bedroom Bungalow Gift Cross River News
  • UNICAL: Shock As 300 Dental Students Discover Dept Had No Accreditation  Cross River News

When NUJ Cross River State Summoned Crossriverwatch

Posted on February 14, 2014February 14, 2014 By Admin No Comments on When NUJ Cross River State Summoned Crossriverwatch
By Agba Jalingo
By Agba Jalingo

I was scrolling through my spam mails a few days ago and I saw one of them that was a not spam. It was a summon from the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Cross River State Council.

The Union in the letter was summoning CrossRiverWatch to appear before the Ethics and Disciplinary Committee to explain why the media organization published a certain story. The charge was professional misconduct against some members of the NUJ, Cross River State Council.

The letter was signed by Denis Utang, a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Information who is the Chairman of the Committee and Dianabasi Effiong, the Calabar correspondent of NAN who is the Secretary of the Committee and addressed to Agba Jalingo, Publisher, CrossRiverWatch.

My initial reaction was to try and find out if the letter was directed to me in error. The writers indicated in their letter that it was a charge of professional misconduct against some members of the Union in the Cross River State Council and unless the membership of Agba Jalingo and CrossRiverWatch was conscripted, I cannot remember when and how we became “members of the NUJ, Cross River State Council”.

Yes, I am a Unionist, a very committed one at that but if I nurse the ambition of unionizing in Cross River, it is like we have started discussing, to form a union of online journalists in Cross River State.

In an environment like Cross River State where the “professional” media is sorely compromised, what the internet and social media has armed us citizens with is the invaluable tool which now serves as an indispensable watchdog for the mainstream media.

In a state that has endured sustained fettered, government-controlled and grossly under-funded Press; the Internet is elevating the hopes of Cross Riverians that a free press can still be cultivated in our state.

The pace and veracity with which websites, blogs and even personal walls are breaking and reporting news has overwhelmed the mainstream media. It has drastically reduced their impact and snatched the monopoly they hitherto enjoyed over information dissemination. No one is willing to wait until the vendor comes again.

In Cross River State, The birth of sites like www.crossriverwactch.com,www.calitown.com, www.uyocaliaxis.com and a host of others is challenging professional journalists in the state to do more investigative reports, to be more attentive to a multiplicity of perspectives.

For us in CrossRiverWatch, what drives us is our belief that a fully reported society is key to a functioning society, and that a shackled press and uninformed citizenry constitute a liability to democracy.

We will not stop our work. We will continue to try and stick to best practices in investigating and confirming our stories. Where we make mistakes we will accept responsibility but we will not be intimidated by the oppressive walls that have entrenched themselves in the carapace of the state.

* Agba Jalingo is the publisher of the online news medium, www.crossriverwatch.com

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter) Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Share on WhatsApp Share on Telegram
News Tags:Cross River State

Post navigation

Previous Post: Eight Things Every Father Should Tell His Sons!
Next Post: A Val’s Day Walk In Calabar!

Related Posts

  • A Festival of Feathers and Follies: A Satirical Reflection on the 50th Anniversary of the University of Calabar Cross River News
  • Okuni Community Set To Hold Two-Day Olulumo Cultural Festival! Cross River News
  • Ogoja/Yala Bye- Election: Offiono Throws Weight Behind Usibe Breaking News
  • Medical Outreach Sponsored By Cross River North Senator, Flagged Off Cross River News
  • Norsemen Splash Gifts On Calabar Orphanage News
  • The Commonwealth Trade & Investment Summit: Cross River State’s Missed Opportunity News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Comments

  • Kelvin hart on UNICAL: Shock As 300 Dental Students Discover Dept Had No Accreditation 
  • Anonymous on UNICAL: Shock As 300 Dental Students Discover Dept Had No Accreditation 
  • Etim Maxwell on 45 Prison Inmates Regain Freedom As C’River Gov Grants Them Pardon  
  • Ekubi Bassey on Wife, Mother-in-law, Sister-in-law, Doctor & Catholic Priest Bag Jail Terms Over Lawyer’s Murder In Akwa Ibom

ADVERT: Click to Watch!

https://calitown.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/VID-20170928-WA0003.mp4
  • Usumutong and Ediba Clash News
  • Calabar Municipal Chairman Announce Plans To Remodel Ikot Ishie Market News
  • “I Will Not Insult Ayade Unless…” – Eyo Ekpo Cross River News
  • CR Set To Implement 60m Euro Project Cross River News
  • Calabar Pastor Dupes Lover, Others Of More Than N15 Million Cross River News
  • Medical Outreach Sponsored By Cross River North Senator, Flagged Off Cross River News
  • “If A Woman Does Not Know Herself … How Can She Help Her Husband Grow?” Features
  • Late CR Assemblyman’s Widow To Complete Husband’s Tenure Cross River News

CALITOWN
...News, Here, Everytime

Quick Menu

  • Home
  • News
    • Cross River News
  • Features
  • Community
  • Inspirational

Copyright © 2021 calitown
172 Greenwood Avenue , Hull. East Yorkshire. HU6 9NY

Powered by PressBook News WordPress theme