Journalism ethics under threat as online reporting grows unchecked, NMMA cautions ahead of 34th awards

Declining ethical standards among journalists and the rise of unregulated online reporting are threatening the credibility of the media profession in Nigeria, prompting renewed calls for stricter adherence to journalistic ethics ahead of the 34th Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA).

The issues were raised at a press conference held by the Board of Trustees of NMMA in Lagos, yesterday, ahead of the formal presentation of 2026 entries.

Chairman of the NMMA Board of Trustees, Dayo Duyile, said the essence of the award, established in 1990, was to encourage journalists to remain professional and ethical in the practice of their trade.

“A journalist that practices his or her profession unethically is a dangerous journalist to the nation and to himself,” he said.

He cited figures showing that 1,112 entries were received for the 2026 edition across print, television and radio, out of which 972 were found qualified for evaluation after being checked against submission rules.

According to Duyile, unethical or manipulated reporting carries the risk of misleading the public and causing avoidable panic. He urged journalists covering the weekend’s Osun State gubernatorial election to report events as they occur rather than editorialise within straight news reports. “News is sacred. Comments free,” he said,

He added that journalists have the opportunity to express opinion separately through features and interviews.

He said online journalism remained largely excluded from the NMMA’s evaluation because most operators in the space lack formal training and are not bound by the ethical codes observed by traditional media houses, though he said the award would continue to adapt to technological change.