Journalistic Principles and Practices
Our Naija News Vision
Our vision is to mirror Nigerians and our varied communities, to become an authoritative, reliable, and indispensable news source that Nigerians consult foremost, and to establish ourselves as news pioneers and innovators.
Our Naija News Values
- collaborative
- honest
- trustworthy
- innovative
- adaptable
- unique
- factual
Our Naija News Promise
- to prioritize accuracy over speed
- to engage with all Nigerians
- to honour our communities
- to uphold shared Nigerian values
- to broadcast our national pride and what distinctly defines us as Nigerians
- to scrutinize and hold authority accountable
- to lead and innovate
- to be impartial and trustworthy
Naija News Journalistic Principles and Practices
Our primary objective is to deliver precise, balanced, timely, and all-encompassing news and information serving the public’s interest.
Autonomy is a cardinal Naija News value. We will stand against any attempts at censorship or any pressures to change news content, whether overt or subtle.
The pillars of our newsgathering are integrity, fairness, and transparency. We are devoted to reporting news without any distortion or misrepresentation.
Accuracy trumps speed. We adhere to our journalistic standards relentlessly, undeterred by the demands and dynamics of 24-hour news cycles.
Our news content is created devoid of personal cultural beliefs, opinions, corporate interests, or those of any individuals involved in its preparation or dissemination.
We provide analysis and context for news events and public issues, ensuring that any commentary or opinion is unmistakably identified and kept separate from standard news reporting.
Naija News is dedicated to reflecting the diversity of Nigerian society in our reporters, editorial decision-makers behind the scenes, and in our selection of interviewees, experts, and commentators.
Attributes such as ethnicity, national or ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, and physical or mental abilities will be reported only when they are pertinent to the story.
We are committed to challenging barriers and prohibitions that hinder the reporting of news that serves the public interest.
Undercover reporting will be reserved for scenarios where it is vital to the accuracy of stories important to the public.
The Rights of the Media
The media’s rights are enshrined in Chapter 2. Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution:
“The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”
Ethical Code of Professional Conduct
The conduct of our employees should bolster the stature, trustworthiness, respect, and character of Naija News and the journalism profession at large. Employees are expected to uphold a persona that avoids any suggestion of partiality or conflict of interest. Journalists should:
- Maintain professional objectivity and deliver news that is fair, balanced, and comprehensive, not influencing event outcomes, with an allowance for advocacy journalism in the public interest.
- Avoid any intentional deception or misleading of sources when revealing their identity, except under exceptional public interest circumstances.
- Not misguide a source about the context or intent of a story to solicit comments or information.
- Respect intellectual property and abide by copyright laws.
- Accurately credit news from other sources, refraining from plagiarism.
- Use confidential sources solely when public interest is paramount and when such sources must remain anonymous. When anonymity is granted, the reasons for this will be communicated to our audience.
- Not disclose their work to sources or other media before Naija News broadcasts or publishes it without managerial consent.
- Not exploit Naija News titles or influence for personal resolution of issues or for financial gains not available to the general public.
- Not utilize Naija News credentials to access events they are not officially assigned to cover.
- Refrain from conducting interviews with close kin or friends, barring situations where these individuals are direct witnesses to news events.
- Comply with all federal, state, and local laws during their professional undertakings.
