The Senior Special Assistant to the Abia state Governor on Special Duties, Chief Erondu Erondu Jnr, has called on online publishers to maintain a high level of professionalism in their reportage.
Chief Erondu Jnr, who made this known to newsmen shortly after being conferred an award by the Abia Online Media Publishers Organization in Umuahia, said online Practitioners should be objective in their discourse, as well as verify their claims or better still carry out an in-depth investigation of an incident, before publishing the report.
He said the social media today is agog with news that are not factual, pointing out that if a story must be published online, then it must be balanced and accurate.
The SSA further lamented how bloggers are using the online media for cheap blackmail, adding that if the Abia media publishers must be taken seriously, then, they must desist from reports that are aimed at denting ones image.
According to him, fake reports hurt, therefore it must be avoided completely, adding that today it might be their victim crying of blackmail, while tomorrow, they might be the ones, urging every blogger to tread with caution.
Reacting to the award given him, the governor’s aide, while thanking the Abia Online Media Publishers Association, for finding him worthy to be among the recipients for the 2019 Award recognition, which happens to be the maiden edition of the association, pledged his loyalty and total support to the group.
