Katsina @38: Journalism Can't survive on Govt Crumbs- Ruwan Godiya
Media scholar and lecturer at the Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katstina state, Bashir Usman Ruwan Godiya, has warned journalists that overdependence on government handouts is eroding the credibility of the press and weakening democracy.
Speaking at a one-day public lecture organized by the Katsina State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), themed “Democracy and Developmental Journalism: A Case Study of Northern Nigeria,”
Ruwan Godiya said the media must resist being reduced to government loudspeakers.
“Journalism must not survive on crumbs from government tables. When journalists rely on press releases, stipends, and brown envelopes, they lose independence, integrity, and public trust,” he declared.
He lamented that this dependency has made Nigerian newsrooms overly focused on political elites while sidelining ordinary citizens. “Our media reports leaders’ speeches endlessly but rarely capture the voices of the people. Journalism must return to its democratic duty,” he said.
The lecturer described the trend as “commercialized news” that has turned many reporters into echo chambers for those in power. He challenged journalists to embrace strategic journalism – investigative, analytical, and citizen-centered reporting, instead of waiting for handouts.
“Government handouts cannot feed the media forever. Independence, research, and professionalism are the only ways to regain credibility and protect democracy,” he stressed.
Ruwan Godiya also identified poor training, ownership bias, and poor welfare as other pressing challenges, but insisted that breaking free from financial dependence on government is the first step towards a stronger, freer press.
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