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Media professionals have warned inexperienced journalists against publishing unverified reports, stressing that the spread of fake news could expose media practitioners to serious litigation.

The stakeholders spoke with journalists in Abuja on Monday during activities marking the 100th anniversary celebration of Daily Times Newspaper.

According to them, no media organisation can survive political changes, economic challenges and technological disruptions without remaining committed to the ethics of journalism.

Tony Amokeodo, former spokesperson to ex-Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, urged journalists to verify their reports from primary sources rather than relying on secondary information.

“Some journalists rely on secondary sources and not primary sources. Any journalist that wants to excel must avoid beer parlor rumours and stick to facts. Get your facts from your primary source”, he said.

Amokeodo further stated that some “reporters are not journalists”, lamenting what he described as the growing spread of misinformation across online platforms where “anything goes”.

Speaking on alleged attacks against journalists and media organisations by authorities, Mr. Tony attributed the situation to a lack of commitment to journalistic ethics.

In the same vein, the Managing Editor of Daily Times, Charles Ozoemena, warned that fake news could result in serious lawsuits, urging journalists to remain factual by properly verifying every report before publication.

“If you are not sure of the fact, don’t go there. A lot of journalists just share whatever breaking news that they see online. You are sharing a news that you don’t know the source and you are not even sure of.

“You must have to confirm the story by yourself before sharing, otherwise, you are exposing yourself to serious litigations.

“Instead of confirming stories, you share whatever press releases you see, that is lazy journalism as far as I am concerned”.

Also speaking, the founder of Folio Media Group and Publisher of Daily Times, Mr. Fidelis Anosike, emphasized the need for consistency in journalism, noting that perfection can only be attained through repeated practice over time.

He said, “The next ten years of the profession will be defined by real journalists. If you are a real journalist, you should be able to write, background your stories, do research and structure your content. The profession is not for the faint-hearted.

“You can’t be a journalist, then after five years, you go and do real estate, then after another five years you return, no. For you to be a perfectionist in whatever you are doing, you have to do it repeatedly overtime.”

Earlier, Anosike described the centenary celebration of Daily Times as a landmark moment not only for the organisation but also for the journalism profession in Nigeria.

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