Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Okey Wali (SAN) has urged journalists to abide by the ethics of the profession.
He said a situation where media organisations sacrifice objectivity due to their political leanings does not augur well for development.
Speaking after attending a session on the media at the International Bar Association (IBA) conference, which was held in the United States, Wali said it requires courage to stand by one's principles.
He described the conference as well-organised, saying there was room for improvement.
Assessing the conference, he said: "Like in every human endeavour, there is always room for improvement.
"So, while participating at the sessions here, we are also keenly studying the way the conference is being organised with a view to improving on what we have done at home. That is one very key aspect of the conference for me as the President of the NBA.
" Generally speaking, on the quality of the presentations, they have been quite interesting and exciting.
"The one that impressed me most was the one in Vegas. It remained on the internet throughout. It was, strictly speaking, about private right to secrecy, publications and the way the media should conduct themselves, respecting the ethical conducts of the profession.
"That is something that I think is important and of interest to our people back home because I have been quite concerned on the way the mass media has conducted itself in our country.
"I make the concession that most media houses the country are owned by politicians directly or indirectly and so the publishers have tried to influence the direction of publication in their papers, but that cannot in any way affect ethical standards in the profession.
"You must try and rise above that and stand up to it. For instance, some of the issues that came up at that session bother on ethical issues in the profession.
"You remember when one of the editors said: 'If my publisher wanted this published and I didn't believe in it I will not publish it.'
"I will like to see our media practitioners rise up to that level. A pattern is beginning to emerge that you could tell the political leaning of any media house towards the publisher or the editor. That is something that is very key."
A lawyer, Silver Ogwemoh, who was also at this session, said recent developments around the globe on the invasion of the right of citizens to private life may have given rise to the discussions on the media.
"A panel of discussants examined the right to freedom of expression and the press against the right of citizens to private life, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversation and other means of communication.
" A photograph illegally taken of a man kissing a woman in a public park was a case in point.
"Participants at the session were divided on whether there was invasion of privacy.
"While some were of the opinion that since the photograph was taken at a public park, there was no invasion of privacy, others were of the view that since it was illegally obtained and published, it amounted to an invasion of privacy…"
The conference was declared open by the former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright who charged lawyers to ensure that the rule of law is respected at all times in their countries.
The conference had over 774 sessions all of which ran simultaneously during the one-week event.
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