PREMIUM TIMES
PRESS STATEMENT
Okonjo-Iweala’s false
claim on video: PREMIUM TIMES responds
Our attention has been drawn to a
statement by the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, through her
spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, accusing us of uploading a ‘doctored video’ of
what transpired during her appearance before the House of Representatives
Committee on Finance.
In the statement, the minister used an
earlier published two-minute video by Channels Television as a yardstick of
what the ideal reporting should be concerning that controversial session,
describing the Channels publication as “the authentic video account of
the encounter.”
We find it unfortunate that Mrs.
Okonjo-Iweala would seek to create an impression that her session with the
lawmakers lasted about two minutes only.
It is even shocking that the minister
and her aides do not understand that two media organizations will not
necessarily see the same issue or event the same way?
In any case, why is one reporting
of the session okay by the minister because it suits her agenda and the other
is doctored because it doesn't?
For the avoidance of doubt, we stand 100
per cent by our published video.
We challenge Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala to
mention any scene, any at all, in our video that did not happen or was doctored.
Our video was not to question or dismiss
what Channels Television published. In fact, we agree completely that Channels reserve
the right to determine how to report an event based on the best judgment of its
reporters and editors. We had also referenced the Channels clip in our earlier
stories of the incident.
Unlike Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, however, we
believe the footage published by the station was definitely just a part of what
transpired at the session.
It was in order to ensure that Nigerian’s
get a fuller picture of what transpired that PREMIUM TIMES sourced the full
video.
Our aim was not to repeat what Channels
had published (all what Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala accused us of omitting were
contained in the Channel’s clip), but to show that a lot more happened than was
shown in the Channels video.
Perhaps Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala would love to
explain to Nigerians why she preferred limiting all her encounter with the
lawmakers on that day to just a two-minute video, when ours, over four-minute
long, is clearly more comprehensive, showing what transpired before the episode
shown by Channels.
Just like Channels Television and other
responsible media houses, we are at liberty, using our best editorial judgment,
to ensure that true and complete information on actions of public officials are
brought to our readers.
We therefore assure all our readers and
viewers that we would continue to abide by basic journalism principles and
continue to reveal that which public officials want to keep hidden.
Management
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