Empowering Journalists Through Digital Innovation
Rasheed Bolarinwa, Head of Brand Management & Corporate Communications at Polaris Bank, delivered a welcoming speech that emphasized the bank’s long-standing commitment to media education. Over the past 12 years, Polaris Bank has actively supported initiatives aimed at enhancing the skills of journalists, positioning itself as a leader in digital capacity building for the Nigerian media landscape. Bolarinwa highlighted that by improving the competencies of journalists, the bank contributes to the betterment of society as a whole.
Drawing on a well-known Chinese proverb, Bolarinwa explained that the bank prefers to “teach people how to fish” rather than simply giving them “fish to eat.” This philosophy underpins the bank’s annual support for seminars and training programs, which aim to empower journalists to become self-sufficient in their professional endeavors.
The seminar featured expert-led sessions from two prominent journalists: Mr. Taiwo Obe, Founder and Director of The Journalism Clinic, and Mr. Abayomi Adisa, a senior journalist with BBC. Obe reminded participants of the core purpose of journalism, quoting veteran American journalist Tom Rosenstiel: “The purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with the information they need to make the best possible decisions about their lives, their communities, their societies, and their governments.”
Obe discussed the significant transformation that journalism has undergone since the early 2000s, driven largely by technological innovation. He pointed out the emergence of mobile journalism (Mojo), which enables journalists to capture, produce, and share news content in real-time. A milestone in this evolution was Reuters’ 2007 introduction of the Mojo Toolkit, which included tools like the Nokia N95, a small tripod, compact wireless keyboard, solar charger, and external microphone. These innovations have made it easier for reporters to deliver news on the go.
Obe encouraged journalists to explore free digital applications available on the Google Play Store. By leveraging these tools, journalists can move beyond traditional text-based reporting and incorporate audio, video, and interactive graphics to create more compelling stories. He also highlighted the growing adoption of artificial intelligence in Nigerian newsrooms, noting that AI is now being used for tasks such as copy editing, content illustration, content strategy, and advertising targeting. These advancements open new avenues for efficiency and creativity in journalism.
Additionally, Obe advised journalists to think innovatively about the data generated from their news stories. He suggested transforming story data into guidebooks, archival material, issue analyses, position papers, recommendations, puzzles, Q&As, and even inspiration for full-length books.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abayomi Adisa focused his presentation on writing for social media. He urged participants to harness the power of making their audiences stop, engage, and share their posts. Adisa outlined key strategies for crafting effective posts and teasers, emphasizing that content must be personal, relevant, engaging, shareable, and concise. He acknowledged that social media is an environment filled with distraction and noise, so content must be both influential and personally resonant to capture attention.
Mrs. Bukola Oluyadi, Group Head of Customer Experience & Value Management at Polaris Bank, concluded the event with closing remarks that underscored the bank’s commitment to supporting the media industry. She emphasized that these seminars are crucial, as no industry or organization can thrive without the involvement and backing of the media.
Oluyadi stressed that capacity building is not a one-time effort but a continuous process. She stated, “People cannot improve with the status quo of yesterday; we need to keep building.” According to her, the bank is dedicated to sustaining this initiative annually, fully aware that consistent investment in the media is essential for long-term growth and sustainability.
