GOMEP-NG President Raises Alarm Over Declining Standards in Nigeria’s Online Media

By our Correspondent

As online journalism continues to reshape the way Nigerians consume news, concerns are growing over the declining professional standards within the digital media industry. The President of the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG), Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, has issued a passionate call for ethical journalism, warning that the profession risks losing its credibility and value if practitioners continue to undermine their own work.

Nigeria’s online media industry is facing a credibility challenge. GOMEP-NG President Akpovoke Otiti has delivered a strong warning to editors and publishers, saying journalism is losing its value because many practitioners no longer protect the dignity and professionalism of the profession.

The President of the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG), Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, has warned that declining professional standards are threatening the credibility of Nigeria’s online media industry. He urged editors and publishers to embrace ethical journalism, protect the value of their profession, maintain editorial independence, and adopt sustainable business models.
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ABUJA — The National President of the Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG), Comrade Akpovoke Otiti, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the steady decline in professional standards among online media practitioners in Nigeria.

Speaking during the Guild’s monthly congress held in Abuja, Otiti urged editors and publishers to uphold ethical journalism, protect the integrity of the profession, and place greater value on their expertise rather than sacrificing professionalism for online traffic and visibility.

According to him, the increasing practice of publishing stories supplied by individuals, organisations, and public relations agents without proper editorial engagement or fair remuneration is gradually weakening the credibility, independence, and commercial value of online journalism.

“Many editors and publishers have sold themselves too cheaply simply because they want to promote their blogs,” Otiti said.
He continued:
“Media practice is a profession that demands investment, experience and credibility. When someone writes a news story for you to publish without any professional editorial input, it raises serious questions about the value you place on your own expertise.”

Otiti stressed that journalism deserves the same professional respect accorded to other careers, insisting that media practitioners should not be expected to render professional services without appropriate compensation.

“You pay legal fees before a lawyer represents you in court. You pay before receiving medical attention at a hospital. Why should professional media practitioners be expected to provide their services free of charge? If we fail to place value on our work, no one else will,” he stated.

Furthermore, he criticised what he described as the growing culture of excessive praise-singing by some online publishers, warning that such practices diminish the dignity of journalism and weaken the industry’s economic sustainability.

“It is unfortunate that some media practitioners spend their time promoting personalities who do not even have their contact details or know they exist. Such practices diminish the dignity of journalism and weaken the economic foundation of the online media industry,” he lamented.

He therefore urged members of GOMEP-NG and other online media practitioners to embrace professionalism, uphold editorial independence, strengthen ethical standards, and develop sustainable business models capable of restoring public confidence in digital journalism.

According to him, reversing the negative trend will require discipline, accountability, ethical conduct, and collective commitment from practitioners across the industry.

Otiti reaffirmed GOMEP-NG’s commitment to advancing responsible online journalism through continuous professional development, strict adherence to ethical standards, and sustained advocacy for the welfare of online media editors and publishers across Nigeria.