NUJ Ebonyi State Council gave the warning in a press statement issued and endorsed by the council's Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor and the Secretary, Comrade Nnamdi Akpa on Thursday.
The Council strongly condenmed junk journalism, while expressing dismay over the recent activities of Sahara Reporters wherein the online Media platform allegedly completely undermined the principles of ethical journalism in its reportage, dishing out falsehood, fake news and half-baked reports about Ebonyi State, especially the policies and programmes of the State government, in what looks like an effort to do the bidding of its pay masters.
According to the NUJ, " As a regulatory body for Journalists in the State, the Council has carefully taken note of all the reports so far published by Sahara Reporters against the people and Government of Ebonyi State, properly analyzed all of them, and came to an unbiased conclusion that they all fell short of the letter and spirit of journalism.
"The Council hereby strongly condemns in its entirety these publications by Sahara Reporters against the people and government of Ebonyi State and describes them as a product of junk journalism that should be totally discountenanced.
"The Council strongly feels that for Sahara Reporters to be dishing out falsehood, fake news and half-baked reports about Ebonyi State without having any known Staff Reporter practicing/resident in Ebonyi State to assist it in getting a first hand Information as well as making inquiries where and when necessary about events in the State but chose to dwell on a hearsay, simply implies that it's on a paid mission. Moreso as it made most of these publications without deeming it necessary to get the State Government's own side of the story.
"The Council is not unaware of the fact that Sahara Reporters has overtime become notorious for dishing out falsehood, fake news and half-baked reports to the unsuspecting public, but now that it has taken its madness to Ebonyi State, it has become necessary for the Council to speak up against the anomaly by advising Sahara Reporters to desist from junk journalism in order to redeem its already battered image.
"The Council, therefore, disowns Sahara Reporters and its activities in Ebonyi State and warns the general public to be wary of the Medium and everything it represents, as it has become infamous for practicing junk journalism-- a practice that's antithetical to ethical journalism.
"The Council uses this medium to thank Journalists and Media outfits in Ebonyi State for living up to the dictates of Journalism profession in the discharge of their constitutional duties, and urges Sahara Reporters to retrace its steps or go down in history as a Medium whose stock in trade are falsehood, half-baked reports and fake news.
"The Council further assures all Journalists and Media outfits in the State that it will continue to strongly stand by them in all circumstances provided they adhere strictly to the code of ethics of the profession in the discharge of their constitutional duties."
