Please learn how to bring positive developments in Kano State to the limelight in order to help shape the narrative about the st...
I am not saying you should stop reporting negative news. You should report it when it is newsworthy and in the public interest. However, you also need to learn strategic communication; understanding what to report, when to report it, how to report it, and, importantly, the words to use.
Please look for the positive stories happening across Kano and give them the attention they deserve. There are many of them. I see them in the state.
The constant stream of negative stories coming from Kano media platforms, from new media to radio and television is becoming disturbing. What is even more concerning is that many of these stories are being reported by Kano-born-and-bred journalists. Ideally, such a narrative should be coming from those who wish to portray Kano negatively, not from journalists who understand the state and its people.
Journalism is not just about reporting events; it also plays a role in shaping narratives.
Every society has negative incidents. No society is perfect. The difference is that some societies and their media practitioners understand how to report such incidents without allowing isolated negative events to define the entire community.
Recently, there were at least three negative incidents in one community in Kaduna State. I deliberately chose not to report two of them because I understood the potential consequences of allowing those isolated incidents to shape people's perception of the entire community. I only reported one, which was eventually published by Sahara Reporters, because the community itself was the victim.
Had I reported all three stories, people could easily have formed a negative perception of that society and painted the entire community black because of the actions of a few individuals.
This is why I believe journalists need to understand the difference between reporting a story and shaping a narrative.
I am always disappointed when I see negative stories about Kano appearing almost every day across different media platforms. I have analysed many of these stories, and my observation is that about nine out of ten stories about Kano are negative, while even some of the remaining positive stories are sensationalised.
This is not healthy for the image of the state.
Kano has challenges, just like every other state. Report them. Hold authorities accountable. Expose wrongdoing. Inform the public. But at the same time, tell the stories of progress, innovation, development, resilience, education, entrepreneurship, culture, community initiatives and the many positive things happening across the state.
Do not allow a handful of negative incidents to become the defining narrative of an entire society.
Kano journalists have a responsibility to the truth, but they also have a responsibility to understand the broader impact of the stories they publish.
Report the truth. Hold people accountable. But also learn to tell the positive stories that deserve to be heard.
That is responsible journalism, and that is how the media can help shape a more balanced and constructive narrative about Kano State.
From a Concerned Journalist,
Ammar Muhammad Rajab
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