Polish envoy highlights media’s role in fighting disinformation

The Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Mr Michal Cygan. Photo: Gov.pl

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The Ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Mr Michal Cygan, says the mass media is important in the fight against disinformation in every society.

Cygan said this at a journalists’ meeting on disinformation organised by the Polish Embassy in Abuja, in partnership with the Female Journalists’ Network of Nigeria.

The theme of the event was “Bridging Perception Gaps: Combating Misinformation, Disinformation, and Fake News for Stronger Nigeria-Poland Relations.

According to the envoy, disinformation and misinformation do not operate in just one language, as they transcend all languages of the world to cause harm.

He said the media could effectively check them because of the different available media to reach large audiences.

He added that it was imperative for the media to have such meetings and trainings, as they would help to fight disinformation in both the Polish and Nigerian societies.

The envoy said the impact and the responsibility of the media to set the agenda in society were tools that could be used to combat disinformation.

The Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Ndace, said that across the world, currently, misinformation has become a major challenge to national cohesion, diplomatic engagement, and public confidence.

According to Ndace, for countries such as Nigeria and Poland, which are committed to democracy, transparency, and mutual cooperation, truth and accuracy in the information disseminated are essential building blocks for stronger ties.

“At VoN, our mandate is to present the authentic Nigerian narrative to the world, strengthen national identity, and promote understanding between Nigeria and the global community.

“This responsibility has become even more urgent as false narratives continue to spread faster than verified facts.

“We therefore prioritise fact-based reporting, digital literacy, and stronger partnerships that support responsible journalism,” Ndace said.

He commended the “central role” that female broadcasters play at VoN, adding that women are at the heart of the organisation.

“They lead key departments, serve as directors, and drive major editorial and administrative decisions and external broadcasting with professionalism, courage, and creativity.

“Their leadership is a testament to the strength and excellence of female media practitioners in our country,” he said.

He said VoN broadcasts in multiple languages, including English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulfulde.

“We will soon start broadcasting in Mandarin and Portuguese after all necessary steps have been taken,” he said.

He added that the multilingual approach ensured they engaged diverse audiences across Africa and beyond while promoting cultural understanding and strengthening Nigeria’s global voice.

The Executive Director, Development Specs Academy, Prof Okey Ikechukwu, said that the digital revolution had transformed the global information landscape.

Ikechukwu said that states now communicate through formal diplomatic channels and media ecosystems with unprecedented speed, resulting in information overload, which makes misinformation a major source of worry.

He said that the truth had become a problem, as governments were increasingly relying on sundry media content.

“The result is that media diplomacy, which always relied on careful messaging, is now faced with an ecosystem wherein truth competes with manipulated information and viral half-truths.

“Media diplomacy that builds global legitimacy using traditional forms of media has been expanded with the rise of social media, where citizen journalism and real-time information flows.

“Governments now use Twitter, TikTok, and other platforms to issue policy statements and engage global audiences, making the very technologies that enable speedy media diplomatic engagement also enable the global spread of misinformation.

“The policy to rescue misinformation is to treat truth as a form of soft power, which will give states some media leverage from the angle of credibility,” he said.

He said that using truth as soft power would help to safeguard the integrity of international relations in an era characterised by misinformation.

He added that it would also help to promote accuracy, accountability, and public trust in the current era of disinformation and misinformation.

(NAN)

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