The 20th edition of the All Nigeria Editors Conference began on Thursday in Yenagoa with no fewer than 300 editors in attendance to search for sustainable media financing practices.
The Minister of Information, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, represented President Bola Tinubu, the special guest of honour at the event taking place at the DSP Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall.
Veteran journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and the founder of Vanguard Media Group, Chief Sam Amuka, were among the dignitaries at the occasion chaired by the Chairman of the ThisDay/Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obiagbena.
The three-day conference has the theme: “Economic Growth and Development Strategy in a Resource-Rich Country”.
It has the sub-theme “Good Practices for Viable/Sustainable Media Financing”.
In his goodwill message, Amuka said the business side of newspaper had died due to high cost of production, general economic challenge in Nigeria and advent of the internet, among other factors.
He said newspaper producers must do their best to survive the situation.
The publisher urged the Federal Government to reduce the cost of newsprint, among other interventions, to save newspaper business from dying.
Amuka said Nigerians generally were going through hard times, urging that the Federal Government to do more to reduce the suffering of the masses.
In his remarks, Osoba expressed satisfaction at the infrastructure development of Bayelsa, and commended the state Gov. Duoye Diri for efforts to advance the state.
Osoba expressed sadness that the Nigeria Union of Journalists was engulfed in crisis ahead of its delegates conference where its members would elect new leaders.
He called on the Nigerian Guild of Editors to wade into the situation to restore normalcy to the union.
