LAGOS-The Management of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday lauded the School of Communication of Lagos State University (LASU), for embracing news agency reporting.
Malam Yusuf Zango, a Managing Editor, Editorial Operations in NAN, Lagos, made the commendation when students of the Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication visited the Lagos office of the agency.
“I am happy and impressed that LASU as a university is going to specialised in news agency reporting as it is not a course offered by most universities in the country.
“Your university is moving with the trend as news agency reporting has become the in-thing in journalism.
“Being versatile in news agency reporting, you will be able to work in all arms of the media industry such as the print and the electronic’’, he said.
He advised the students to show uncommon interest in the programme, assuring them that with mastery of it, the sky would be their limit professionally in future.
Zango, also a Director, informed the students that the agency had become a multi-media content provider for its growing clientele.
“The agency now sends out text, audio and video materials as well as still pictures to its clients in line with the practice by other international news agencies’’, he said.
According to him, the agency will soon commence broadcasting of its services via the various television stations in the country.
Mr Dele Bodunde, a Deputy Editor-In- Chief (DEIC), explained that the agency was established to gather news from all nooks and cranny of the country and sell to its subscribers.
Bodunde urged the students to be hardworking and creative in order to make their marks in journalism.
He cautioned them to always attend assignments armed with their writing materials alongside their tape recorders.
“Your electronic gadgets may disappoint you at any time but your reporter’s notebook will serve as your back-up’’, he said.
The DEIC also urged the students to shun gratification when they become practising journalists so as not to mortgage their reputation and those of the employers.
Also, Mr Tony Nezianya, a Deputy Editor –in-Chief and Mr Silas Nwoha, an Assistant Editor-in-Chief urged them to always carry out researches before embarking on any assignment.
According to him, this can stand them out among their peers.
Mrs Raheemat Adeniran, a lecturer in journalism in the institution, commended the management of NAN for the warm reception accorded them.
She said that the students had learnt a lot about news agency reporting through the visit.
“This visit has enlightened us about the operations and policies of the agency and the students are better informed and more equipped.’’
One of the 10 students on the visit, Mr Babalola Seyi, said there was no doubt that NAN was a perfect organisation to build a career in journalism.
