In my earlier reflections on “Who is a Journalist?”, I examined the blurred lines between journalists, broadcasters, and On-Air Personalities (OAPs). But there is another area that causes even more confusion in Nigeria: the role of government communicators.
The question often arises: Are Information Officers, Press Secretaries, PR Officers, and the growing army of media aides in Nigeria journalists? After all, many of them studied journalism or mass communication, and many belong to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Yet their daily duties tell a different story.
Let’s take a closer look.
Information Officers in State Ministries
Information Officers in state ministries issue press releases, organize coverage of government events, and project the image of government. They sometimes write “stories” that appear in government-owned media. But their loyalty is to the government, not to the public. Journalism’s first loyalty, by definition, is to the people. That difference alone moves them from journalism into the realm of government communication.
Local Government Information Officers
At the grassroots level, these officers perform a similar role: announcing local government activities, publicizing programs, and handling official communication. Once again, the emphasis is on promotion, not accountability.
Public Relations Officers (PROs)
Here, the distinction is sharper. PR is not journalism. The role of a PR officer is to defend, persuade, and protect the image of an organization or individual. The role of a journalist is to investigate, verify, and publish the truth, even if it damages reputations. Both use writing, press briefings, and media tools, but their goals are worlds apart.
Public Affairs Officers
This title is common in government agencies, corporate organizations, and NGOs. Public Affairs Officers handle official communication and public image. Like PR practitioners, their role is advocacy, not journalism. They may write press statements or engage with journalists, but they themselves are not journalists.
Chief Press Secretaries (CPS)
CPSs are political appointees. Their job is to serve as spokespersons for governors, ministers, or senior officials. Many CPSs were journalists before their appointments, but once they step into that role, they switch professions. They are no longer journalists — they are image managers.
Special Advisers/Assistants on Media
This category has grown explosively. Today, every governor or minister has Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Personal Assistants, and other aides handling media. Their core duty is to manage narratives, defend their boss, and keep negative stories out of the headlines. They are media handlers, not journalists.
Media Aides
Sometimes the title is even looser: “media aide.” This could be a social media manager, blogger, or press assistant. Their work is often closer to propaganda or online activism than journalism.
Directors General of Media
Some states have institutionalized the role by appointing Directors General of Media to oversee government publicity. These are simply senior-level government communicators.
The differences become clear when you put them side by side:
- Journalists: Independent, loyal to the public, dedicated to truth and accountability.
- Government Communicators (Information Officers, PROs, CPSs, Media Aides, Public Affairs Officers, DGs Media, etc.): Loyal to government or employer, dedicated to promotion, persuasion, and image protection.
Both professions require skill, both are important, but they serve different masters. The journalist’s master is the public, the communicator’s master is the principal or institution.
This is why the question of NUJ membership has remained so controversial. Should NUJ continue to admit Information Officers, PR practitioners, and Media Aides? Or should these professionals organize under RATTAWU or a dedicated association for government communicators?
My position is clear: if we blur the lines too much, journalism loses its soul. The watchdog role of the press cannot survive if the same people paid to defend government are also recognized as journalists.
At the end of the day, the distinction must be maintained. Journalism is not propaganda. Journalism is not PR. Journalism is not media management. Journalism is the pursuit of truth in the public interest — even when it hurts the powerful.