This is a question that has been troubling me for some time: who, exactly, is a journalist? With social media blurring boundaries and everyone with a smartphone now a potential “reporter,” the definition of journalism and journalists has become hazy.
At its heart, journalism is about gathering, verifying, and disseminating information to the public — guided by truth, balance, and responsibility. A journalist, therefore, is someone who does this consistently and with accountability. Titles matter less; what matters is the practice.
Take Malam Adamu Adamu. Long before his ministerial appointment, he was a respected columnist whose sharp pen dissected national issues. He may not have always “broken” news, but by publishing regularly in platforms like Daily Trust and Leadership, he was very much a journalist.
Or consider academics like Professor Abdallah Uba Adamu. As a lecturer and scholar of mass communication, he has shaped generations of journalists. On his own, that role does not make him a journalist in the strict sense — unless he steps into the public arena through published reports, columns, or media content which, I think, he does.
Then there are hybrid figures like Professor Farooq Kperogi, who lectures in journalism but also writes widely read weekly columns in Daily Trust, Tribune and online. He is both a scholar and a practicing journalist, showing that the two hats can be worn together.
This brings me to the question of platforms. Some argue that only print or broadcast houses count as “recognized media outlets.” I disagree. In today’s world, credible online newspapers and even blogs — when run responsibly and transparently — qualify as legitimate media. Premium Times, The Cable, HumAngle, and even individual blogs that uphold ethics are as recognized as any newsroom. What matters is not the medium but the method.
I know this from personal experience. At KTTV, I began as a broadcaster hosting current affairs programmes, before embracing news reporting and editing. That path qualified me for NUJ membership. Later, at the National Broadcasting Commission, I was Chief Public Affairs Officer, where many assumed I had left journalism. But my unit produced a quarterly news magazine — we researched, wrote, and edited news reports. That was journalism, no less.
In 2011, I extended this practice into the digital space, starting a blog as a hobby. About three years ago, I registered it formally, making it a recognized online media outlet. That experience convinced me that journalism is not defined by the building you work in, but by the standards you bring to your craft.
For me, this journey — from broadcasting, to journalism, to public affairs, to blogging — shows that journalism is fluid, but its essence is constant: the pursuit of truth, fairness, and accountability.
And this is where the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) must reflect. The media ecosystem has changed. There is now an entire army of credible online journalists and bloggers who do not fit neatly into the old categories. If the union remains rigid, it risks irrelevance in a fast-evolving information landscape. Perhaps it is time to amend the NUJ Constitution to create pathways for ethical online practitioners to be admitted.
Because if the NUJ does not open its doors, others will. Already, associations like the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN), and even international groups like the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) are giving recognition and support to journalists, regardless of whether they work for traditional or digital outlets.
International best practices point in the same direction. In the United States, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) accepts digital reporters, freelancers, and bloggers, provided they follow ethical codes. In the UK, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ-UK) recognizes full-time journalists, freelancers, and online writers alike. Across Europe, journalism associations have broadened their membership rules to keep up with the reality of digital-first reporting.
If Nigeria’s NUJ fails to do the same, it risks shrinking into a guild of only “traditional” media while the digital generation finds legitimacy elsewhere. Journalism will continue, with or without NUJ. The only question is whether NUJ wants to remain the umbrella for all journalists — or just some of them.
So, when next we ask, “who is a journalist?” we should remember: it is not the title, nor the platform, nor even the institution. It is the consistent practice of journalism itself.
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