NAN Chief Urges Journalists To Use Google Tools

Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, has urged journalists in Nigeria to take maximum advantage of Google tools to enhance their practice.

Onanuga said this at the opening of a two-day training workshop for staff of the agency on Tuesday in Abuja.

The training is being held in collaboration with Google.

Onanuga said Google has various tools such as Google search, Google news, Google trend, Google alerts among others that are important for getting facts that can assist journalists in writing their reports.

He said: “Google is just not a website.

“It gives you an insight of everything that you want to know and ensure that you are on top of your game in terms of what is happening in the country and around the world.

“Google has made journalism easy because you can sit down in the comfort of your house and get facts easily from many sources, the social media platforms, on the internet to fill an entire magazine.

“Google also most times streams live events all around the world and this is very remarkable.

“It is even more remarkable that we are talking of an experience that is just 26 years old, with the founding of the worldwide web.

“Google itself is 19 years old.

“I am very happy that it is happening in my lifetime.

“I want to urge everyone to seize this enormous opportunity that Google has provided.

“Let every one of us be attentive.”

Onanuga said that NAN has over 500 reporters in the six geopolitical zones of the country and there was the need for all them to be trained on using Google.

While commending Google for the partnership, he called on the organisation to extend the training to other staff in the different zones of the federation.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, the Communication and Public Affairs Manager, Anglophone West Africa of Google, said Google was imperative for media professionals as it gives on point news of what is happening all around the world.

Kola-Ogunlade said Google would go a long way in enhancing media excellence and creating access to massive information.

He urged media practitioners to use Google in order to objective and factual in their reportage.

He said: “For instance, we have where images have been used as breaking news stories in unreflective context and in most cases such media houses have been taken to court.

“But with Google, you find out if the information is the truth or if such images have been reported before, so you can just ask Google for answers.”

Kate Okewu, a participant, said she was privileged to be part of the training as her knowledge on the use of Google tools has increased.

Okewu said: “Before I only use Google to check my mail and also to know the meaning of words, but now I am surprised that Google has a lot of tools that will enhance my profession.”

Another participant, Ikenna Osuoha, said the training has offered him the opportunity to know the difference between website and internet and also various ways of accessing information on the internet.

Osuoha commended the NAN management for facilitating the training.