By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Correspondent
DIGITAL-ERA journalism took focus at a hybrid seminar that drew over 500 journalists from Nigeria and abroad hosted by the Polaris Bank Limited last Thursday.
Framed by the theme “Empowering Journalists in the Digital Age: Storytelling, Tools & Transformation,” the event revealed the bank’s sustained commitment to strengthening media capacity in a rapidly evolving communications environment.
Head of Brand Management & Corporate Communications, Rasheed Bolarinwa, reiterated the bank’s 12-year legacy in journalism education.
He described the initiative as part of a broader philosophy of sustainable empowerment.
Echoing a Chinese proverb, Bolarinwa said the bank’s approach is not to hand out fish but to teach media professionals how to fish by equipping them with digital tools, critical thinking, and storytelling skills that serve public interest journalism.
A leading figure in the media industry anchored the first session.
Mr. Taiwo Obe, fondly called TO, Founder and Director of The Journalism Clinic, spotlighted the seismic shift journalism has undergone since the early 2000s.
He credited technological advancements, particularly mobile journalism (Mojo), with democratising news production and delivery.
Recalling Reuters’ 2007 Mojo Toolkit featuring the Nokia N95 and portable gear, Obe painted a vivid timeline of how mobile devices began transforming frontline reporting.
He encouraged participants to explore an array of free digital tools on platforms such as Google Play Store.
Obe stressed further that today’s journalist must go beyond static text, integrating video, audio, and interactive visuals.
He identified artificial intelligence as a fast-rising force in Nigerian newsrooms, now being deployed for content curation, editorial workflows, audience engagement, and advertising strategy.
Obe also pushed journalists to repurpose their story data creatively, turning raw information into guidebooks, issue analyses, puzzles, and even long-form literary works. According to him, the full value of a news report often lies in how its data is reimagined for broader impact.
Second trainer, a senior journalist with the British Broadcasting Corportation (BBC), Abayomi Adisa, directed attention to social media, where he shared tactics for effective audience engagement.
He emphasised the importance of crafting content that is personal, relatable, and shareable, tailored to an environment saturated with distractions. Posts, he advised, must instantly capture attention and inspire interaction.
Bukola Oluyadi, Group Head of Customer Experience & Value Management, closed the seminar by reinforcing the bank’s ongoing support for the media sector.
She highlighted the value of continuity in capacity development, declaring that excellence in journalism demands consistent investment.
“People cannot improve with the status quo of yesterday,” she said, urging stakeholders to embrace a mindset of continuous learning and innovation.
With its annual investment in training and knowledge-sharing, she assured the session that Polaris Bank will continue to position itself, not just as a financial institution, but as a stakeholder in national development through media advancement.
