By Mokobia Rita
ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Commissioner for Works, Rural Roads and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, has urged online publishers to strengthen professional journalism, tackle misinformation and build financially sustainable media organisations without compromising public trust.
Aniagwu gave the charge in a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by the Functioning Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Mrs Stella Marculay, at the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) 2026 Business Training Workshop in Asaba on Tuesday, October 20.
The workshop, themed “Beyond Traffic: Building Sustainable and Profitable Digital Media Businesses,” examined the commercial realities confronting online publishers and the need to develop business models capable of sustaining credible journalism.
The commissioner said the changing digital media environment required publishers to look beyond website traffic and audience figures, stressing that the long-term value of a media organisation also depended on the quality of its journalism, public confidence and adherence to professional standards.
He highlighted the media’s responsibility in strengthening democratic governance, transparency and public participation, noting that accurate reporting and objective analysis help citizens understand government policies and make informed decisions.
Aniagwu reaffirmed the Delta State Government’s recognition of the media as an important partner in communicating public policies and development initiatives under Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E Agenda.
He, however, cautioned online publishers against misinformation, disinformation and sensationalism, urging them to uphold accuracy, fairness, accountability and editorial independence in their coverage of public affairs.
The commissioner also challenged media owners to explore practical ways of improving their financial resilience, including strategic partnerships, digital subscriptions, responsible advertising, multimedia storytelling and deliberate audience development.
According to him, financial sustainability and professional responsibility should reinforce each other, enabling media organisations to remain commercially viable while providing credible information to the public.
His message placed the responsibility on publishers to pursue business growth without allowing the pressure to generate traffic or revenue to undermine their editorial standards.
Earlier, DOPF Chairman, Emmanuel Enebeli, said online publishers needed to build organisations that were not only influential but also financially sustainable and profitable.
He noted that audience traffic alone could not guarantee the survival of a digital media business, urging publishers to embrace innovation, strengthen their brands, diversify income sources and improve their professional skills while protecting journalistic ethics and integrity.
Enebeli encouraged participants to maximise the training facilitated by Professor Presley Obukoadata and Professor Majority Oji, expressing optimism that the workshop would contribute to the growth of digital media businesses and professional journalism in Delta State.
He also acknowledged the period of mourning following the death of former Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, noting that the late former governor’s contributions to the state would be remembered.
The workshop underscored the need for online publishers to balance commercial sustainability with the public-interest responsibilities of journalism, particularly as digital media organisations navigate changing audience habits, revenue pressures and growing concerns about the spread of false information.
