A Purported Interview With Prophet T.B. Joshua: Journalism Ethics Hang On The Balance

A news article dated 23 July 2016 carried a story that wrongfully purports to contain excerpts from an interview with Prophet T.B. Joshua. Other news outlets and blogs thereafter began to refer to the said excerpts (and cite them) in their respective articles. As a journalist who adheres to the ethics and standards of journalism and as a frequent writer about Prophet T.B. Joshua, I sought to contain certain excerpts from the ‘so-called’ interview in my own written piece. However, to ensure credence to my own article, I first inquired whether Prophet T.B. Joshua had indeed recently granted such an interview. To my surprise, after a phone call to Emmanuel TV, I found out that Prophet T.B. Joshua has not granted any interview to any news source and he knows nothing about the contents included in the article containing the excerpts. The purported interview was not within the knowledge of Prophet T.B. Joshua.

As a journalist, I deemed it a responsibility to inform journalists as well as readers out there the importance of adhering to journalistic standards. Following the originator of the article, other news sources began to quote the interviewee’s words as though they were from him; whereas the content was not from the so-called interviewee. Whether the content of the purported interview are positive or negative, the interview was categorically not granted by Prophet T.B. Joshua.

I seek to remind all journalists the responsibility we each have in the transmission of accurate information to our readers, not only for the sake of accurately informing our readers; but also ensuring that our voices are deemed as credible. The source of the purported interview falsely used words that did not originate from the interviewee, Prophet T.B. Joshua, and therefore it is accurate to say that that news sources and the writer of that article’s credibility is diminished.

I seek to clarify that Prophet T.B. Joshua has not granted any interview to any news source and whether the contents of the article are positive or negative, such an interview was not granted. Therefore, any recent news articles that quote or contain excerpts from Prophet T.B. Joshua are false statements.

Journalists out there, let us remember the ethics and standards of journalism and our responsibility to our readers.