BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM PRACTICE IN NIGERIA

Anorue, Luke Ifeanyi and Obayi, Paul Martins and Chima, Onyebuchi Alexander (2013) BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM PRACTICE IN NIGERIA. International Journal of Research in Arts and Social Sciences, 5. pp. 342-353. ISSN 2141-8348

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Abstract

Over the years, journalism practice has been squarely the preserve of professionals in the field of journalism. The professionals in this case are those who have acquired the nittygritty of the profession. However, as society began to grow, and modern technology improved, individuals began to exercise the functions of journalists. These gave them the label - citizen journalists vis-à-vis citizen journalism. The objective of this paper, therefore, was to examine the concept of citizen journalism practice in Nigeria with special locus on the benefits, challenges and prospects of the practice in the country. Using survey method, a census of lecturers and postgraduate students which amounted to 143 respondents from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka was conducted with questionnaire .as the instrument of data collection. The findings revealed that the challenges facing citizen journalism in Nigeria are enormous, and include; computer illiteracy, difficulty in accessing the internet and high cost of 'surfing' the net. Notwithstanding these challenges, it was also revealed that the benefits of citizen journalism to the country are invaluable. These include wider coverage of events, urgency in media report and encouragement of ICT in the country. As for the prospects of citizen journalism practice in the country, the findings revealed that citizen journalism will create an information society and increase the number of Internet users in the country. It was recommended, therefore, that computer literacy be taken seriously in both secondary and tertiary institutions in order to brace-up the knowledge in the citizens, while requesting government to step-up to the demands of infrastructure in the country and ensure the regulation of Internet materials.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Management and Social Sciences
Depositing User: mrs chioma hannah
Date Deposited: 29 Sep 2019 07:21
Last Modified: 29 Sep 2019 07:21
URI: http://eprints.gouni.edu.ng/id/eprint/2186

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