Internet and Citizen Journalism:Perspectives and Issues in the Global Broadcast Landscape

The use of participatory journalism to re-invent broadcasting outlets is common trend among media professionals and experts. This paper examines the use of citizen journalism in the production of news contents for broadcast media outlets. Based on principles from Democratic Participant Media theory, the paper argues that participatory journalism can serve as a watchdog to the development process of a nation. Also, this paper examined issues that affect global media outlets that make use of citizen journalism to produce news contents. The authors suggest that citizen journalism should be seen as a tool to re-invent professional media practice. It is an inevitable practice evident on the internet that can be used to promote national developmen

Patterns of Media Usage among Students in Privately-owned Universities in South-West, Nigeria

Communication sustains the modem society. Mass media are public carriers of messages to heterogeneous audiences, including university students and they allow students to express themselves as well as acquire knowledge. This paper examines the contemporary patterns of media use among students in five private universities in Nigeria. Media use indicates the various ways students employ the media to meet their different needs for information, entertainment and education. The survey research design was adopted with the questionnaire as the major instrument administered among respondents drawn from privately-owned universities in SouthWest Nigeria. It was found that students are media literate with the skills to navigate through different media platforms. However, most of the respondents preferred new media to the traditional media of newspapers, magazines, radio, television and films. Respondents access the Internet mostly through their mobile phones, and mainly for entertainment purpose. It is therefore suggested that more creators of media messages targeting this group should put them online, especially on the social media

IDENTITY POLITICS AND NIGERIAN 2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK COMMENTS ON SELECTED ONLINE REPORTS OF POLITICAL ISSUES

Interactive media platform provides greater access to information and greater opportunity to express thoughts and opinions. It also provides insight in to people’s state of mind, their ideologies and beliefs on issues which they make comments about. Usage of words, manner of expression and language pattern are indicative of people’s motives and beliefs on national conversations. This study examines the readers’ comments on Nigerian online news reports with the aim of understanding readers’ attitudes on political issues during 2015 presidential elections. Since the readers’ comments are anonymous most times and because many people do not use their true identity, they provide insight into the true state of people’s mind, beliefs and attitudes and the implications of these on the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation. Using discourse analysis approach, data comprising 45 comments which were online readers’ feedbacks from The Punch, Vanguard, Sahara Reporters and Premium Times based on two political issues were analysed. These issues are the postponement of 2015 presidential elections often regarded as the Polls Shift and Buhari’s certificate crisis. Findings reveal that readers are largely divided along ethnic, religious and political parties’ affiliations. Besides, hate comments pervade the feedbacks, an indication of politics of bitterness in practise in Nigeria. It is therefore necessary that mechanism is put in place to ensure that readers’ comments are not used to cause disaffection among the citizenry but rather for viable, rational and robust discussion that will deepen our democratic practices. Similarly, Nigerian government needs to work to ensure true integration among the various divides that make up the entity called Nigeria and also ensure good governance to avoid people’s hatred

The Place of the Nigerian Family Values in Social Media Usage

African family values are fast changing considering diverse societal factors such as globalisation replicated western government policies and information communication technology. These surrounding factors neutralize the sustainability of historical heritage and identity of the African citizen. While examining the existence of the Nigerian culture within the family setting, this study investigates the role of Facebook, an ICT enabled communication platform, in changing, modifying or building the Nigerian family values. The sample size was drawn from Lagos, a cosmopolitan state in Nigeria. A total number of 289 copies of the questionnaire were randomly administered to Lagos residents from the three senatorial districts. Results showed that respondents strongly believe that Facebook does not impede the values of Nigerians, as it serves as a medium for enhancing Nigerian fashion, information dissemination and creating new forms of relationships. Also, respondents agreed that social media generally have changed or modified diverse aspects of the Nigerian culture. However, westernization, technology, bad family upbringing and globalization were identified as other factors responsible for the changes in Nigerian family values in this era. It recommends that stakeholders maximize social media platforms in reinforcing Nigerian family values, especially amongst the younger generation who are avid users of social media

Awareness and Education on Viral Infections in Nigeria Using Edutainment

Researches in clinical and medical science have shown that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, and to some extent Hepatitis C viruses, constitute a major public health challenge in the Sub-Saharan Africa. This is without prejudice to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) that is more deadly than the other three put together, and had affected some countries in West Africa- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. There is little awareness and education via the mass media on some common viral infections in Nigeria like Hepatitis compared to HIV. Therefore, there is dire need for information, sensitisation and education on the viruses, means of transmission, preventive measures and also therapy. Edutainment is the fusion of education into entertainment programming which can come in form of drama, music, poetry and lots more, and it had been used as a platform to create awareness for positive reproductive health and HIV/AIDS by leading health organisations like WHO, USAID, DFID, SFH, and UNFPA. This paper therefore, examines why edutainment should be used and how it can be used to educate media audience in Nigeria on some viral infections that pose serious health risks and how they can live healthy lives