New Media and Political Advertising in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges

This paper examines the new media as a tool for political advertising in Nigeria vis- a-vis, the challenges and prospects. The new media, especially the Internet and Global System for Mobile Telecommunication (GSM) have become important political campaign tools in Nigeria and the world over. This paper is guided by the fact that the new media have become so important in the dissemination of political activities. Thus, the study aims at finding out the relevance of the new media and the prospects/ challenges. We adopted the survey research method, employing the questionnaire as an instrument of data collection. Two hundred copies of questionnaires were administered to the respondents, to elicit their opinions concerning the prospects and challenges of the new media as a tool for political advertising. Two theories were chosen to provide the theoretical framework for the study. The theories are technological determinism theory and the agenda setting theory. Findings from the questionnaire administered to the two hundred respondents show that the political parties in Nigeria recognise and make use of the new media for carrying out their political activities, but this they do occasionally. Findings show that there are prospects and challenges of new media as a tool for political advertising in Nigeria. One of the prospects is that the new media can reach a very broad audience while one of the challenges is that the ability to constantly deliver messages via the new media is difficult. Based on the findings, the paper concludes that the extent to which the political parties in Nigeria use the new media is minimal and therefore, recommends that political parties in Nigeria should give due attention to the use of the new media for the dissemination of political activities.Key Words: Advertising, Political Advertising, Communication and the New Medi

Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility Performance of Organisations: A Key to Winning Stakeholders’ Goodwill

Corporate social responsibility is an approach whereby a company considers the interests of all stakeholders, both within the organisation and in society and applies those interests while developing its strategy and during execution; it offers organisations various opportunities not only to differentiate themselves from competitors, but also, for reducing costs. However, organisations must endeavour to communicate their corporate social responsibility initiatives to the stakeholders. Therefore, this study is an examination of the importance of communicating CSR initiatives of organisations to the stakeholders. The analysis shows that it is important for organisations to communicate their CSR initiatives to the different  stakeholders so as to win their goodwill. A disconnect in communication between CSR initiatives and public awareness will impede any potential benefits to an organisation. Thus, it is important to intelligently and strategically communicate this to the public. Some of the channels for communicating CSR initiatives are: press releases, internal web portals, newsletters, emails, television commercials, print advertisements, billboard advertisements and Internet communications, which offer opportunities to engage and share information with vast audiences. The paper therefore recommends that it is imperative for every organisation to communicate its corporate social responsibility initiatives to the stakeholders through different channels of communication as it is one of the ways to win the goodwill of the stakeholders.Key words: Communication, corporate social responsibility, initiatives, stakeholders and goodwil

Employing the Mass Media for the Promotion of Human Rights in Nigeria

The place of the mass media in the promotion of human rights in any given society cannot be overemphasised; the mass media generally, can be used to bring about positive attitudinal change in the individuals. Thus, the paper examines the role of the media in the promotion of human rights in Nigeria; it explores the various ways through which the media can be used to promote human rights in Nigeria; some of the various ways identified in the paper are: through editorials, features, news commentaries, discussion programmes. The paper identifies the basic human rights to include: right to life, right to dignity of human beings, right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing, right to compensation from property compulsorily acquired, right to private and family life, right to freedom of thoughts, conscience and religion, right to peaceful assembly and association, right to freedom of movement, among others. The paper discovers that the Nigerian populace does not enjoy these rights, as these rights are still trampled upon in most cases. More so, the paper identifies that the mass media have not really been effective in the promotion of human rights in Nigeria. Thus, it proposes that the media, both electronic and print, should be used to promote the issue of human rights in Nigeria, so that people will know their rights.Key Words: Human Rights, Violation, Human Rights Promotion and the Mass Medi

Universities and Corporate Social Responsibility Performance: An Implosion of the Reality

The paper examines the need for universities to carry out corporate social responsibility programmes. Two theories were used as theoretical framework for the study (stakeholder’s theory and uncertainty reduction theory). The qualitative research method was used as the research method while personal interview was used to gather data from the respondents. The population was made up of members of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Plateau State Chapter. Ten public relations practitioners were interviewed on the need for universities to carry out corporate social responsibility programmes. Responses from the interview show that universities ought to be socially responsible to their stakeholders. Findings further show that CSR helps organisations, including universities to improve on their image. Findings also show that there are various areas of CSR universities can pay attention to; these areas are: economic responsibility, philanthropic responsibility, environmental responsibility, employee wellness and health, employment of qualified lecturers and legal responsibility. The paper therefore concludes that universities in the world over need to always engage in corporate social responsibility so that they can win the goodwill of their stakeholders. Based on the conclusion therefore, the study recommends that universities should endeavour to be social responsible, if they want to win the goodwill of their stakeholders and should endeavour to communicate their corporate social responsibility programmes to the stakeholders so that the stakeholders will understand them.Key words: Universities, corporate social responsibility, performance and goodwil

Investigative Journalism, Corruption and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: A Critical Overview

A free, aggressive, open and bold press is part of the spiritual core of a democracy in any part of the world. In the world we are living today, investigative journalism is becoming a significant part in our daily lives, as it informs, unleashes and reveals to us, the happenings in our community, society, government and in the country. Investigative journalism is critical to the advancement and preservation of a country’s democratic institutions and way of life and in helping to catalyse equitable development. Thus, the study focuses on how to curb corruption in Nigeria, through investigative journalism, so as to engender development at all levels. The study adopts the survey research method, employing the focus group discussion as an instrument of data collection. The data gathered and analysed shows that investigative journalism has a very crucial role to play in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, which will in turn, lead to sustainable development. Findings show that the press has an important role to play in strengthening democratic governance, promoting awareness and keeping a check on corrupt practices and the misuse of government power. Findings also show that certain factors hinder the effective practice of investigative journalism in Nigeria. The factors, among others, include: proprietorial interference, repressive press laws, political interference, media gate keepers, economic constraints, technological limitations and limited access to information. Based on the findings, the study concludes that investigative journalism is key to fighting corruption in Nigeria, but the extent to which it is used to fight corruption in Nigeria is minimal. Based on the conclusion, the paper, among others, recommends that the investigative journalist should be allowed to have free access to information so that journalism can be used to expose corruption, so as to bring about sustainable development in Nigeria.Keywords: Investigative,journalism, corruption, democracy and developmen

Public Relations Strategies and the Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria

Public relations is a planed communication that can be used by both government and nongovernmental organisations to build and maintain mutual understanding with the publics. It is a tool which can be used to facilitate development in any country that is desperate for social, economic, political and technological development. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines how public relations strategies can be used to achieve the millennium developments goals. The millennium Development Goals are drawn from the actions and targets contained in the Millennium Declaration that was adopted by 189 Nations signed by 147 heads of state and governments, during the UN Millennium Summit in September, 2000. The paper examines the different public relations strategies like corporate social responsibilities, sponsorship, community relations, information management, research, etc, and how they can stimulate national development. It examines the extent to which public relations is relevant to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and also examines whether the government has adequately harnessed public relations approaches in the quest for the attainment of the MDGs. The paper recommends that the government should explore public relations possibilities, which will in turn lead to national development.Keywords: Public Relations, Communication and Developmen