Research
Effects of Non-Professionalism in Nigeria Journalism
For a very long time, Nigeria scholars in various fields of endeavours have argued on the trade journalism. This issue bothers on the fact that every dicks and harry dabbles into this profession either to make ends meet, practice for political ambition or easily pick it up at the time of employment recession in Nigeria. Journalism as a profession especially in Nigeria has been hijacked by quacks or subtly put, people from other professional careers at the detriment of this noble profession. In light of this, the paper raised who is a professional journalist and how does non-professionalism affect the practice of journalism in Nigeria. Journalists in Nigeria were used as participants while survey method was used to carry out the research. Frequency distribution involving tables was used to analyse the data while the result showed that Nigeria journalists are non-professionals. So, relevant suggestions were recommended to help journalists develop a sense of professionalism among which are, that the regulatory bodies should enforce the code of ethical conduct and rid of quacks in the profession. It pushes further that proper marriage between formal education and experience along necessary training should form basis for entrance into the profession.
The Internet and Journalism Practice In Nigeria
This paper looks at the implication of new technology on the practice of journalism especially the use of internet to produce, disseminate and receive information. The theoretical method adopted here is on the basis of McLuhan’s theory of technological determinism to justify the work that more emphasize will be on the medium as technology advances in the global village. The interactive nature of internet is a crucial factor while some believe its role of citizen journalism is unethical in journalism profession others opine it is sacrosanct to participatory democracy. Library research method was used to generate secondary data for this paper. However no new medium can send an old one to oblivion, it will only be an extension of the old medium. It is pertinent that online journalism ought to provide more information and in some cases provide video clips and series of pictures to back up their stories. The paper recommends that media houses should train their staff on online journalism while government should provide enabling environment in the rural areas so information can get to them.
