IMPACT OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM ON CONVENTIONAL MASS MEDIA

IMPACT OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM ON CONVENTIONAL MASS MEDIA 

ABSTRACT

This study examines the impact of citizen journalism on the conventional mass media in Nigeria adopting a survey research design. A sample of 400 respondents selected using a purposive sampling technique was used in the study, while data was collected from the respondents using a questionnaire. The dataset was analyzed using frequency/percentage distribution analysis and Chi-Square test with the aid of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, Version 23.0. Findings from the study revealed that Nigerians have good knowledge and awareness of citizen journalism and that citizen journalism have significant impact on conventional mass media in Nigeria. Findings also revealed that citizen journalism has so many benefits such as helping in the propagation of news, information and events that are sometimes difficult for the conventional mass media to gather and disseminate, and dissemination of news, information and current happenings faster than the conventional mass media, among others. Findings also showed that citizen journalism also had some challenges such as the propagation of news, information and events in unprofessional manner and doing harm to the society such as inciting people to be violent through the unprofessionally dissemination and reportage of events, among others. The study recommended that conventional mass media organizations in Nigeria should train and inspire citizen journalists who are very valuable to them concerning the gathering, reporting and dissemination of news, information and events in the country, among other recommendations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background to the Study

The practice of journalism globally is constantly changing and evolving. The rate of reading of newspapers has continued to diminish and print media organizations are looking for alternative means of getting to their audience (Deuze, Bruns, & Neuberger, 2007). This has stirred an increase in their technological presence, with many of them presently making publications on interactive websites coupled with printed news (Boczowski, 2004). These online media now grant readers the opportunity of participating in the news reportage and coverage of their own society or community (Chung & Nah, 2009). Newspapers are now giving readers the opportunity to make their personal contributions through the submission of photos, making commentaries on published and printed stories, and in some situations, websites do feature blogs to which readers are permitted to upload original reporting (Lewis, Kaufhold, & Lasorsa, 2010). This brand or model of journalism is known as ‘citizen’, ‘participatory’, ‘democratic’, or ‘street’ journalism.

Bowman and Willis (2003) defined citizen journalism as ‘the act of a citizen or group of citizens of a particular society or municipal assuming active roles in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and propagating news and happenings about their societies and communities’. The purpose or intent of citizens’ participation in the reportage and coverage of news disseminating from their societies or communities is to deliver independent, consistent, precise, inclusive and pertinent information that a democracy needs. Gillmor (2004), Reich (2008), and Rosen (2008) stated that the mobilization of ordinary readers in citizen journalism allows for untrained citizens to play active roles in the reportage and coverage of news and happenings emanating from their societies or communities through different media (print, electronic and internet). This added ability for community obligation offered to persons that lack professional training on journalism, nevertheless, does not come without earlier unsubstantiated concerns; the greatest of these being the lifting of the ‘gate’ and allowing anyone with internet access the ability to instantly share information (Braun & Gillespie, 2011). Globally, the gatekeeping role of journalism that existed for centuries regarding the control of the quality and type of information that is propagated by professional journalists’ is now facing a likely threat as power has been given to citizen journalists to post on newspaper websites and other online social media websites (Lewis, et al, 2010). Nigeria is no exception to this global trend in the increase of online presence of newspapers, electronic media and other social media where citizen journalism have been given rights by these media to report news and events in their localities and communities on both their print and online versions.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Citizen journalism generally characterizes the belief that the experiences of persons directly involved with a particular issue in a particular locality or community provides a distinct and often more comprehensive image of the issue than what is shared by persons not directly involved or persons not residing in that locality or community. Due to the limitation of access to some events or information, insufficient time and in some cases ulterior motives by reporting and disseminating only one side of an event or story, conventional reporting of events, news and information may be perceived by audience as biased or skewed. By permitting anybody to cover and report news and events, citizen journalism provides a more personal and subtle variant view of events, and has the potential of developing people with a common interest. Through blogs (a regularly updated website that is run and managed by one person or a group of persons) and other online interactive social media, citizen journalists have been able to report and cover stories on politics, corruption, religious conflicts, police brutalities, human rights abuse issues, and other issues of concern within Nigeria to the local, national, and international communities.

However, in spite of the evolution of independent persons who are not trained or professional journalists covering, reporting and disseminating news, information and events about their localities, states and country at large, many Nigerians are still not knowledgeable or aware of what citizen journalism is and what a citizen journalist does. More so, the activities and operations of citizens journalist is felt in all nooks and corners of the country as Nigerians now have access to news, information and events as they are happening live without having to read newspapers, watch television or listen to radio. Even the news on the pages of newspapers, television and radio are mostly covered or provided by citizen journalists. It is alleged that citizen journalism has impact on conventional mass media in Nigeria. In view of the aforesaid, this study seeks to investigate the level of knowledge and awareness of citizen journalism amongst Nigerians as well as the impact of citizen journalism on the conventional mass media in Nigeria.

1.3        Research Questions

Based on the problem statement above, this study attempts to provide answers to the following questions:

1. What is the level of knowledge and awareness of citizen journalism among Nigerians?
2. What is the impact of citizen journalism on conventional mass media in Nigeria?
3. What are the benefits and challenges of citizen journalism?

 

1.4      Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of citizen journalism on the conventional mass media in Nigeria. However, the specific objectives of the study are:

1. To assess the level of knowledge and awareness of citizen journalism among Nigerians.  
2. To evaluate impact of citizen journalism on conventional mass media in Nigeria.
3. To determine the benefits and challenges of citizen journalism.

1.5        Research Hypotheses

In view of the research questions and objectives, the following null and alternative hypotheses were formulated in the study:

H_01: Most Nigerians do not have good knowledgeable and awareness of citizen journalism.

H_11: Most Nigerians have good knowledge and awareness of citizen journalism.

H_02: Citizen journalism does not have significant impact on conventional mass media in Nigeria.

H_12: Citizen journalism has significant impact on conventional mass media in Nigeria.

1.6       Scope and Delimitations of the Study

This study which seeks to examine the impact of citizen journalism on conventional mass media in Nigeria is limited to Abuja metropolis (Abuja Municipal Area Council) only. Due to time constraint and limited resources available to the researcher, other cities in the country were not included in the study. Also, only residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) who are Nigerians were included in the study. Residents of AMAC who were non-Nigerians by nationality were not allowed to participate in the study.

1.7       Significance of the Study

This study is significant to Nigerians and nationals of other countries in the following ways:

• This study is important and useful to researchers and people in the academic sector as well as those engaged in journalism and mass media as it will help enhance their knowledge of citizen journalism and how effective it is in the country.
• There is dearth of research on citizen journalism and its impact on conventional journalism in Nigeria at the moment. This implies that this study will serve as literature material to students and researchers on the relationship between conventional journalism and citizen journalism.
• The study will also serve as reference material for studies similar to or related to conventional journalism or citizen journalism in Nigeria or other countries. The study will also increase the knowledge base of scholars/academicians who will ultimately impart this on their students.
• This study will help Nigerians at all levels to understand the concept of citizen journalism and its importance especially by way of using this form of journalism to keep up with events and getting information about current occurrences in the local community and larger society.
• The study also has the potential of stimulating ordinary citizens in the community to participate in the collection and dissemination of news and events happening in their immediate localities and larger societies.
• The results of this study will help Nigerians to understand the extent to which locals rely on the news and information provided by citizen journalists, which are sometimes made available on websites and online newspapers. The study will also enhance the understanding of students and researchers about the relationship between reporting and coverage through citizen journalism and by conventional mass media in Nigeria.
• Finally, this study will also provide practical indicators for developing citizen journalism/journalists among Nigerians, in the light of the rapid growth of the internet and its numerous applications.

1.8       Definition of Key Terms

Blog: This refers to a regularly updated website or web page that is normally run by one person or a group of persons, and operates in an interactive discussion or conversational mode.  

Citizen journalism: This refers to the process of collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating of news, information and events about a locality or community by public citizens who are not trained or professional journalists, and who may be residing in the locality or community.      

Mass Media: This refers to channels of communication used in transmitting information in some ways, shapes or forms to large numbers of audience.         

Web: This refers to a system of internet servers that support specially documents formatted in a mark-up language called Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML).

Website: This refersto a central location that contains more than one web page or a series of web pages about a particular subject or phenomenon that are identified by a common domain name.

1.9       Organization of the Study

This study with the main objective of assessing the impact of citizen journalism on conventional mass media in Nigeria is structured into five main chapters for easy comprehension and orderly presentation.

Chapter one is the introduction of the study. It comprises of background to the study, statement of the problem, research questions, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, scope and delimitations of the study, significance of the study, definition of key terms, and organization of the study.

Chapter two is the literature review chapter of the study. It comprises of three sub-chapters – conceptual review, theoretical framework, and empirical review. This chapter will also discuss the ‘gaps’ identified in prior studies on this subject matter which this study wants to fill.

Chapter three is the methodology chapter of the study. Sub-sections in this chapter are; research design, population of the study, sample size for the study, sampling technique, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sources of data for the study, data collection instrument, validity of the instrument, reliability of instrument, procedure for data collection, and methods of data analysis.

Chapter four is the data analysis, presentation of results and discussion of findings chapter in this study. It is in this chapter that data gathered in the study through a data collection instrument is analyzed using relevant statistical tools, results presented and appropriately interpreted to get findings for the study. This chapter also provides platform for testing the research hypotheses in the study as well as discussing findings of the study based on the results of the data analyses and tests of hypotheses.

Chapter five is the final chapter of the study. It is in this chapter that the findings of the study are summarized, conclusions made as well as recommendations based on the findings.

IMPACT OF CITIZEN JOURNALISM ON CONVENTIONAL MASS MEDIA 

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