CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
News production is an offspring of a numerous exercises when it comes to assembling, distillation, packaging and dispersing to the audience be it broad or enormous in terms of broadcasting or individual as linked to narrowcasting. News is all about people, places and events which are news worthy within a society every day while some personnel are baffled and fixed with the burden of conveying news for public usage. It is this vein, Odetoyinbo (2005) affirms that, news production is different from other television programmes because of its element of swiftness, newness, correctness and promptitude. As stated in Gyimah (2015), news is a cultural concept that depends on social conventions and literary values. This gives ground for reason why news and its analysis are infrequently broad, and that diverse forms of journalism production also exist. Aina (2004) opined that news is an announced account of an event. While Adeosun, Obioha and Onuoha (2019), assert that, news is the gathering of information of event or activities through reporters, journalists. This propose, that news is everything reporter called it because he was an eye witness to the event. In addition, news can also be an account of a person’s, a group’s or an organization’s news activities that may be beautified by educational background, environmental context, personal belief, value or bias, organisational style or ownership influence. Certifying this view, Obalanlege (2016) maintains that: …..news is both an individual and an organisational product, how so, when putting into consideration the ways and manner in which news is being structured, it is paramount and of great importance to analyze, the processes by which an unrestricted amount of happenings and problems linked to a given day are sieved into the newsflash. This might be the reason why Jakob (2003), submit that, news production is equivalent to reproductive exercise which has to do with conversion of innumerable news discussion just like (press agency copy, press releases, interview notes, news feeds and other news media) into single account, with suitable frame as an authoritative account of a news event. News feeds are crucial pedigrees of news for other media. News feeds are recorded from satellite feeds and scrutinized by the local news stations. Stories selected for broadcast are normally saved to a video server, or patched up on one or two videotapes, and then “rolled into” the local news as required (Adenekan, 2018). Just like any other piece of merchandise, news is gathered, processed, packaged and sold by the news agencies, radio, television networks and cable stations. During this process, a journalist reports what he/she sees as newsworthy while, viewers also, use their power of choosy impression to know what could please their needs and discard others that has no need to day to day needs. Despite that, in the field of journalism and in media studies together with the newsrooms where news production processes are perfected; media men cannot do anything, or be productive without the people who garnish them with the needed information officially, unofficially, known or anonymous for their opinions, views and witness account in the circumstance of news break in a specific place. These people are called news sources. According to Cross (2010): Study on the social production of news, journalistic practices, and influences on news content has contributed to an understanding of the use of news sources, the journalist-source correlation, and the possible effect selective source use has on the framing of news stories. To the contrary, there is harmonious relationship between news sources and journalists which make them to relate as good associates. A dependable and reliable news channel is as good as its sources. This means that news must erupt from distinct sources despite the nature of such news. Also, news sources which media organisations consult for the news processing differs in nature, but the most important is the integrity, accuracy, authenticity and relevance of the information.
Therefore, as reporters gather information from these sources, how does the information influence the news package of the broadcast stations? Are there any challenges inherent in this process? To what extent is this information gathered from the news sources being used as part of the news production processes? These and many other contentious issues relating to eye-witness accounts and news processing of broadcasting stations have been the driving force behind this study to ascertain the use of News Media in citizenship journalism: case study of eye witness report. This study therefore, purposely chose eye witness report in order to look into how both stations process their news.
1.2 Problem of the study
The growth in media organisations happen as a result of development and improvement in technology and deregulation of broadcast media in 1992 in Nigeria, have made stakeholders to request for quality in relation to picture, programming news processing and production (Jegede, Ernest-Onuri and Akintayo, 2016; Chioma,2014). Despite this, created competitions amongst media as they proceed fighting to generate traffic towards their channel in terms of commercial and listenership. They struggle for productiveness and competence in relation to immediacy and correctness of news gathering, processing and dissemination to their audiences. In this context, technology which had given advantage and lead to the media organisations also did same to what Bock (2012) called solo-newsgathering, which also serve as source of news for other news media that may not witness event as it unfolds. As noted, news men process news with ascription because it makes the news to be reliable despite who says what? In reality, media organisations conduct different interviews from the streets and from the personalities who they see as perfect source of information. These are done to refine and polish the news processing and to please the needs of television and radio audiences. As expected, news sources are cruciall to news assembling process which is seen to be one of the major ingredients in the news production. While getting news sources may be aedous task due to hard-to-get sources that are in all likelihood busy or as a result of secrecy that may be attached to the news reporter showed interest. Actuality in terms of eye-witness accounts on the issues of general interest or news break which news reporter(s) may not be fortunate to witness owing to the circumstances beyond his capacity; may force him/her to conduct an interview from those who witnessed the scenario. It could also be the freelance video journalist who witnesses the scene, records and sells to interested news medium. The study will examine the use of News Media in citizenship journalism: case study of eye witness report.
1.3 Objectives of the study
The study major objective is to examine the use of News Media in citizenship journalism: case study of eye witness report. Specific objectives include;
To ascertain how the information, influence the news package of the broadcast stations.
To ascertain if there are any challenges inherent in this process.
To know the extent this information gathered from the news sources is being used as part of the news production processes.
To know if the media use eye-witness accounts in their news journalism.
To ascertain the rate the media stations use eye-witness accounts in their news package.
To examine the possible challenges inherent in the use of eye-witness accounts in news production.
To know the impacts of eye witness on News Media in citizenship journalism.
1.4 Research questions
The following are the research questions used for the study;
How does the information influence the news package of the broadcast stations?
Are there any challenges inherent in this process?
To what extent is this information gathered from the news sources being used as part of the news production processes?
Do media use eye-witness accounts in their news journalism?
At what rate do the media stations use eye-witness accounts in their news package?
What are the possible challenges inherent in the use of eye-witness accounts in news production?
What are the impacts of eye witness on News Media in citizenship journalism?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
HO1: there is a significant impacts of eye witness on News Media in citizenship journalism.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The findings of the study would be significant in several ways.
It would serve as a reference material both for students and other researchers, who may have need for information and documentations on this area of academic study.
The findings would also be helpful to other media organizations in proper utilization of eye witness.
The findings would also offer the respondents the opportunity to air their views on the way and manner media organizations handle journalism.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study focused on the use of News Media in citizenship journalism: case study of eye witness report. The study is limited to News Media in citizenship journalism. Respondents from the study will be gotten from Vangard media and The Sun. Based on assumptions from the study, the result of the findings could be generalized.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
The study was faced with time and fund constraints being academic based research. The time allocated for this study was not enough as in combining the work on this study with daily academic routine. Also, the study was limited to some areas due to the problems of funds, shortage of texts, journals and information relevant to the study.
