Book Review

This study examined the perception of radio listeners regarding the roles of radio programmes in the sustainability of indigenous languages in Borno State. The study was guided by three objectives to examine the perceived adequacy of radio programmes and; the perceived effectiveness of radio programmes in the sustainability of indigenous languages in Borno State. The study also identifies the perceived alternatives for the sustainability of indigenous languages through radio programmes in Borno State. The study used Focus Group Discussion as the method and Agenda Setting Theory as the theoretical framework. Twenty-four (24) participants were engaged in three FGD sessions conducted in communities in Maiduguri. The study found that there are inadequate programmes produced and broadcast in indigenous languages by radio stations for the sustainability of the indigenous languages in Maiduguri. However, it was found that the few available programmes are perceived to be effective. The study identified alternatives that include creating new programmes, creating programmes that teach the languages facing the threat of extinction, consideration for different age groups in creating radio programmes and allowing communities to participate in the programmes because these alternatives are perceived to be adequate and could be effective in the sustainability. The study concludes that there is perceived inadequacy regarding programmes across radio stations in Borno State that are broadcast in indigenous languages. This study recommends that partnerships should be developed between the stations, the government, non-governmental organisations, media funders and the communities to harness different capacities and resources to produce more programmes in indigenous languages by taking into consideration the suggested alternatives that can make the programmes effective.

The printed newspaper readership had been on a progressive decline across the globe, particularly in the developed media world, where embattled newspapers had engaged in creative destruction approaches to reposition themselves. The phenomenon does not leave out printed newspapers in the developing market, including Nigeria where newspapers had witnessed depleting readership since the 1980s. Anchored on Schumpeter’s Creative Destruction Theory, this study examined the depth of Nigeria’s printed newspaper’s readership challenge and analyzed the creative approaches they employed to overcome their plummeting fortunes. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 editors in nine mainstream newspapers. To analyse the data, an inductive thematic approach was used. Findings revealed that Nigerian newspapers were threatened by the migration of news readers online for news and taking defensive strategies imperative to survive. Innovations by the newspapers include regionalization of their operation to minimise loss, reduction in newspaper colour pages, cut in print run, and outsourcing of newspaper circulation. Other creative measures were scaling down editorial staff, with six newspapers undertaking job cuts, six newspapers shutting down unproductive bureaus; five newspapers relying on freelance or stringers; introduction of barter payment to procure operation vehicles, and suspension of staff recruitment, among others. The newspapers in the study are still to initiate a transformational innovation to recreate themselves into a hybrid digitized platform. The study recommended that newspaper managers should be aware of the overall impact on editorial content, which is what gives newspaper journalism its core value, as they continue to look for innovative ways to reverse the bad fortunes of the printed newspaper caused by the disruptive technologies that are depriving it of its old readership and revenue base.

Film over the years has served as an instrument of transmission of certain values, such as arts, customs, festivals, architecture, spiritual and political histories for future references, preservation, and representation of reality. The study examines how film, especially “76” preserved political memory and the public perception of the film. The paper seeks to determine the relationship between the aspects the film portrayed with reality; the events recalled from the point of view of those who lived within the era of 1976 and particularly remembering the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed (the then head of state). The scope and population of the study were selected through the purposive sampling technique in Lagos state, for individuals that have lived in the era of 1976, and individuals that have seen the film. The survey method and key informant interview were adopted for this study, with the purposive sampling technique adopted for the research. The apparatus theory serves as the study theoretical anchor. Thereafter, it was revealed that a high percentage of respondents perceived the film of study as a historical film through the portrayal and other concepts disseminated. And findings also show that there was a similarity of results between interview participants and the responses of the viewers of the film. This study concludes that the film ’76 based on public perception, represented historical reality and an avenue to recall the event that led to the assassination of one of Nigeria’s head of state, and memory films as such have various benefits in terms of audience connection with film content, and transcending vital memory details, either political, or historical memory through generations. This study recommends that more memory films should be adopted in the Nigerian film industry, and that there should be a liberal space in producing such films. Also, more relational film content should be created for viewers, and the provision of financial support needed for the creation of these films, whilst maintaining national protocol in their performances.

This study was predicated on the need to analyse the influence of radio coverage This paper examines the menace of hate speech and fake news and their effects on national integration in Nigeria. The paper solely relies on secondary data through the review of relevant literature to examine the common trends of hate speech and fake news with their corresponding effects in the society. Among other effects, the paper indicates that hate speech and fake news constitute serious effects on national integration in Nigeria because they heighten ethnic and religious tensions, undermine trust and unity, polarize society, and pose risks to peace and security. Therefore, the paper recommends that government should introduce a legal framework to guide the use of the media and spell out appropriate sanctions for offenders to stem the rising tide of the hate speech and fake news phenomena. Also, there is need for a robust literacy on the use of media for both information producers and consumers in Nigeria thereby ensuring proper use geared towards national integration.

Journalists frequently encounter dangers or threats when working in the field, for which they may need to be prepared. Lack of training or awareness of safety procedures can make the planning and implementation process exceedingly tricky for journalists. To protect journalists, media organizations must play a crucial role in the types of policies and safety measures they promote. This paper set out to investigate the types of safety measures journalists engage in, the existence or non-existence of safety policies in media organisations and the adequacy of the available safety measures. The Theory of Safety and Security with special focus on the model of participation, was adopted for this paper. The descriptive study design was used in this paper. It employed the use of qualitative data drawn from purposively selected media organisations located in three geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The sample size was five respondents with a purposive sampling technique. The interview guide was used to gather data and then thematically analysed. The findings revealed that journalists majorly engage in personal safety measures with no clearly delinieated safety policy in their organisations. The existing safety measures were found inadequate and the need for documented safety measures with increased collaborations was recommended.