Information Communication Technology And Changes In Mass Media Production And Distribution

The paper examines the contributions of the emerging technology and platforms such as the internet, teleprompter, GSM, Social media, streaming among other on the media production and distribution particularly in TV Continental (TVC) in consonance with Technological Determinism and Diffusion of Innovation Theories. Survey research method was adopted as a quantitative research method with questionnaire used to elicit data from the 150 respondents selected from TVC through simple random sampling technique while the data collected was analyzed using frequency and percentage method. Findings showed that news gathering and dissemination, photo editing, video editing, commercial jingles, cartoons and animations are some of the areas in which the ICTs have been felt in TVC and journalism generally. Also, the findings showed that modern communication technologies have made journalism practice more lively and interactive and more effective. It is recommended that media practitioners should not see Information and Communication Technology as evil but rather as a blessing to journalism while journalists and other staffs be train and retrain to meet up with the emerging technology and platforms.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Media need to be recognized as an important vehicle responsible of acquainting the citizens with well-defined national goals by informing them of their role, expectation and obligation. Media practice is public interest oriented. It is the means through which government, institutions, organization and all others in authority are held accountable to and by the public. It means that the content of the media influences people"s thought and feelings and the world at large.

However, the alteration of the nature of communication experience in the society by the media, with the new technologies has become conspicuous. People attitude to the traditional media of televisions, music, radio, film and print has also changed due to the dynamic nature of the applied technology in their preference and delivery. Relative in the diaspora can interact with each other in cyber space (the digital world of communication).

In essence, the media and emerging technologies are bringing news ways of sending ideas, feelings, opinions, thoughts and information, new ways of hearing about the world, its identities and the future advance in the technology and their services have facilitated global information flour, which have fulfilled Marshal McLuhan"s global village concept, where ones neighbor is no longer the fellow who lives next door. He would be in a remote part of the hemisphere separated from one only on time and distance but also be differences in language, culture, norms and value. What happens to ones known by the other within a split second (Agba, 2001:7)

Information technology is any artifact manipulated by man to aid him communicate personally, massively and above all, timely information and communication technology (ICT) have enhanced global neighborhood in terms of medially in communication and information dissemination around the globe Nodu (2004:32)

According to Okunna (2004:20) wherever we think of information or communication technology, our minds fly to the world of computer, satellite, fax machine, fibre optics, digital networks and ultimately the internet network. She explains further that they are variously called New Communication Technology (NCT) which makes possible Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and have given rise to the information high way or information super high way. All this have to do with the online world, which Hibson in Okunna called Cyberspace.

Agba in OkunnaC.S. (2004) explains that NCTs refers to the technology which impacts directly on the manner in which the media receive the information prepare for distribution and distribute in it. Agba also attributes these new firms and processes of communication with greater speed, greater reach, clearer vision and capacity for two way flow of information.

Many newspaper houses in the western states like the TV and Radio also engaged in satellites publications in different cities across the country and beyond. Dominick (1993:184) gave example of such papers as the international herald tribute. Washington post, USA, today international world paper, the financial times of London, the economics and the wall street journal.

Satellite publication is not currently available in Nigeria, thus, the provision of the early editions and late edition of the same newspapers. If one buys a newspaper of National circulation in the overt, Edo or Delta States and one buys another copy of the same newspaper on the sameday as soon as the consumers crosses the Niger bridge into East, the difference in their content become evident. While one is early edition, the other is in late edition.

In addressing the relevance of Technologies, Owuamalam (2005:12) canvasses that the information high way, known as the internet, shows how maturity in the 21st century has transformed journalism to a state of art profession, where novices in the new technology seems to be left at the feet of relegated to the dungeon of intellectual abyss through either ignorance or inefficient compliance to the technology opportunities of the century, Owuamalam concludes.

Information technology is not in itself a medium but a social force, bringing changes to the media world. It has affected the publishing process like copywriting, reporting, editing, page making and filming. The internet and computer have facilitates journalist practice in contemporary times. The internet is one of the most prominent factors which has given credence to the statement that the world is a global village (McLuhan, 1974:100).

Nwabueze, (2005:163) defines internet as an interconnectivity of computers and some other devices like mobile phones which exchange information with the aid of telephone lines. The screen of any computer, connected to the internet, is a magic carpet. It transports a newer round the world in a few minutes without moving an inch.
Some print publications now use the net to coordinate activities of their reporters, pages are even planned in some out stations and send through the net to the head office where such pages are made part of the newspapers to be published. Most printed publication are produced regionally, but daily by specially designed production. Computers which are able to receive data either by phone lines, micro waves or satellites from where they are printed automatically Ikpe and Ibekwe (2006:67).

The computer is at the very heart of the convergence and its entry into the media industry has been a credible boom in terms of speed, innovation and accuracy, Ikpe and Ibekwe (2006). They believed that the computer earned this enviable position in the digital convergence because of its ability to transform text, number, sound and graphics into a digital form. The application if ICTs to the media industry has changed the working of the industry, it has influenced broadcast product content, circulation aesthetics and the quality of staff in each ICT driven establishment and created a new set of new carrier. The strategy has also brought people of different profession together. Like those in computer science, electronic engineering etc. In what Nwosu (2007:11) called Synergistic communication for development, where professionals from various fields poll ideas and resources together towards achieving a sustainable human development.

Journalism in the 21st century is an amalgam of training competence and expertise. It requires the sagacity of appreciating audience new and the ability to meet customers" aspiration for prosperity a shine on journalist Owuamalam (2006:125). It is only when journalist are abreast with technologies of the 21st century that journalism will be hailed as relevance to the need and service of the society. Journalist must note that at the punch of technology driver"s communication button, one is ushered into the information super highway where the desired information about the world is at ones palm. They must discover appropriate use for each new technology to note that laptop computers, GSM handset and even video phones are useless if not put to appropriate use Owuamalam (2006:122).

ICTs have aided in every aspect of mass communication in Nigeria, advertising has survived through the years of early press to the modern times with increasing modernizations as a result of advancement in information and communication technology (ICTs) Obasi (2011:205)

Since ICTs have made it possible for individual who may reside as far off north. Say America assess the details of issues that go on in America, say Nigeria just as it is happening Owualamam (2006:177). Therefore ask:

What therefore is the implication of journalism in the use of sophisticated and most modern equipment in the 21st century?

How will the transformation affect journalists their roles and the performance in contemporary times?

How would journalism grapple with the dictate of the new technology where power supply is epileptic and sometimes erratic or even with the embarrassing scarcity of fuel for power generation in Nigeria, the 7th largest producer of oil in the world.

It is the manner with which the media correspondents utilize these ICTs materials for effective gathering, processing and dissemination of news and information in what this research sets out to find out. Also, it becomes necessary to understand how journalistic effectiveness, efficiency, competence and training can be attained in the information jet.

Above all, this study seeks to ascertain the perception of journalist on the extent to which the ICTs have influence the media practice, as regards performance, efficiency, job substitution or loss amongst others.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The modern technological era has increasingly paved the way and created impact in the communication world with the result and other reason, much emphasis therefore should be laid on procuring digitalized equipment, no matter what or much it cost. This action therefore willhelp to enhance the quality and quantity of news and information contents. The problem therefore, is that new technologies cannot address the problems of news content and staleness in the media particularly the print medium.

As a relatively new and indeed vast field, the new information technology has been greeted with curiosity. It has touched off analyses of its native potentials and danger Ukonu (2006:98). Third world countries like Nigeria and Ghana have also joined in the search on how to adapt the potentials of the new information technology to the best use possible. The problem is that the ignorance about the capabilities of the NICT can affect their use and adaptation in contemporary mass media industries, Journalism practice cannot benefit from only adaptation.

NICTs adoption in the rural area is perceived at a misplaced priority, now journalistic practice can address this importantly too, is the study of the behavior of journalist (fear of job safety, carrier substitution) towards NICTs since their emergence in their work places it becomes necessary to ascertain if the fear of job loss and health hazards associated with NICTs are real or imagined as a hindrance to the adoption of the new technologies for news gathering and journalism practice.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The purpose of the study is to:

To find out if practicing journalists in Ogun state are aware of ICTs.

To ascertain the proportion of practicing journalists in Ogun state that have received formal training in the ICTs.

To find out if the use of ICTs have positive impact on news and information reportage.

To find out if practicing journalists in Ogun state have access to ICTs.

1.4 Research Questions

Do practicing journalists in Ogun state aware of ICTs?

How many practicing journalists in Ogun state have formal training on the use of ICTs?

Does the use of ICTs have positive impact on news and information reportage?

Do practicing journalists in Ogun state have access to ICTs?

1.4 Significance of the Study

The study will provide the media owners, planners and practitioners" good reasons on why ICTs should be employed in their media operations. It will serve as a reference point for current and future information and communication technology users, researchers, scholars, and students.

It will also serve as a knowledge based for understanding ICTs potentials, dangers and how to utilize the benefits offered by the ICTs and encourages the people on how to manage the risks associated with ICTs users. In addition, the study will help to clear the doubt on whether ICTs emergence lead to job loses to media practitioners. Finally, the research findings will add to the existing literature in the area of information communication technologies.

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H0: A good number of Ogun state based practicing journalists are not aware of ICT.
H1: A good number of Ogun state based practicing journalists are aware of ICT.

H0: A good number of Ogun state based practicing Journalists do not have access to ICT.
H2: A good number of Ogun state based practicing journalists have access to ICT.

1.6 Scope and Limitation of Study

The scope of the study is Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun state. All journalists who practice in Ogun state are represented in this study. These journalist practice in Ogun state and where purpose chosen to represent the media practitioners in the state.

The study encountered various militating factors among which is lack of adequate finance. They serve economic situation of the country that reflect in the low par capital income and high expenditures limits availability of financial resources. However the researcher employed judicious and careful prioritizing his need and the research need.

Again, the selected respondent were hard to come by due to their busy programme as schedule culminating from the nature of the job of media practitioners. This therefore hindered the administration and retrieval of questionnaire of the respondents" contacts to various media industries in Ogun state (NTA, Orient TV, IBC, statesman, newspaper etc.) where the respondents work were continuously met and the respondents cooperate as sort. Time posed as serious impediments to the study as the research has other academic and otherwise interests to cover, but proper time allocation was applied by the researcher for better task accomplishment.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Mass Media:

Mass media is an organization that controls technologies such as broadcast media (television, radio) and the print media (newspaper, magazine, books etc.).

Information Technology:

Information technology is any artifact manipulated by man to aid him communicate personally, massively and above all, timely information and communication technology (ICT) have enhanced global neighborhood in terms of medially in communication and information dissemination around the globe.

Communication:

Communication is the meaningful exchange of information between two or more participants.

Information:

Information is conveyed either as the content of a message or through direct and indirect observation of something.

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations

5.1 Summary

Technology advancement in information and communication has great influence on the gathering processing and dissemination of news and information. Thus, the global trend has revolutionized the media industry and every media correspondent striving hard to meet up with the pace at which it is moving.

This is why media establishments are now discarding the old system of giving out news and information, thereby paving way for the news invention that has affected the operation of the media houses positively.

However, the study has investigated influences of ICTs on journalism (a study of Abeokuta based practicing journalists) a sample of 122 was selected for the study based on purposive sampling; for journalists in the mass media establishment in Abeokuta (ogun TV, vanguard newspaper, Rockcity FM radio etc.). The journalists were purposefully sampled based on their availability. Other of the 122 copies of their questionnaire distributed, 116 copies were found useable for data analysis, having analyzed the general data, the overall findings revealed that significant proportion of Abeokuta based practicing journalist were aware of ICTs. Also the study reveals that 52.5% of journalists in Abeokuta have access to ICTs.

Other findings indicated that 48.3% respondents (journalist) lacked formal training in the use of ICTs which 43.9% of the journalism have been trained formally. The implication is that mass media owners may not have considered it wise to send their staff to special workshops, seminars and conferences regarding that they lacked the necessary technological tools, Nwodu (2004:81).

Another finding indicated that ICTs used has positive impact on news and communication or information reportage, this was supported statistically, where 69.8% of journalists affirmed that ICTs have positive impact on news and information reportage, 22.4% answer no while 7.8% could not say anything.

5.2 Conclusion

In accordance with the test conducted in chapter four the following conclusion were reached;

That Abeokuta based practicing journalists are aware of information and communication technologies. A good number of practicing journalists in Abeokuta have access to ICTs. Noticeable number of practicing journalists have not received formal training on the use of ICTs. Information and communication technologies have positive impact on news and information reportage. Media owners barely expose their newsmen to information and communication technologies.

5.3 Recommendations

Considering the findings made from the study, it was discovered that there were short comings on the part of the media practitioners, owners and the media industries. To this end, the following recommendations are made;

The media organization should provide their staff with adequate and state of the art tools for gathering and reporting news, such provision would enable them meet the requirements of the news taste, brought about by science, technology, education and development in the world culturally, politically and socially.

Workshops, seminars and conference should also be organized by the media organization to the use of ICTs. This capacity building strategy will help to improve the efficiency and capacity the journalists in the ICTs era.

Various governments should encourage media establishments for staff training. This will help to check mate the control of the production and utilization of these information processing and telecommunication systems which are at the present, in the hands of industrialized nations and in some instances of few trans-national companies (Mac Bride et al 1980-95).

The various governments in developing countries should assist their journalist to obtain proper training in the ICTs as well as make the technologies easily accessible to the journalists. This remains the only way to project the cultural values of developing nations and by extensions, save such values from total domination by alien cultures via ICTs.

Finally, undergraduates in the mass communication and other disciplines should be encouraged, as part of their information, to engage themselves in the use and manipulation of the new information and communication technologies, to get the acquainted with the tools for the purpose of familiarity and efficiency.

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