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 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.
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?

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?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

HO1: there is a significant impacts of eye witness on News social 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 Effectiveness Of News Social Media in citizenship

journalism: A study of eye witness report. The study is limited to News social
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.

1.9 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

News Production: The process involving the assembling, distillation, packaging,

and dissemination of news to an audience, either through broadcasting or
narrowcasting. It is distinct from other television programs due to its elements of
swiftness, newness, correctness, and promptitude (Odetoyinbo, 2005).

News: An announced account of an event (Aina, 2004), the gathering of

information about events or activities by reporters or journalists (Adeosun, Obioha,
and Onuoha, 2019). News is a cultural concept dependent on social conventions
and literary values (Gyimah, 2015).

News Sources: Individuals or entities that provide information, opinions, views,

and witness accounts necessary for news production. These sources can be official,
unofficial, known, or anonymous (Cross, 2010).

Citizenship Journalism: A form of journalism where the public plays an active

role in collecting, reporting, analyzing, and disseminating news and information.
Eye-Witness Report: A first-hand account of an event provided by someone who
was present at the scene. It is used by journalists to gather information about events
they could not witness themselves.

News Media: Various media organizations such as news agencies, radio,

television networks, and cable stations involved in the gathering, processing,
packaging, and dissemination of news.

Solo-Newsgathering: The process where individual journalists gather news

independently, often using technology to capture and disseminate information
quickly (Bock, 2012).

Broadcast Stations: Media organizations that disseminate news and other content
through television or radio broadcasts.

Journalist-Source Relationship: The interaction between journalists and their

news sources, which influences the framing and content of news stories (Cross,
2010).

News Package: The assembled, processed, and polished collection of news items
prepared for broadcast to an audience.