Abstract

Advancements in digital mobile-telecommunication across the world -including Nigeria may account for the evolving convergences between such new forms of media reality and conventional news reception. However, there is limited understanding of the related media policy issues. Indeed, this covert non-participant observation-based article provides a seemingly rich perspective about the nature of emergent mobile-telecommunications news services in Nigeria, as well as delve into a qualitative hand-on professional notions about how such digital news convergence in a developing country like Nigeria has thrown up certain policy concerns. Framed by the digital dichotomy theory, summary of findings points to be more attention being given to delivery of local news contents -but amidst poor consistency of delivery and low quality and or unstable mobile network. Mobile telecommunication companies can learn from the technical capacities of each other. Also, policy and regulatory agencies should develop inculcating framework for synergy among non-conventional, digitalized news companies. Digital-Information Communication Technologies [D-ICTs] literacy should be inculcated as well. Irrespective, general media regulatory sanctions and sanctioning should be seriously considered with the framework of extant laws. Media regulators in Nigeria should be more proactive via enhanced digital capacity building and role-synergy that would help deals with some of the media issues arising from digital media adoptions.

Key Words: News Digitization, Media Digitalization, News Convergence; Digital Technology, Mobile-Telecommunications, Media Policy

About the Author

*    Isaac Imo-Ter Nyam, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, Special Issue 3, July 2023, pp. 138-149

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Nyam, I. I. (2023). Aspects of observation of Nigeria’s mobile-telecommunications news-text convergences. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (1, SP.3): 138-149.

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