Abstract

In this digital age, all the nations of the world have been in constant search of an effective approach to achieving human and material development. This search seems to be more pronounced in the developing world. Notably, most early scholarly and professionally articulated views, models, theories, and postulations relating to the development of the developed world were Western-driven. Western scholars tend to measure growth from the economic point of view and believe that the role of the media in Africa, Asia, and Latin America is to support the process of social changes taking place because of contact between the West and these emergent societies. They demonstrated that digital media by propagating western models, values, and practices of modernization and westernization would create certain psychological conditions – psyche empathy, which in turn will make these societies “achieving societies.” Within this context, people believe that Nigeria’s underdevelopment is more of poor implementation than lack of development visions and programmes. The media being the Fourth Estate of the Realm, serving as watchdog is believed to have a vital role in Nigeria's quest for development. The paper attempts to assess the role of digital media in the development process. The paper established the nexus between development, social change, and digital media. The paper anchored on the theoretical lens of Development Media Theory. The paper argues that media alone cannot bring about development because the media serve as a vehicle to promote developmental goals. The content of the media is what brings about change and development.

Key Words: Social Change, Development, Media, Digital Media, Nigeria.

About the Authors

*      Suleiman Mainasara Yar’Adua, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Mass Communication, and former Head of Department, Mass Communication as well as pioneer Deputy Dean, Faculty of Communication, and pioneer Director BUK FM (Campus Radio Station), Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. His areas of research interest are, Investigative Journalism, Peace Journalism, and Development Journalism.

**    Aondover Eric Msughter is of the Department of Mass Communication, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Nigeria. His areas of research interest include: Media and Conflict, Political Communication, Digital Media, Media and Society, Media and Gender, Development Communication, and Media Literacy.

*** Bashiru Usman is a lecturer at Department of Mass Communication, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Yola, Nigeria. He is interested in Digital Media (Social and New Media) and Society, Media Literacy and Journalism.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, Special Issue 3, July 2023, pp. 50-59

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

Article Citation

Yar’Adua, S. M., Msughter, A. E. & Usman, B. (2023). Digital media, development and social change in Nigeria. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (1, SP.3): 50-59.

Full Article

Words: 7,007

Pages: 10

To access full article, click on download.