Abstract  

The Internet has been transformed in the past years from a system primarily oriented on information provision into a medium for social communication and community-building. The notion of Web 2.0 emerged to widen the horizon of interactivity found in information communication technology. This paradigm shift has induced a change in practice of journalism in Nigeria as mass media audience can now, instantly send in their feedback or comments or follow up stories online. This study centers on discovering the essence and how social media are used as veritable instruments for harnessing effective journalism in Nigeria. Hinged on the technological determinism, diffusion of innovation and public sphere theories the study adopted survey as methodology with questionnaire as the instrument to ascertain the potentials, problems and prospects of Twitter and Facebook in journalism practice in Nigeria. 200 journalists working in newspapers and radio stations in Abuja and Enugu were selected through purposive sampling technique to generate data. It was discovered among others that: journalist use facebook more than other social media.

Key Words: Web 2.0, Social Media, Twitter, Facebook, Platforms

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 4, No. 1, April 2012, 153 – 167 

© Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the author

*Doris Ngozi Morah is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Full Article

Words: 6,405; Pages: 15