Abstract

Social media are modern communication platforms which have gained tremendous acceptance among users today. Makurdi residents are among those who make use of the platforms. This study therefore, investigated the specific uses and gratifications of social media among Makurdi residents of Benue State. Survey research method was adopted with the questionnaire as the research instrument for data collection. Findings revealed that the Makurdi residents make use of social media to carry out different activities which reading of news and comments, commenting on other peoples’ write-ups, creating and updating personal profiles are among them. Findings also revealed that attacking of personalities, dating, friendships and politics are other issues which dominate discussions on social media. The study further revealed that there are a lot of gratifications derived from the use of social media which are keeping people busy and offering them platform to freely express themselves are some of those gratifications. The study concluded that, social media have emerged as the communication platforms widely embraced, adopted and used by the people because of the desired gratifications derived from the platforms. The study recommended for continuation in the use of social media but cautions against using it more in attacking personalities and dating.

Key Words: Uses, Gratifications, Social Media, Makurdi Residents.

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*Gabriel Bundekaan Ugande, Ph.D. is Head of Department, Mass Communication, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.

**Ternenge Kusugh is Research Fellow, Department of Mass Communication, Benue State University, Makurdi, Nigeria.

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, April  2017, 37 –  49