THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA

1.1 Introduction

Social media use increases information supply. Platforms also help journalists and media organizations keep up with their audience as through alternative platforms, they can always get in touch (Idowu et al., 2019). Social media forms part of the much talked about electronic communication and is so far seen as the environment with the highest activity on the internet (Apuke, 2016). However, television broadcasting in Nigerian since inception has been transmitting through analogue televisions which use complete waves to transmit pictures and sounds (KOMOL, 2008). According to Lewis and Social media platforms as sources of news continue to grow, and both journalists and audience have come to terms with the reality as to the importance of the technological revolution (Agbo & Chukwuma, 2016).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

The introduction of social media has increase interaction among people, creating them to be producers and consumers of information in a simultaneous manner. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and 2go have brought tremendous improvement within the communication system; it has provided different entertainment functions which serve as a tool for social change. With the help of the web, users can form his/her own page, assess news online easily and upload business and advertisement online in order to get customers to purchase products. It is also an avenue to share or transfer photos of individual or events, groups can be formed to meet people with similar interests.

According to Kim et al., (2010) Social or new media are the emerging digital communication channels which create a user oriented information sharing ground where any people can generate or subscribe information content as both information provider and consumer. Although social media are powerful tools that has improved interaction in communication, and reduced the utilization of conventional broadcasting, there is still some complimentary role it shares with conventional broadcasting in terms of news, advertisement, reaching large audiences among others. Whereas, differences conventional broadcasting shares with social media includes quality, frequency, usability, immediacy, and permanence (Social Media, 2013).

Apuke (2016) observes that social media helps journalists in Nigeria to explore various sites regularly. In contrast, a study by Didiugwu et al. (2015) revealed that social media has impacted negatively on the performance of journalists in Nigeria. Social media also comes with challenges, whether in their adoption or usage. Generally, some challenges that come with the use of social media include fear of privacy invasion, inability to cater for those with disability, problems of commercial advertising, the challenge of making terms of agreement a prerequisite to creating a profile or owning an account, and susceptibility to deception from users across spectrum (Kasturi & Vardhan, 2014).

For a society to exist and perform there must be a functioning media. This truth has already been established within the different earliest societies that make up the entity Nigeria. The Media are therefore shaping people's everyday lives, politics and cultural activities to a greater extent than ever before. Dominick (2002) articulated that may be the best way to appreciate the role the mass communication plays in our society would be to imagine what it would be like if, all of a sudden, the whole system never existed. Obviously, the mass media are a pervasive part of our live. A very important space in today’s broadcasting world over is the technology and instruments for the transmission of media messages. Modern technology has transformed the shape and dimension of broadcasting.

Broadcasting media technology has undergone speedy changes and continued until the early 20th century. Modern technologies are nowadays enhancing and facilitating the communication method activities, as well as help the generation and dissemination of information more efficiently to highly dispersed audience in the world. Olorede and Oyewole (2013) claim that: The catalyst for the transformation of media newsrooms is modern technology. These technologies have additionally increased media credibility, reliability and even affordability and accessibility, as events can be reported as simultaneously as they unfold, with little or no interference and audience’s access at a relatively affordable cost.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Impact of Social Media on Broadcasting in Nigeria.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the realization of some of these implications remains major challenges for the use of social media platforms for television broadcast in Nigeria. The Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) in its stations on TV and Radio broadcast in Nigeria observed that most private and public owned broadcast media outfit an yet to make digital transmission part of their daily broadcasting and even those who are into it are practically implementing it. These researches intend to look at the Impact of Social Media on Broadcasting in Nigeria.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Impact of Social Media on Broadcasting in Nigeria. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the challenges faced by social media and conventional broadcasting;
2. To determine the relationship between social media and conventional broadcasting;
3. To investigate the influence of social media on conventional broadcasting; and
4. To explore ways through which social networks have been incorporated into broadcasting.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Are there ways through which social networks have been incorporated into broadcasting?
• Is there any relationship between social media and conventional broadcasting?
• What is the influence of social media on conventional broadcasting?
• What are the challenges faced by social media and conventional broadcasting?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no influence of social media on conventional broadcasting in Nigeria.
• H1: There is a significant influence of social media on conventional broadcasting in Nigeria.

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1.7 Significance of Study

This study is timely because it is on one of the most current prominent issues. Today there is intense competition in broadcasting industry all over the world. Also the study will be of immense benefit of Nigeria's especially media professionals as it focuses on providing possible sensitization of making digitization a reality.

This study will enable the stakeholders in the broadcasting industry to appreciate the contributions of social media platforms to television broadcast, evaluate its challenges and come up with new strategies to solve the unique problems of using social media platforms for broadcast in the 21st century.

The study will also assist Channels Television and other electronic media organizations in Nigeria now using the social media platforms to develop editorial guidelines for broadcasts to understand potential challenges of using the social media as effective tools of mass communication. It is expected that this, will shade more light on where and how media outfit will deliver quality services to the satisfaction of the teaming audience. Finally, students of mass communication will also find the work useful as it touches on their area of specialization.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Impact of Social Media on Broadcasting in Nigeria using Imo broadcasting corporation (IBC) as a case study.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Social Media: Social media is becoming an integral part of life online as social websites and applications proliferate.

Broadcast Media: This means one of the mass media channels that make use of television and radio.

Broadcast: This is the business of sending out radio and television signals over a distance, to a large heterogeneous audience by means of airwaves.