INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE CHANGING ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
In this study, the researcher examined the impact of information technology (IT) on media development in Nigeria. Towards this end, the researcher randomly selected 78 staff of radio Nigeria and the guardian newspaper to form the study sample. The 78 members of the study sample were given 78 copies of structured questionnaires to complete. Their responses were analyzed using percentages. The analyses of the responses revealed the following findings.
i. The use of IT resources had positively transformed to media/communication industry in Nigeria. Its areas of application in the industry include: News/Information gathering and dissemination, preparation of news items for publication and broadcasting and the express distribution of news items.
ii. The constraints/problems militating against the effective use of IT resources in Nigeria media industry include the following, unreliable power supply, incompetent human resources, unreliable telecommunication network and lack of adequate capital.
iii. These problems could be overcome through the provision of reliable power supply and telecommunication network, human resources development in the area of IT and the provision of adequate capital.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Mbadugha (2000:48) defined information technology (IT) as the application of technology to information management. He stated that in recent years there has been many examples of media house in Nigeria who apply IT resources in their operations. Udoma (1999:57) reported that information is an extremely valuable resource. This implies that any individuals or organization that has current and useful information is regarded as being very powerful. Organizations, particularly the media houses are information processing entities. This justifies the huge investment in research development (R and D) in the area of information generation and processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination, particularly in the advance economics. Information is thus jealously gathered, loaded shared freely or sold, depending upon the motive of the possessor. In the media industry, which is characterized by high level of competition, success is to a large extent dependent on the speed and efficiency of communication.
Information technology (IT) provides near limitless possibilities of increasing the quantity and enhancing the quality, speed and availability of information in a complex but inter-dependent world of Business Communication (Anyakora, 1998:77). The idea of information technology dates back to the earliest time. The earliest form of writing (Cuneiform), for example, was invented in 35 B.C. Nwadamma (1997:78) reported that Tiro invented shorthand in 63 B.C. He equally noted that Henry Mill patented the typewriter in 1994, while the principles of the modern day facsimile (fax) transmission was patented by Brain Way Back in 1843. Hence, as regards information technology, what is new therefore is the impressive array and sophistication of information technology resources, its increasing efficiency, reliability, speed, accuracy, cheapness, portability and ubiquity, made possible by micro processors.
The microprocessors are inexpensive, extremely efficient and miniaturized information processing units- a phenomenal invention of information technology. According to Iwuoha (2000:102) the offices of the media houses of the early 1070s is a “paper and file office”. He explained that in these offices, most of the information processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination is done through paper document. He also explained that such offices are usually littered with paper and files, while documents in the office easily got destroyed or misplaced. He noted that response to paper communication during the period under discussion is therefore a costly show process and is fraught with uncertainties. He argued that all these are gradually changing particularly in the developing countries. He enumerated some of these countries/nations, and they include the following:
1. African countries, such - Nigeria
South African
Republic of Benin
Cote d’ Ivoire
Zimbabwe
Botsward
Egypt
Guinea Bissan
Equitorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Ghana
Cameroon
Mali and Togo
2. Asian countries. Eg - India
Parkistan
Indonesia
Bangkok
Thailand
Philippines
3. Latin American countries eg –Colombia
Bolivia
Brazil
Venezuela
Ecuador
Chile
Peru and Argentina
.