Social media has literarily put
serious pressure on the conventional media. Since the advent of social media,
the phrase “breaking news” has literarily disappeared from the conventional
media.
Social media emergence has birthed
the concept of citizen journalism otherwise known as street journalism. This
emerging type of journalism has literarily turned the audience who hitherto
were content receivers to content creators. The advent of citizen journalism
has broadened the competition in the media industry. Before now, the
competition of who “breaks” the news first was between the conventional media
but today, private individuals, bloggers, and independent journalists have
joined this competition.
For instance, the death of the
Nigerian Chief of Army staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Atairu was first reported on
social media before the conventional media began to report it. In fact, it will
not be out of place if it is stated that it is the social media that now give
leading to conventional media about breaking news.
Journalism obviously is wearing a new
look and taking a new shape. Adapting to the new trend that is shaping
journalism, traditional media have begun to register their presence online.
Major news outlets in Nigeria and the world over have begun to launch their own
social and new media platforms to continue to make themselves relevant.
With these new development in the
media, it is clear that the future of the media especially in this era of
digital convergence lies in the internet. But as a people, how ready are we?
What is the level of internet penetration in the Nigerian society?
The above questions are pertinent questions
that must be addressed if computer mediated communication and artificial
intelligence which are taking over the media space are to be fully registered
in Nigeria.
One of the challenges that is identified
with these new media platforms is their abilities to be used to peddle and
spread fake news. Because of little or no regulations, social media platforms
present a fertile ground for planting and reaping fake news in Nigeria and the
world at large.
The implication of the above is that ethnic
profiling, insecurity, heating up of the polity, disunity become paramount in
the nation. In fact, social media are now potent platform for the spread of
propaganda, misinforming, disinforming and malinforming the unsuspecting
audience members. These are major
characteristics of the Nigerian society as it is currently constituted.
The above is what has made the
conventional media to continue to remain relevant. Because of the prevalence of
fake news, propaganda, misinformation, disinformation and malinformion on
social media, audience members always resort to the conventional media for
confirmation. It can be conclusively said that in the business of information
dissemination today, the conventional and new media complement each other.
