CHAPTER ONE  
INTRODUCTION  
1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The main aim of this project is to discuss about the impact of the internet on journalism to the citizenry, is also going to deal with the effective performance of the internet- as a medium of disseminating and gathering of news. It is important as imperative to state out clearly under this introduction how the internet has been able to play an impact or touch the lives of journalist and individuals as a whole. The project work will include the historical background of the punch newspaper and the duties it has performed to carry along the people of Nigeria.   It is possible for all sundry to under rate the performance of the intent, because it informs the citizens of the happening (event) around and outside their metropolis, be it political, economic and social functions, internet can not be set outside. Government, individual even business men cannot do without the existence of internet due to its widely spread medium of communication, which emerged in the 1990, government use internet to furnish the citizens with the latest development in the state, while business men also employed the internet services to advertise and form the article of production to their prospective buyers.

 

The internet has an impact on every aspect of journalism. The internet has emerged as a medium of publication, a new tool for reporting and a new focus for journalism education. Moreover the internet has raised new question about the social responsibilities of journalism to inform the public as well as the ethical practice of journalism. Finally the internet is an international medium consequently, it is impact has been felt around the globe. The explosive rate at which the internet has penetrated every aspect of journalism has made it an endless topic of speculation, and debate among journalists, scholars, and the general public. But since it is so new, there has been little time for systematic study and analysis.  

The internet has placed a very vital role in every aspect of journalism. Because it has been a medium of publication in terms of news reporting and direction for journalism education. It has also been used to find out new facts about the social and economic responsibilities of journalists, in the aspect of ethical practice of journalism. This has made the internet to be felt all over the world, because of the wide spread impact on people. This impact has contributed a lot to the printing organization in terms of gathering and sourcing for vital useful information needed by the printing and mass media organization, in order to have accurate facts in their news stories before publication. This will bring about the impact of the internet on the punch news paper, because this news paper has really affect the lives of individuals, government and even business men and women who can not do without the news paper in order to get factual information on things of event happening around and far countries in the world.   

 

The Punch news paper started with the Sunday Punch on 28th March, 1973 in Lagos, about three years after the coming of the Sunday Punch, and the daily publication of the Punch news paper joined on 1st November 1976. The brain child of this print media organization is Chief Olu Aboderin. From the day this news paper joined the chain of other existing news paper in Nigeria, it has been making waves; Infact, everyone knows that this news paper is a frontline paper. Since then it has grown from strength to strength despite administration tendency of successive military government in Nigeria. Today Punch ia an example of a typical radical news paper. The punch news paper joined the online news paper by opening a website in the year 2003, and since then people living in other countries have been able to visit their website. From the public as well as the ethical practice of journalism. 

 

Finally, the internet is an international medium. Consequently, its impact has been felt around the globe The explosive rate at which the internet has penetrated every aspect of journalism has made it an endless topic of speculation and debate among journalists, scholars and the general public. But since it is so new, there has been little time for systematic study and analysis. The brainchild of this print media organization is Chief Olu Aboderin, He started with the Sunday Punch on 28th March, 1973 in Lagos about three years after coming of Sunday Punch, the daily publication of the Punch joined on 1 November, 1976.   From the day this paper joined the chains of other existing news paper in Nigeria, it has been making waves, infact, everyone knows that Punch news paper s are frontline papers. Since then, it has grown from strength despite administration tendency of successive Military Government in Nigeria. Today, Punch is an example of a typical radical paper. ‘ The Punch news paper joined the online news paper by opening a ‘website in ‘ the year two-thousand and three (2003), and since then people living in other countries have been able to visit their website. The Punch news paper is classified in journalism as the serious press, before it was known under the popular press.   The Punch rows paper has the ideal department in a news paper house. These are:
a.          The editorial Department  
b.          The Mechanical/ Production Department.  
c.          The Commercial/Marketing Department.  
d.          The Administration/Personnel Department.
They have also included one department which emerged as a result of advancement in technology, and this department is called the Computer Operations/ Internet Department. The department does all the internet jobs. They build website for the organization, publish the news paper and animating the electronic newspaper. They are skilled who are advancing with the new technology. Receive information for journalist and they also gather foreign website.  
1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM  
This research work is form by this innovation in practice of journalism especially the introduction of maternity in segment in almost every programme being aired on public and private newspaper. The consequence of having a wrong choice of audience is better imagined. This would only make journalism have a negative feedback since there are some audience to participate to discussions that are not meant for them. There is no controversy that radio and television stations are out to perform the basic role of informing, entertaining and educating the target audience. However, the lure including journalism in segment in most of the programmes is capable of rendering them.   The excessive journalism in segment is equally seen as an escapist approach of getting the people to participate in programmes even when they were not adequately informed of such. The researcher has put into writing the way by which all sort of problems confronting the internet service in Nigeria can be put under control. The idea that is suggested as a possible way of explaining that particular condition will be helpful.  
1.3       RESEARCH QUESTIONS  
1.         To what extent do Nigerian Journalists have the requisite skill for online journalism?  
2.         Does online journalism have negative effect(s) on newspaper/magazine circulation?  
3.         Is it true that online journalism is the fastest means of disseminating information?  
4.         Does online journalism have an advantage on news gathering?          
1.4       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY  
The purpose of this study is to inform Nigerians, journalism   at large, the usefulness and importance of internet service to their organizations and its impact perhaps negative or positive.   The purpose of this study is to know explicit about the paramount functions expected of the internet service in Nigeria on political status, Economic growth of the nation and social activities.   It shall also discuss how the press had managed to work successfully under this medium without going against the code of conduct that institutionalized the corporation; also the researcher want the people to know the effect it has on the citizens.  

1.5       SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY  
Certainly, the study is significant because it will help the   audience, ultimately, the news consumption to understand the difficulties online journalist are facing in disseminating unseating news story. This can arouse the audience interest in correcting the government of the day to give press freedom of reporting news story on the internet.      

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY  
This project will corner the problems facing journalism as a result of the internet service, what are the problems faced by journalists? The functions of the internet medium, possible remedies to the problems they will face or are facing. Also, the impact of internet service to the people at local areas of Nigeria.  

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY  
This project will study limited number of factors which can make people at local level know or see what is exactly going on within and outside their metropolis in time.   These numbers of problems may include time factor, financial refusal of some people to respond to some questions asked and other factor 4rt from the natural limitations that could constitute stumbling blocks to every research Endeavour, this work has been affected by the poor reception of the chosen station. For quite deal of time, signals emoting from the station had been weak, making the monitoring process a frustrating task. The only option left is to travel down to the home base of the broadcasting station and which is also fought with some constraints. This is as a result of hike in the prices of fuel making transport fare higher.

 

Another seeming constraints lies in the too many breaks in the transmission of some of the programmes as a result of lack of sponsors and more often than not, the broadcast station have had causes to close down transmission, reschedule programmes or even cancel them due to power failure. The internet services report news or event in details as does it also gives the audience and in-depth reporting of news. This gives listeners and viewers a sense of being present at the event.

Tags:   THE IMPACT OF INTERNET ON THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY   INTERNET   NIGERIAN SOCIETY