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ACCESSING THE IMPLICATION OF HAZARD FACING JOURNALIST PRACTICE IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Media hazards is one of the major issues in journalism but attracted less attention in the last few decades especially now that democracy is waxing stronger in Nigeria making it appears as if there were no hazard any more. The focus of this research is to examine the hazards (i.e. problems) facing journalism practice in Nigeria particularly in among journalists in Abuja. Media practitioners and media owners face different challenges at one time or the other in the cause of carrying out their official duties and few of such is killing, kidnapping, threaten, accident, embarrassment, humiliation among others. Survey research method was used, of which 100 copies of questionnaires were administered to respondents who were purposively selected among journalists in NUJ chapel in Abuja. Findings shown that killing, threaten and kidnapping are the major hazards to journalism practices in Nigeria in general. It is therefore recommended that further studies on this research, should be extended to the problems and prospects of journalism and the role of broadcast media in preventing media hazards while regular training be organized for the member of the fourth estate of the realm in Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The press is a moulder of the society. Although this fact has been lashed with numerous criticisms, we cannot deny the fact that the press shapes the society. Most journalists are aware of this, so they are determined, even to the extent of sacrificing their lives, to give the society what it desires and what it needs. The reporter who is scampering to meet a politician who has just alighted from an airplane; the reporter who is on a wired boat sailing into a remote mangrove to find out the extent of damage flood has wrecked in an area is trying to satisfy the society by informing the members of the society on what is happening around them. The function of news gathering and news dissemination has not been a rosy one for the journalists, from the inception of journalism and newspaper publication in Nigeria.

There has been a cat and mouse relationship between the press, society, organisation, politician and the governments of all ages, whether military or civilian, except when the press allows itself to be cajoled, used and manipulated by the government or personal interest of the so called ‘big power” to suit its whims and caprices. However, Wainwright (1992) describes journalism as day-to-day operation of gathering and transmitting new. Therefore, journalism is the sharing of information and ideas using a suitable channel of communication. Longman Dictionary (7th edition) see journalism as the collection and editing of materials of current interest for presentation through the news media.

In a nutshell, is the act of looking for new event and edit the unwanted part before it is served to the public who are the final consumers. The journalists are those that practices journalism in Nigeria and other countries, the journalists are always in