Online Journalism:The Transformation,The Thrills,The Challenges
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Some Mass Communication scholars defined Journalism as the process of gathering, verifying, analyzing and presenting news and information to the public,while the Oxford English Dictionary defined it as the activity or profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, or news websites or preparing news to be broadcast.
All the above definitions have captured the meaning and essence of Journalism practice in Nigeria, where the trade is now undergoing a huge transformation through the Online mechanism.
Online journalism, also known as Digital journalism, is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet, as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast.
After decades of “Analogue” Journalism practice using Tape Recorders,Uher Machines,Reel-To-Reel Machines,VHS Cameras and Transmitters in broadcast media, Lithographic Machines, manual Layout and Design as well as Printing Machines accompanied by Ink and Newsprints, Distribution Vans,among other materials in the print media,a new system known as Online Journalism is now taking over the industry,and very fast indeed.
Online Journalism is now transforming the sector with news reports in texts, sound and pictures being published in digital speed via the Internet, circulating news and information worldwide, within seconds.
The practitioners-reporters,editors and other personnel involved in news gathering, production and distribution are now thrilled to have found the new mechanism that has made their jobs less stressful and cost effective.
They are now able to beat deadlines as they deliver the News as and when due, to the delight of their readers,listeners and viewers, courtesy of the Online device.
This is a departure from the “Lugardian” past when news producers went through a lot of rigours to turn out copies in sounds, pictures and print to their diverse audiences whom have waited for hours or even days for the Newsbreak.
The Online mechanism is even more thrilling and beneficial to Reporters in the field whom are traumatized by routine deadlines to send their copies to the Desk for processing and publishing.
Unlike before when they had to use Telephones,Fax Machines,Telex Machines or DTS Machines to transmit their copies to the Headquarters, most Reporters now use their Android phones to send the materials complete with audio and pictures via the internet.
This has saved them the trauma of calls from their waiting Editors asking them to send their stories so as to do the needful.It has also saved them from the embarrassment of newsmakers who often demand results.
The development has also made news and information dissemination faster, helping to enhance growth and development in our socio-economic and political lives.
Again,it has helped to further grow the industry by attracting more people to join the Journalism Profession arguably more than any other trade in the country.
But Online Journalism has come with its own challenges, problems and even nuisances.Part of the problems is the proliferation of Online media platforms across the country with countless number of them plotted by Quacks and/or people who have no business being in Journalism.
Such mushroom Online platforms usually don’t have Mission or Vision in the industry,in the first place,but they indulge in publishing copies that are deficient in grammar, style and focus,and some of the sources questionable.
The situation has degenerated to a level where some of such platforms would publish fake news that go viral across the country causing embarrassment and nuisance to the profession and to genuine practitioners.
And the reading public is largely gullible not to differentiate between credible Online platforms and the noncredible ones, consuming news and information emanating from any and all of them.
The industry regulators including the Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ),The Nigerian Guild of Editors(NGE) and the Nigeria Press Council(NPC) should wade in to sanitize the process of establishing Online platforms and their operations.
They should step up measures to ensure that only trained Journalists operate online media platforms and monitor their contents so as to check the recurring incidences of fake news and other professional misconducts.
On their part,the deficient practitioners in the industry should subject themselves to training and retraining, mentoring and the dictates of the profession to enable them to do justice to both the contents they churn out and their diverse audiences.
Journalism is too noble a profession to be allowed to be continuously polluted by green horns,quacks and intruders.