An evaluation of the impacts of campus journalism in nigerian polytechnics

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p>1.0 Introduction<br>Campus journalism is journalism carried out by students of tertiary institutions on subjects relating to campus, published in publications generally only intended for campus. Usually these publications are available free of charge to the public and run by students and a faculty adviser.<br>The Campus Press play a very role in representing the voice of the students, protecting the rights of the students and informing the students of happenings in and around their academic environments.<br>The ability to smell, dig out and stand for the truth through investigative journalism is a talent that must be developed and well refined, and Campus journalism provides the perfect environment for such professional training experience.<br>This research looks at the Influence of Campus Journalism in Nigeria Polytechnics, the challenges of the Students journalist, among other things</p><p>1.1 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM<br>Increasing number of students journalist have no real knowledge of what the real journalism is all about, hence they struggle a great deal to fit into the real world after they get out of school. Campus Journalism that should be a real adventure for students? journalist to get first-hand experience into what the real world of journalism entails have been pushed to the background and is hardly been accorded any recognition<br>The Importance of campus Journalism in not only been a check and balance for administration but also in serving as a good training ground for future journalist have been underplayed and ignored for too long. This research speaks to the institutions to wake the sleeping giant that is a vital tool in the stability, development and advancement of learning in any serious academic institution<br>1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:<br>This study is aimed at achieving the following purposes.<br>1. To find out the influence of Campus Journalism in Nigeria Polytechnics<br>2. To evaluate the ability of Nigeria Polytechnics Campus Journalist to produce news stories, public relations materials or media analyses that are clear, accurate, thorough, cogent and fair.<br>1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY<br>This work is limited to the influence of Campus journalism under the title ?the Influence of Campus Journalism on Polytechnics?, using the Ibarapa Polytechnic Eruwa as a study. Among other things this work will focus on are effectiveness and relevance of Campus journalism, the independence of Campus Journalism, the impact of Campus Journalism so far, and the future prospects of Campus Journalism.</p><p>1.4 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY<br>One of the most limitations of the study is the sample size, due to time and money, larger sample which might have yield more significance result could not be used.<br>1. The field of Campus Journalism in regards to Nigeria Polytechnics is yet to gain significant attention, hence literature materials on the subject matter are very rare.<br>2. Time: This work is to be finish within a limited time. More available time would have enable the researcher to do more findings.<br>3. Finance: Cash constrain especially under the current economical hardship posed a very great challenge to the researcher.<br>1.5 JUSTIFICATION<br>Just like the role of the press in society, the student press (or campus press) helps provide relevant information to students so that they could make informed decisions. There are so many issues confronting students. Campus journalists should help make sense of the reality not only by providing the data but also the analysis.<br>1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS<br>1. What are the core roles of Campus Journalism in higher institutions<br>2. In changing times like ours where several distractions abound, how can the student press disseminate information effectively?<br>3. Do today student journalists still possess the courage to fight for the truth? Or are they easily manipulated by their environment?<br>1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH<br>The vital role campus journalism plays have been overlooked and down played for too long. The roles of check and balance that Campus Journalism plays have been left void for too long. The Campus Journalist represents the voice of the students and the power of the student?s community. Without real functional and independent campus journalism in our institutions, students would lose a vital representative and guiding instrument in ensuring their voices are been heard. Unfortunately most tertiary institutions administrations in Nigeria have succeeded in silencing the Campus Journalism, giving it a status of irrelevance and a waste of time. Just as the three arms of government is necessary to create a balance in a democratic government, so is Campus Journalism important to create a balance in the administration of an academic institution.<br>1.8 DEFINITION OF BASIC TERMS<br>Student Journalist: Journalism done by students<br>Tip: Information passed to a reporter, often in confidence.<br>Verification: Determination of the truth of the material the reporter gathers or is given.<br>Assignment: Instruction to a reporter to cover an event.<br>Attribution: Designation of the person being quoted. Also, the source of information in a story.<br>Banner: Headline across or near the top of all or most of a newspaper page. Also called a line, ribbon, streamer, screamer.<br>Beat: Area assigned to a reporter for regular coverage. Also, an exclusive story.<br>Correspondent: Reporter who sends news from outside a newspaper office.<br>Crony Journalism: Reporting that ignores or treats lightly negative news about friends of a reporter.<br>Rowback: A story that attempts to correct a previous story without indicating that the prior story had been in error or without taking responsibility for the error.<br>Source: Person, record, document or event that provides the information for the story.<br>Off-the-Record<br>Describes material offered the reporter in confidence. If the reporter accepts the material with this understanding, it cannot be used except as general background in a later story.</p><p>1.5 JUSTIFICATION<br>Just like the role of the press in society, the student press (or campus press) helps provide relevant information to students so that they could make informed decisions. There are so many issues confronting students. Campus journalists should help make sense of the reality not only by providing the data but also the analysis.<br>To borrow a mathematical equation, INFORMATION = DATA + ANALYSIS; where the term DATA refers to ?observable reality? and the term ANALYSIS refers to the framework used in making sense of what one observes through any one or a combination of his or her five senses.<br>1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS<br>1. What are the core roles of Campus Journalism in higher institutions<br>2. In changing times like ours where several distractions abound, how can the student press disseminate information effectively?<br>3. A handful of factors surrounding the student press might influence them not to disclose the truth. Do today student journalists still possess the courage to fight for the truth? Or are they easily manipulated by their environment?<br>4. To become a catalyst of change, what are the characteristic or the characteristics a student journalist must possess?<br>5. Student journalists are considered ?torch bearers? of their school community. In what way can an aspiring student journalist become real ?torch bearers? by correctly distinguishing ?truth? from those that might disguise as ?truth??<br>1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH<br>The vital role campus journalism plays have been overlooked and down played for too long. The roles of check and balance that Campus Journalism plays have been left void for too long. The Campus Journalist represents the voice of the students and the power of the student?s community. Without real functional and independent campus journalism in our institutions, students would lose a vital representative and guiding instrument in ensuring their voices are been heard. Unfortunately most tertiary institutions administrations in Nigeria have succeeded in silencing the Campus Journalism, giving it a status of irrelevance and a waste of time. Just as the three arms of government is necessary to create a balance in a democratic government, so is Campus Journalism important to create a balance in the administration of an academic institution.<br>1.8 DEFINITION OF BASIC TERMS<br>Student Journalist: Journalism done by students<br>Tip: Information passed to a reporter, often in confidence.<br>Verification: Determination of the truth of the material the reporter gathers or is given.<br>Assignment: Instruction to a reporter to cover an event.<br>Attribution: Designation of the person being quoted. Also, the source of information in a story.<br>Banner: Headline across or near the top of all or most of a newspaper page. Also called a line, ribbon, streamer, screamer.<br>Beat: Area assigned to a reporter for regular coverage. Also, an exclusive story.<br>Correspondent: Reporter who sends news from outside a newspaper office.<br>Crony Journalism: Reporting that ignores or treats lightly negative news about friends of a reporter.<br>Off-the-Record<br>Describes material offered the reporter in confidence. If the reporter accepts the material with this understanding, it cannot be used except as general background in a later story.</p> <br><p></p>