Evaluation of Adherence of Journalists on the Codes of Journalism Practice.
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this work is to Evaluation of Adherence of Journalists on the Codes of Journalism Practice in Enugu State. Social responsibility and Socialization theories served as the theoretical framework of the study. A census of 210 registered journalists in Enugu State was studied.
The researcher adopted a survey method using questionnaires as an instrument for data collection. This study asked among other questions; to what extent do the practice of Enugu based journalists correspond with the Nigerian code for professional journalism practice in Nigeria.
The findings of the study revealed that 54.8% is the awareness, and the knowledge level was not quite above the average level and all of the Nigerian codes for professional journalism were adhered to expect that of the code for Discrimination.
It was recommended that journalists should consider discrimination (balance and fairness) as one of the key codes for the journalism profession and adhere to it.
INTRODUCTION
Over the years, professional journalism practice has attracted different debates from different quarters on what true professionalism should be. Nolan (2008) notes that the debate about professionalism in journalism practice may appear rather bewildering but it has remained the central issue of debate within and outside the academia.
The debate itself rests on the series of contradictory problems and different assumptions about professionalism in journalism practice. The difference in assumption on the issue of professionalism may not be unconnected to the fact that journalism practice houses both trained and untrained personnel’s’.
In the words of Wilson (2011), journalism as widely practiced profession in the modern world has attracted both trained and untrained hands, which mingle at the task of reporting events in the society. For this singular reason Wilson noted that the journalism profession has fallen into doubts of its authenticity as a profession
In regards to the fallen authenticity of the journalism profession in the views of the public eye, Boyd-Barrett (2010) argues that this shortcoming in journalism “could weaken the possibility of public recognition of the occupation as a profession, or indeed as an occupation of high status.
A recent survey of radio journalist working in the two radio stations in Enugu Nigeria shows that only 25% of the journalists possessed degrees or diplomas in Journalism/Mass Communication at initial employment. The practice of professional journalism has been shaped and reshaped, interpreted and misinterpreted, defined and explained by many.
As a result of the diversity in the practice of journalism in Nigeria, professionalism in journalism has been affected to a very large extent, and as such, journalism practice in Nigeria has raised a lot of questions as to the proprietary of referring to it as a profession.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Professional journalism practice in Nigeria seems to be the problem in Nigeria today. It is no longer news that our journalists are continuously been criticized for lack of professionalism in our society today.
In as much as the criticism may be wrong, some internal and external factors, such as financial problems, influence of media ownership, political instability, the rapid advancement of technology in the world, bribery(brown envelope syndrome), illiteracy level and inadequate job security Pose as big threats and challenges to the practice of professional journalism practice and further complicates the issue.
Not only has the afore mentioned factors posed as a threat to journalism, but studies (Adaja, 2012: Oso, 2012) have shown that the absence of a prescribed qualified test has made it difficult to moderate the standard of journalism practice in Nigeria.
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StudentsandScholarship Team.
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