NEW MEDIA AND MEDIATISATIONS: WHITHER NIGERIAN STUDENTS
1Izuogu, Kingsley Chukwuemeka; 2Okpara Onyekwere & 3Ubani, Emenike Ikedichi
1Department of Mass Communication, Abia State University, Uturu Nigeria
2Division of General Studies, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba
3Department of Mass Communication, Abia State University, Uturu Nigeria
Email: reverendizuogu@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Frankly speaking, everything in life has got its own time and season. Today, we live in the time and season of the new media which has apparently altered the conventional modes of human communication. With their inherent interactive and inter-connective attributes, the new media have condensed the communication process to a more democratic and participatory dialogue. Obviously, the new media have not only bridged the communication gap between content-creators and content-consumers, but have also introduced other media practices that seem to offer endless possibilities in the communication world. In view of the fact that every technological breakthrough comes with inherent good and bad aspects; it becomes pertinent to x-ray the use of the new media among Nigerian undergraduate students. In other words, this research is intended to investigate how Nigerian students use the new media and how much time they spend on such media sites. The study adopted the survey method of research, wherein the questionnaire was used as an instrument to explore the gratifications which undergraduate students of Abia State University Uturu and University of Nigeria Nsukka seek from the new media, and how such gratifications rob off on their academic performance.
Keywords: Citizen Journalism, New Media, Tertiary Education, Productive Learning, Nigerian Universities
