Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism

Effects of Non-Professionalism in Nigeria Journalism

Abstract

Felix Olajide Talabi and Benjamin Kayode Ogundeji

For a very long time, Nigerian scholars in various fields of endeavours, professionals and practitioners have argued on the trade journalism. This issue bothers on the fact that every dicks and harry dabbles into this profession either to make ends meet, practice it for political ambition or easily pick it up at the time of “employment recession”. Journalism as a profession especially in Nigeria has been hijacked by quacks or subtly put, people from other professional careers such as Philosophy, English, Psychology and obnoxiously from natural sciences at the detriment of this noble profession. It is in view of this that this research seeks to elucidate the implications and activities of non-professionalism in news reportage. The Nigerian press today is being accused of conducting or engaging in non-professional activities and this has been the bane of journalism in Nigeria. At the inception of the return of power to democratic rule, professionals in all fields stormed Abuja (FCT) to demand for special salary scale but when it was the turn of journalists the then Minister of Information Jerry Gana declared loud and clear that Nigeria journalists were not professionals. Subsequent attempts to redeem the image of Nigerian journalists have hit the rock. In light of this, it has been the concern of academia in the field of mass communication as well as the professionals in the field of journalism to finding a lasting solution to this lingering issue. So, relevant suggestions are needed to help journalists develop a sense of professionalism. This is a situation set to be resolved in this work. The paper recommends among other things that the regulatory bodies; (NUJ), (NGE), (NPAN) and other regulatory bodies should enforce the code of ethical conduct and get rid of quacks in the profession. It pushes further that proper marriage between formal education and years of experience along necessary training should form basis for entrance into the profession.