ABSTRACT:
The practice of journalism is very risky in every part of the world today. In Nigeria journalists suffer different types of abuse in the course of carrying out their duties, these abuses range from, unlawful arrest and grueling interrogation during detention, imprisonment, assassination, harassment, rape, maiming and other forms of physical and emotional abuse. Objectives of the study were to measure the perception of students of the risks and dangers inherent in the practice of professional journalists, suggest ways through which government can make the work of journalist safer. The goals of this study were to answer questions on; what extent is journalism a risky profession and why do graduates of mass communication prefer to go into advertising and public relations. The theoretical framework used for this study was the psychometric paradigm which assumes that risks are subjectively defined by individuals who may be influenced by a wide array of psychological, social, institutional and cultural factors. The research design adopted for this study was the survey method. The population used for the study was students of Mass Communication Department, University Of Jos. The sampling technique used for this study was the simple random sampling in order to maintain validity and reliability. A sample of 150 was selected and instrument the instrument used for gathering data in this study was the questionnaire. The result of this study showed generally that students’ perception of the risk factors and dangers inherent in the work of professional journalists is not favorable among students of mass communication in the University of Jos and this perception has influenced their choice of areas of specialization in favour of advertising and public relations against professional journalism. The federal government should set up an agency through the ministry of information and communications specifically to tackle the issue of risks and dangers involved in the work of professional journalists. Journalists should always prepare a security assessment in advance of a potentially dangerous assignment. Remuneration of journalists should be given utmost priority. Government should bring perpetrators of acts of impunity against journalists to book so as to serve as deterrent to others.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Approval page - - - - - - - - - - i
Dedication - - - - - - - - - - ii
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - iii
Abstract - - - - - - - - - - v
Table of content - - - - - - - - - vi
List of tables - - - - - - - - - - ix
List of figures - - - - - - - - - - x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY - - - - - - 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM- - - - - - 4
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY- - - - - - - 5
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS - - - - - - - 5
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY- - - - - - 5
1.6 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK - - - - - - 6
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION - - - - - - - - 8
2.2 JOURNALISM IN NIGERIA- - - - - - - 10
2.3 JOURNALISM AND THE RISK FACTORS - - - - 12
2.4 HEALTH ISSUES IN JOURNALISM REPORTING - - - 16
2.5 PREFERENCE FOR ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OVER
JOURNALISM - - - - - - - - 19
2.6 THE GOVERNMENT AND A RISK-FREE JOURNALISM PRACTICE
IN NIGERIA - - - - - - - - - 19
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION - - - - - - - - 24
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN - - - - - - - 25
3.3 AREA OF STUDY - - - - - - - - 25
3.4 RESEARCH POPULATION - - - - - - - 25
3.5 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE - - - - - - - 26
3.6 SAMPLE SIZE - - - - - - - - 26
3.7 INSTRUMENT OF DATA ANALYSIS - - - - - 26
3.8 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS - - - - - - 27
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, PRSENTATION AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 INTRODUCTION - - - - - - - - 28
4.2 DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS - - - 28
4.3 MAJOR FINDINGS - - - - - - - - 34
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 SUMMARY - - - - - - - - - 36
5.2 LIMITATIONS - - - - - - - - 38
5.3 CONCLUSION - - - - - - - - 38
5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS - - - - - - - 39
BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - - - - - - - 41
APPENDIX 1- - - - - - - - 44
APPENDIX 2 - - - - - - - - - - 48
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Sex Distribution - - - - - - - - 29
Table 2: Age distribution of Respondents - - - - - - 29
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The extent of risk and danger in journalism as a profession. - - 29
Figure 2: How government can make the work of journalists safer? - - 32
Figure 3: Why graduates of mass communication now prefer
to go into advertising and public relations - - - - 33
