Taraba State University Journal of Communication and Media studies
A Publication of the Department of Mass Communication, Taraba State University, Jalingo.
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A Publication of the Department of Mass Communication, Taraba State University, Jalingo
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Welcome to the Journal of Communication and Media Studies, a leading platform dedicated to advancing research, dialogue, and innovation in the fields of communication and media. Our journal is committed to fostering academic and professional discourse that bridges theory, practice, and the evolving digital landscape..
Abstract:This study examines the perceptions of broadcast media professionals in Anambra State, Nigeria, regarding the ethical challenges arising from the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study employed in-depth interviews to collect data from ten purposively selected practitioners drawn from television and radio broadcasting organisations. The findings indicate that while broadcast journalists demonstrate substantial awareness of AI’s expanding role in broadcast journalism, they also express concerns about several ethical risks, including misinformation, algorithmic bias, creative disruption of professional roles, editorial over-reliance on automated systems, lack of transparency, and the persistence of a digital divide. Participants contend that these challenges constrain the responsible and effective utilisation of AI technologies in broadcast practice. The study therefore recommends the development and enforcement of context-specific ethical guidelines, targeted AI literacy training for journalists, strengthened editorial oversight of AI-assisted content, routine auditing of AI systems to mitigate bias, and the promotion of inclusive access to AI tools to support equitable adoption across regions.
Abstract:Despite the growing availability of AI-driven health applications globally, little is known about awareness, attitudes, and practical utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for managing ovarian cysts among women in semi-urban communities of Nigeria. This study investigates these dimensions among women in Nsukka Local Government Area, Nigeria, guided by the Technological Determinism Theory. A quantitative survey of 120 purposively sampled women aged 25–45 years was conducted using a structured questionnaire. Findings reveal moderate awareness of AI in general health management but limited familiarity with AI platforms specific to ovarian cyst self-management. Attitudinal responses were largely positive, reflecting confidence in AI’s ability to provide timely, personalized, and reliable support, though participants expressed caution in sharing personal health data due to privacy concerns. Despite this awareness and favorable attitudes, actual utilization of AI tools was very low across all indicators, including symptom monitoring, health data tracking, and interactions with AI chatbots. The study underscores the need for culturally sensitive AI interventions, digital literacy programs, and trust-building measures, offering context-specific evidence to enhance reproductive health self-management in low-resource Nigerian communities.
Abstract:Nigeria’s media have been criticised for ethical lapses in reporting insecurity, which often amplify fear, social polarisation, and public misunderstanding. This study examines the prevalence and nature of ethical issues in conventional Nigerian media reportage of Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency, farmer–herder conflicts, banditry, and kidnapping. The study adopted a systematic literature review approach, with 23 studies published between 2017 and 2025 carefully selected from a pool of 205 accessed via Google Scholar. Findings reveal recurring ethical concerns, including episodic reporting, sensationalism, source imbalance, stereotyping, political economy pressures, and the marginalisation of peace- and solutions-oriented journalism. Media narratives frequently prioritise immediacy and elite perspectives while neglecting contextual analysis, victims’ voices, and constructive conflict resolution. The study concludes that ethical shortcomings in insecurity reporting reflect systemic structural pressures as much as individual journalistic practices. By documenting these patterns, it contributes to understanding how media shape public perception and societal tensions. Implications include the need for regulatory frameworks that reinforce ethical standards, capacity-building for journalists, and the promotion of peace- and solutions-focused reporting to enhance the media’s role in mitigating insecurity and supporting national stability.
Abstract:Women’s political engagement in Nigeria has always been an issue of debate over the years. This is why the mass media, particularly television, has been at the forefront in engendering women’s political engagement, including the right to vote and be voted for. This study was aimed at ascertaining the level of exposure, influence, and political engagement resulting from exposure to Politics Today. It also examined how the programme has influenced women’s involvement in politics and the factors affecting that influence. Cultivation theory was used to provide a framework for understanding how women actively seek and use media content to satisfy specific political information needs and how such content motivates participation. A survey research design was adopted for this study, with a sample of 384 respondents drawn from the female population of Kogi State. Multistage sampling was employed in selecting respondents from the three senatorial districts. A structured questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection, and the data collected were analysed using tables and percentages for demographic data, as well as mean averages with standard deviations. Findings from the study revealed a high level of exposure to Politics Today among women in Kogi State, while the programme has positively influenced women’s political knowledge and interests. It was therefore recommended that television stations should produce more gender-inclusive political programmes and that policymakers should collaborate with the media to encourage women’s political participation across Nigeria.
Abstract:Ethno-religious conflict remains a recurring challenge in Plateau State, Nigeria, raising critical questions about the extent to which journalism practices contribute to conflict escalation or peace-building. Drawing on peace journalism framework, this study investigates residents’ perceptions of how Nigerian media apply peace-oriented reporting principles in covering ethno-religious conflict in Plateau State. Using a quantitative descriptive survey design, data were collected from 384 residents through stratified and purposive sampling to ensure representation across key socio-demographic groups. A structured questionnaire assessed four dimensions of peace journalism: prioritisation of conflict root causes, humanisation of parties, amplification of non-elite voices, and coverage of peace initiatives. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and paired-sample t-tests. The findings indicate an uneven application of peace journalism principles. Media coverage moderately emphasises historical context, governance-related explanations, and institutional peace initiatives, reflecting a tendency towards structural and solution-oriented narratives. However, the humanisation of conflict actors and the inclusion of non-elite voices particularly those of ordinary residents and grassroots actors remain comparatively limited. Paired t-test results reveal that reporting on root causes and peace initiatives is significantly prioritised over humanisation and non-elite perspectives, while no significant difference exists between the latter two dimensions, suggesting their shared marginalisation in conflict coverage. The findings underscore the need for more empathetic, inclusive, and community-centred reporting to strengthen journalism’s peace-building role in deeply divided contexts.
Abstract:Plastic waste proliferation has emerged as a persistent environmental challenge in Nigeria, and in particular Anambra State, despite government communication campaign efforts to control the menace. This situation raises concerns about the effectiveness of communication interventions aimed at promoting sustainable waste management behaviours among residents. This study examined government communication strategies in creating awareness and influencing the adoption of plastic waste control practices among residents of Anambra State, Nigeria. Anchored on Persuasive Communication Theory, the study adopted a quantitative survey design, with residents across the state constituting the target population. Data were collected from a sample of 389 respondents using a structured questionnaire and analysed through descriptive statistical techniques. The findings indicate that residents’ exposure to government communication messages on plastic waste control is largely intermittent, with mass and digital media particularly social media, radio, and billboards emerging as the dominant channels of message dissemination. Although the communication strategies were generally perceived as moderately effective in raising awareness, this awareness did not translate into widespread adoption of positive plastic waste control practices, as non-compliance remained prevalent across most behavioural indicators. The results suggest a disconnect between message exposure and behavioural outcomes, pointing to limitations in the persuasive strength, contextual relevance, and integration of existing communication channels. The study therefore underscores the need for more strategically coordinated, audience-centred, and context-sensitive communication approaches that integrate credible interpersonal channels with mass media to enhance plastic waste control practices and environmental sustainability in Anambra State.
Abstract:Media coverage of ethno-communal conflicts in Nigeria is often criticised for escalating tensions rather than supporting peace-building, yet systematic evidence from the Tiv–Jukun conflict remains limited despite its recurrence. This study addresses this gap by analysing newspaper coverage of the 2019 Jukun–Tiv conflict in Taraba State. Guided by Framing Theory, the study examined how selected Nigerian newspapers reported the 2019 Tiv–Jukun communal conflict. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 1,305 weekday editions of Daily Trust, Vanguard, and Taraba Truth and Fact published between September 2019 and April 2020. A structured coding scheme was used to analyse frames, tone and language, and patterns of bias, with inter-coder reliability established through percentage agreement. The findings reveal a dominance of conflict-centred frames emphasising violence, casualties, and ethnic confrontation, accompanied by emotive and sensational language. Limited instances of balanced and peace-oriented reporting were identified, mainly in the local newspaper. The findings suggest that prevailing reporting practices constrain the media’s peace-building role by reinforcing polarised narratives. The study recommends greater use of peace-oriented frames, neutral and context-rich language, and stricter editorial guidelines to promote conflict-sensitive journalism in divided societies.
Abstract:The increasing spread of misinformation has heightened the need for effective fact-checking mechanisms in journalism, particularly in regions marked by political complexity, ethnic diversity, and infrastructural constraints. This study examined the uses and challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a fact-checking tool among journalists in North-Central Nigeria. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study adopted a qualitative approach, employing in-depth interviews with seven experienced media practitioners drawn from the six states in the region and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Data were analysed thematically. The findings indicate that AI tools offer potential benefits for enhancing journalistic accuracy, speed, and efficiency in verification processes. However, their adoption is significantly constrained by linguistic diversity, cultural nuances that challenge algorithmic interpretation, limited internet connectivity, inadequate technological infrastructure, high costs, and unresolved ethical concerns. These factors collectively shape journalists’ cautious and selective use of AI in fact-checking practices. The study concludes that, while AI holds considerable promise for strengthening fact-checking in North-Central Nigeria, its effective integration remains contingent upon addressing contextual and structural barriers. It recommends sustained capacity-building for journalists, improved digital infrastructure, collaborative development of affordable and localised AI solutions, and the establishment of clear ethical guidelines to ensure that AI complements rather than supplants human journalistic judgement.
Abstract:This study explores the challenges journalists face when using social media to seek and share information for public interest reporting, and how demographic and organisational variables influence these practices. Guided by the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory, it examines the interplay between individual motivation and institutional adaptation in digital journalism. Using a qualitative design, data were gathered through focus group discussions with twelve purposively selected journalists from Plateau State, Benue State, and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. Thematic analysis revealed recurring challenges such as exposure to misinformation and disinformation, algorithmic bias, verification pressures, infrastructural limitations, restrictive editorial policies, online harassment, and inadequate institutional support. The study further found that demographic factors, including age, experience, and organisational culture, significantly shape journalists’ social media engagement patterns. It concludes that Nigeria’s digitally stratified newsroom environment presents opportunities for innovation but remains constrained by ethical and systemic barriers. The study recommends continuous digital literacy training, stronger institutional support, and responsive policy frameworks. Its implications are both theoretical, in extending understanding of journalists’ digital motivations, and practical, in guiding media organisations towards adaptive and accountable social media practices.
Abstract:The persistently low adoption of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices in Zaria highlights a critical communication gap, raising concerns about how extension strategies influence farmers’ awareness, trust, and uptake of innovations under climate change. This study, conducted in Zaria, Kaduna State, focused on registered smallholder maize farmers under the Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency (KADA). A descriptive survey design was employed, with 500 respondents selected through multi-stage sampling. Data were gathered using structured questionnaires and key informant interviews (KIIs) with extension officers, and instrument reliability was confirmed (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.82). Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory (2003). The findings revealed that the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among smallholder maize farmers in Zaria LGA is influenced by gender, age, education, experience, and farm size, highlighting the need for inclusive and tailored extension strategies that engage both men and women. The study also revealed that a multi-channel extension strategy combining interpersonal visits, group engagements, and mass-media tools effectively promotes adoption, with interactive methods needed to address limitations such as low digital literacy and network constraints. The study concludes that the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among smallholder maize farmers in Zaria LGA is shaped by demographic factors and extension strategies, underscoring the need for inclusive, multi-channel, and participatory approaches that integrate interpersonal, group-based, and mass-media methods to build trust, enhance learning, and overcome barriers such as low digital literacy and network limitations. The study recommends adopting a multi-channel extension approach that combines interpersonal visits, group-based engagements, and mass-media or digital tools, while ensuring interactive and participatory methods to build trust, facilitate peer learning, and address barriers such as low digital literacy and network constraints.