1.1 Introduction
The use of smartphone is gradually becoming a compelling learning tool used to enhance teaching and learning in distance education. Its usage ensures flexible course delivery, makes it possible for learners to access online learning platforms, access course resources and interact digitally. Journalism has always been an adapting profession. It has always been a stream which has progressed with technological succession. From newspaper to radio, radio to television to all the way adapting new media, journalism is giving its best effort to make it more efficient and viewers friendly. In this link mobile journalism is emerging all over the world. Now-a-days everyone wants to get the news as quickly as possible.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
The media industry is involved in a huge way after digitalization. The entry of computers, internet and mobile phones changed the way newsrooms worked and it also challenged the media planners and journalists both financial and workforce end. The smartphone has affected journalists at work, editors at newsroom and readers alike. From the perspective of Craig (2000), contemporary development in journalistic reporting related to innovation in technology inevitably attracts interest. This means that the rise of digital technology, the convergence of media into multi-media formats and the ubiquity of the internet are focal points for contemplations about recent changes in journalism and possible future direction.
According to Belmaker (2003), say with the introduction of smart-phone technology in news gathering, has been a good news for reporters today, saying that the advent of Smartphone has made it possible for them to do part of their job with nothing more than a phone. The bad news is, the practice of “mobile reporting” is still so much more in its infancy that there are limited resources and experts out there for guidance.
The smartphone in journalism changed the way news edited, disseminated and consumed. Mobile journalism in comparison to conventional methods has many advantages. As per Podger (2018) include affordability, portability, discretion, approachability, and the ease of access for beginners. In the iconic commentary on future of journalism with reference of mobile journalism Allissa Richardson, the National Association of Black Journalists’ 2012 Journalism Educator of the Year stated that “ Mobile journalism is an emerging form of new media storytelling where reporters use portable electronic devices with network connectivity to gather, edit and distribute news from his or her community” (2012).
There is no doubt in this day and age that we are greatly influenced by the media. This is why most researchers have taken up the mettle in understanding its functions, and the impact it makes in changing the matters pertaining to society, the least of which is that of public opinion. The technological advancements that the modern society is characterized with, makes individuals today to experience and do things in the most efficient and effective way. The world has changed since the introduction of the computer and other technological innovations such as the smart-phone, for which Time and Space barrier have long been overcome as the need for individuals to get connected.
The staggering effect of the new media (Smartphone) innovation in the social occasion and scattering of data among columnists consequently, have offered climb to an increment in expert and beginner news coverage. The media is not restricted to simply radio, print and TV alone; the web and advanced cell telephones have made an entire new stage for the social event and dispersal of news and data inside minutes. With online networking applications, for example, facebook, twitter, Youtube, Blogs, and Website, the world can be quickly mindful of any advancement. Cell phone makes utilization of features, sounds, and pictures, to spread data speedier than any daily paper, radio or TV house. Consideration is currently on the web reportage of news and occasions, implying that things are no more the same for customary manifestations of media in the realm of which Nigeria is not forgotten.
As of now, one of the best assets of the web is the informal communication Websites. Actually, their fame among youthful and old Nigerians has constrained media associations in the nation to make their vicinity felt on the web. This unmistakably clarifies why most daily papers and television media houses in the nation have on-line version accessible for on-line gathering of people. These media associations similarly utilize person to person communication destinations to compliment their sites. The point here is that, media associations use informal communication locales like facebook and Twitter to assemble furthermore advise on-line crowds of news and occasions. All these, plainly demonstrate how effective new media advances are and if successfully utilized will affects emphatically on journalistic news assembling and reporting.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Perceived Impact of Smartphones in News Gathering Process among Journalists.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that news media have ended up journalistic vocabulary and it appears sourcing data has overwhelmed self advancement as an essential social action. Columnists are becoming refined in their utilization of social networking, and are for example, utilizing an extraordinary mixed bag of devices to source news. A few writers are less positive about a portion of the ways online networking influences their journalistic exercises, their engagement with their group of onlookers, their profit and the nature of their work.
The usage of new media instruments in today’s universe of correspondence, particularly news coverage among writers can’t be over-looked. Since the landing of new media engineering, for example, the advanced mobile phone, it has surely changed the way columnists work furthermore how stories are created and spread. Online networking have had positive effects. However there are likewise worries about their effect on profit and antagonistic impact it could have on writers working examples. New media have made a reliance among those working in the media and a lot of people are not able to manage without them.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to ascertain the Perceived Impact of Smartphones in News Gathering Process among Journalists. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To find out the journalists’ perceived ease of use of a smartphone in news gathering activities.
- To determine the perceived usefulness of smartphone in journalism career achievement.
- To investigate the effect of the use of a smartphone in journalists’ news gathering activities.
- To investigate the factors that inhibit the use of a smartphone as an information gathering tool among journalists.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there any significant effects of the use of a smartphone in journalists’ news gathering activities?
- Does journalist perceived ease of use of a smartphone in news gathering activities?
- To what extent does journalist perceive the usefulness of smartphone in journalism career achievement?
- What are the factors inhibit the use of a smartphone as an information gathering tool among journalists?
