Deploying Digital Media as Innovations in Marketing Government Policies and Enhancing Civic Engagement among Vulnerable Youths in Calabar

Abstract

Governments have often sought improved ways to market their policies, which are variedly viewed as adequate or inadequate, in a bid to get the citizens actively engaged in the process of development. Digital media usage has inundated the social media space with both individual and governments presences. However, despite strong digital media presence driven by massive deployment of human and material resources, the question still arises as to how well such efforts have been used to deepen civic engagement among the citizens generally, and the vulnerable youth population that is digital media savvy. Data gathered from a sample of 900 respondents, revealed a positive correlation between digital media deployment in marketing government policies and enhancement of civic engagement among the vulnerable community provided such policies are people-oriented, and adequate marketing strategies are used. It recommends creation and deployment of digital media content as marketing tools to harness accrued gains.