An assessment of journalists' use of blogging for political development in Owerri, Imo State

Abstract

This study explored how journalists who blog in Owerri perceived the influence of their blogs on political development in Imo State, Nigeria. It specifically examined their awareness of the potential of blogs as tools for promoting political development, their commitment to this cause, and the challenges they faced, such as fact-checking versus the dissemination of rumours. Utilising a quantitative methodology, the research surveyed 230 registered journalists from the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Imo State Council, employing a structured questionnaire. The Cronbach's formula was used to test the reliability of the research instrument with a coefficient of 0.82. Data gotten for the study was presented and analysed using table distribution, frequency, percentage and mean analysis. The findings revealed a high level of awareness among bloggers regarding the political impact of their platforms, with 73% recognizing their potential to influence political discourse. However, the level of commitment to consistently using blogs for political development varied, with 59.9% demonstrating commitment. The study also highlighted a strong adherence to fact-checking among bloggers, though 52.1% acknowledged that rumours sometimes received prominence. Challenges identified included resource constraints, censorship, and audience disinterest, all of which hindered effective political engagement. The study concluded that while bloggers in Owerri were keenly aware of their potential to foster political development, their efforts were hampered by various obstacles. Recommendations included enhancing training, support systems, and collaboration among bloggers to strengthen their role in political development. Future research was advised to address the study's limitations by exploring diverse contexts and methodologies to better understand the evolving role of blogs in political engagement.