INFLUENCE OF INTERNET TECHNOLOGY ON JOURNALISTS AND JOURNALISM PRACTICE

Abstract

The internet is a global network made up of millions of private, public, academic, business, and 
government networks connected by electrical, wireless, and optical technologies. Internet 
technology refers to the wide range of protocols and technologies that make the internet easier to 
use and function. The aim of the study is to evaluate how the internet has affected Nigerian 
Journalism practice while highlighting the underutilisation of modern communication 
technologies in the country’s journalism industry. This study adopted two theories which are 
technological determinism theory and democratic participant theory. The conclusion of the study 
is that people use the internet to search for information and updates on current events, which has 
forced journalists to look for every way to expand on their coverage of many topics. Unlike print 
publications which have a limited number of pages, the audience may access more news on the 
internet in a timely manner and watch it through a sequence of images and video snippets that 
add to the news vibrancy. This study recommends that media organisations should train their 
employees through workshops so as to be knowledgeable about anything related to the internet. 
Also, government should allocate funds for the construction of infrastructure in remote areas to 
enable journalists send and receive reports more quickly and easily.