Future of the media in the North
Recently, the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, celebrated four decades of mass communication in Kano State in grand style. A public lecture themed “Four Decades of Mass Communication in Kano: Celebrating History, Productivity and Growth” was organized by the Mass Communication Students’ Association (MAKOSA) of the University and presented by Dr Bala Muhammad […]
Recently, the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano, celebrated four decades of mass communication in Kano State in grand style.
A public lecture themed “Four Decades of Mass Communication in Kano: Celebrating History, Productivity and Growth” was organized by the Mass Communication Students’ Association (MAKOSA) of the University and presented by Dr Bala Muhammad of the same department.
The department is exactly a 40-year-old. Forty years is a long time. We have to view journalism now and then; and how new technologies in the production of newspaper, for instance, are redefining the whole exercise that today even newspaper page layout is done using computers. Years back, newspaper production was incredibly expensive and time-consuming.
Journalism in digital age and the concept of structural changes/adjustment are reshaping the media. Unlike in those days when news production was only carried out by professionals, today everyone seems to be a journalist out of instinct to uncover, tell, and share stories.
Martin Belam argued that the emergence of new technologies like live blog (that tells of minute-to-minute happenings); linked data (a collection of hyperlinked data and facts); and living stories (a system that gives organizations opportunity to build a hub page for disseminating pieces of information), among others, is not only redefining the media but also exposing the mainstream media to danger.
From Dr Bala Muhammed’s lecture, it is apparent that the department has succeeded in producing numerous communication experts as well as scholars in the field, with many of them practicing their craft at various national and international media organizations or conducting researches in the field of global media.
Despite the feats achieved by the department, as well as similar departments in other universities in the region, in training great minds in journalism or media in its entire, two things characterize the north in relation to the media: ‘misrepresentation’ and ‘under-reportage’.
Although it depends on the power of one’s argument, it seems the North is either misrepresented or underreported, or both. Positive stories from the region are either ignored, brushed aside or are given passing references; and at the same time false statements are peddled to leave negative impression of the region in the minds of readers or audience.
It is true journalists, or the media in general, shape the way people understand or view culture. Choice of words alone is capable of denting the image of a people especially the North that has a long-standing history of being misrepresented.
The above and more prompted me to ask some questions. What is the mission of the department and has that been achieved? Has social responsibility been achieved through the media in the North? How do the media shape the region? And what is the future of the media in the North?
Abdulyassar Abdulhamid