AN EVALUATION OF THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENT TOWARDS JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

AN EVALUATION OF THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE MASS COMMUNICATION STUDENT TOWARDS JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Journalism is the collection, preparation and distribution of news and related commentary and features materials through such media as pamphlets, news letter, magazine, radio, motion pictures, television, the internet and books.

The earliest known journalist product was a newssheet in ancient Rome called the ACTADIURNA published daily from 59BC. It was hung in prominent place and recorded important social and political events.

Journalism in the 20th Century was made by a growing sense of professionalism. In our society today it has been observed that females student journalism have negative attitude towards taking journalism as a career.

This negative attitude is highly reflected in the number of mass media houses. Almost all institution of higher learning in Nigeria offer mass communication courses leading to the award of various degrees and certificates including National Diploma, Higher Diploma, Bachelor and Master degrees.

The increase in the number of female graduates from all these institutions is not reflected in the media of communication in the country. Each year hundreds of female student graduate as mass communicators. A close look shows that the number of female journalist students surpassed the numbers of males. But in the field today, a good number of these female graduates are not seen working in various media houses scattered all over the country.

Reference to the convocation booklets from these schools revealed that a good number of female mass communication students graduated from these schools. In the year 1997, about 150 female journalists graduated from Federal Polytechnic, Oko. The Ogun State Polytechnic in the same year turned out about 86 female journalist students. Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu had about 140 female graduates.

The Institute Of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu turned out about 120 female student graduates in both ND and HND levels (1996 Convocation Lists Booklets). Similarly with other mass communication schools in the country; in our department the numbers of female surpassed the number of male with a great difference.

• Statement of the Research Problem

This study was undertaken because of the low participation of the female journalist graduates towards practicing journalism as their career. Despite the fact that there is considerably good number of trained female journalists, very few of them are working with media houses in Nigeria. A large number of female journalists are produced from different institutions offering mass communication but female participation is very negligible.

According to Omenugha (2004: 4) “One thing that is glaring in the Nigerian media is the absence of Nigerian women as news makers”. Though Nigeria is developing, it has reached a stage where the female journalists and their male counterparts should be competing in the field, is very few compared to the number that graduate from journalism schools and universities.

The female tend to run away from practicing journalism, women journalist are not often seen as lectures neither do women help in the development and promotion of the profession unlike in other professions where the female and male compete and seek superiority over than in the field and as such not portraying a good image of women in the society. This is because most men in the society believe that journalism exposes the practitioners and make the female counterparts loose their dignity. Many female journalists who work in the media sometimes do not show keen interest in their job. This affects the female practitioners as the male practitioners always tend to over shadow them both in position and in interest to work.

• Objectives of the Study