Internet and Journalism Development in Nigeria: Benefits and Pitfalls

Since 1956 when Licklider, an American psychologist foresaw home computer consoles and television sets being connected to a nation-wide network that has the capacity to effectively receive, transmit and store information in virtually every subject matter, the communication world has continued on the path of technological advancements. Enthused by Joseph Licklider’s vision, scientists went into research, and the result of their research is the development of what we know today as the Internet. With the advent of the internet, the human tribe truly became one family in which man’s consciousness has been liberated from the shackles of mechanical culture, thus enabling him to roam the cosmos. The internet which is a global network of interconnected computers that enables man to freely communicate, share and exchange information has become such an important phenomenon in contemporary journalism. As a cardinal tool of communication which has transformed the journalism industry, there is a need to take a critical look at it with a view to identifying its merits and demerits. In doing that, the study relied on the technological determinism theory. It equally adopted the discourse analysis method of research to review secondary data on the subject matter. The study identified among other things, flexibility in editing as a major benefit, and gap between speed and accuracy as a major pitfall of the internet in journalism development in Nigeria. It then concluded that the internet has not only become an inseparable tool of journalism, but has also significantly affected the development of journalism in Nigeria. Be that as it may, such a development can be said to be a two-edged sword which poses a serious threat to the professionals in the business.