Enhancing Nigerian Media Participation in Flood Risk Reduction: A Relationship Management Theory Approach

Abstract This study examines relationship between journalists and disaster managers and how this affects flood disaster risk reduction in Nigeria. The duo play vital role in disaster management. They are responsible for disseminating information, educating people on disaster risks and mobilizing resources before, during and after disaster occurrences. To achieve these, effective communication, collaboration and coordination between them and other stakeholders are very important. As espoused by relationship management theory, organizations need to maintain good relationship with its critical publics to achieve success. Media is one of the critical publics and key partner in national development. Through effective media relations, a vital aspect of public relations, this is achieved. The study employs in-depth interview to assess the relationship between disaster managers and journalists. 16 Nigerian journalists from two widely circulated newspapers and disaster managers from four governments – owned organisations were interviewed. The information collected were analysed with Nvivo 10 software. Findings show that there exists relationship between the two but disaster managers need to understand and apply tenets of relationship management theory more. More conscious, planned and sustained efforts need to be invested in media relations for media to participate more in disaster risk reduction and collaborate with other stakeholders effectively. Key Words: Nigerian Media, Flood Risk Reduction, Relationship Management Theory, Media Relations, Disaster Managers *Mutiu Adekunle Ganiyu is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Al – Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria and a doctoral student at the School of Multimedia Technology & Communication, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia. **Rosli Mohammed, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the School of Multimedia Technology & Communication, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia. ***Awan Ismail, Ph.D. is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Multimedia Technology & Communication, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia. JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 9, No. 2, October 2017, 45 – 57