Influence of Social Networking Sites on Citizen Journalism in Nigeria

Abstract This study examines the use of social networks to disseminate and exchange ideas and information about the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria. It investigates the social networking sites the youth used most frequently and the extent to which they shared information about the 2012 flood. The flood affected over seven million people, displaced 2.3 million and killed over 363 persons in the country. By using structured questionnaire, the study surveyed 107 active users of social networking sites to address two basic research questions. What social network do active users most frequently used to share information among one another? To what extent did active social network users share information about 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria? The findings of the study indicate that youth played a significant role in the quick dissemination of information about the 2012 flood disaster in Nigeria through the social networks. The findings also indicate that the social networks hold great potentials in the dissemination of relevant information during mass emergencies. The findings further show that youth in Nigeria used social networking sites in reporting tragedies and disasters in the society although they also use the same platform for socialization and entertainment. Key Words: Citizen Journalism, Flooding Disaster, Social Networks, Exploratory, Nigeria *Gambo Shehu Nababa, Ph.D. is a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria **Hassan Alhaji Ya’u, Ph.D. is a Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 9, No. 2, October 2017, 197 – 205