Department of Mass Communication

By Dahiru Kasimu Adamu

Mass Communication is a broad field with different areas which include journalism, broadcasting, public relations, digital Marketing, film and television production, advertisement, strategic communication and many more others.

Thus, Mass Communication as a profession is said to be a great field which is like the proverbial Hausa cow with more than ten benifits, however, the students from this field often restrict themselves to broadcast media especially during their ‘student industrial training.

On 13 February 2025, during MACOSA student orientation organized by Mass Communication students association (MACOSA) at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, a lecturer and SIWES co-ordinator from Mass Communication Department, Mr. AbdulHakim AbdulGaniyu emphasized the need for students to explore other Mass Communication channels while they undergo their mandatory industrial training at 200 and 300 levels respectively.

Mr. AbdulHakim also highlighted the role of students industrial work experience scheme SIWES in supplying new skills and ideas to students.

“Mass Communication is a vast environment, and students need to explore such environments, they should not restrict themselves in Radio and TV only” Sir Abdulhakim said.

Mr. Abdulhakim, who narrated his past experience, mentioned that students can do their SIWES at various ministries, departments and agencies, this is because, all organizations, governments and even non governmental institutions have information units and they need image makers, and those are public relations officers.

Also, speaking at pioneer day of Mass communication students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, held on 7th November 2024, a veteran broadcaster and Director News and programs of Sokoto Media Cooperation, Hajiya Balkisu Abubakar, implored students that “they should not limit themselves to Radio”.
She appealed to them to engage themselves in other means of communication and contribute their quota to the development of their society.

Despite the fact that, Mass Communication is a broad field and students learn the rudiments skills of the field in schools, usually these students seem to have much interest in broadcast media particularly radio, and this brought the question of why the students are neglecting other areas of the profession?

To answer this question we need to critically observe the course and the students. Traditionally some students join the field with an intention becoming popular in their respective communities.

According to Aliyu Muhammad who obtained a National Diploma in Mass Communication from Umaru Ali Shinkafi Polytechnic Sokoto, he said students like him selected and chose radio or television during their SIWES because a journalist is easier to be known through broadcast media being the most popular channels of communication known and used widely.

He also mentioned that limited access to print media by the community members is another factor discouraging students of Mass Communication to do their industrial training in print outlets.

While sharing his opinion Ibrahim Shehu Bulama from Kaduna State University, KASU, said “this is happening due to lack of good awareness on other channels of Mass Communication”.

On his part Abubakar Mai Lafiya said; students mainly want to be seen in television screens and their voices been heard, not focusing on other critical fields of journalism and information practices.

Speaking anonymously, a Mass Communication students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, said they normally choose Broadcast media (Radio and Television) due to its nature of easy access, portability and wide outreach.

To change some of these narratives there should be some measures that will motivate students and induce hope for them in other fields of Mass Communication.

There should be a good orientation to educate students that they can also carry out their SIWES in other information units, public relations Departments of public and private sectors such as financial institutions, law enforcement agencies, markets and almost all other places of human interactions.

Another alternative is, the Mass Communication departments should establish a collaborative relationship with such organizations, so that they can formally send letters, requesting spaces for the students to join and garner the experience. Such organization should make special provision for SIWES students and prepare to take them when there is need.

Moreover Mass Communication Departments should help students to understand why they should go for their SIWES in areas they’re strong as reflected by their grade points.

Being a Mass Communicator, one should understand that his/her basic responsibility and professional calling is with every institution. One should remember it’s time to acts, time to rethink and focus. Students have to confront the current challenges of the field so that one can explore utilize and make impact. This will make someone to influence the world positively.

By Anas Abbas

The Mass Communication Students Association (MACOSA) chapter at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), organised a thought-provoking public lecture titled “Ethical Journalism in a Polarized Society: Striking the Balance Between Truth and Responsibility.” 

The event, which took place on Saturday morning in the conference room of the University’s Faculty of Communication, attracted many students and faculty members.

The guest speaker, Mallam Aisar Salihu Musa, illuminated the critical aspects of journalism. He expressed deep concerns about the current state of journalism in Nigeria, stating, “The issue of objectivity in Nigerian journalism is a myth.” 

Malam Aisar highlighted that challenges such as editorial bias, advertorial influences, and media ownership significantly hinder the progress of journalism in the country. 

He further emphasised that journalism in Nigeria often resembles an act rather than a respected profession, especially when compared to fields like law.

Financial instability, he noted, further complicates matters, preventing journalists from adhering to ethical standards. 

To counter these challenges, Aisar urged journalists to prioritise accuracy, responsibility, and balance in their reporting. He specifically advised them to be sensitive when covering conflict and religious issues.

He also encouraged journalists to join professional bodies that offer training opportunities, which can enhance their skills and support ethical reporting in their daily work.

The lecture concluded with a call to action for aspiring journalists to uphold the integrity of their profession amidst the complexities of a polarised society.

By Uzairu Adam Imam

To combat fake news and safeguard society from its adverse effects, Nigerians have been advised to check for elements of credibility in reports and consult media platforms with proven integrity in sourcing for news and information.

A lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Kano State Polytechnic, Mallam Aisar Fagge, made the submission during a one-day workshop organized by the popular online newspaper The Daily Reality.

The lecture themed “Fake News on Nigerian Cyber Space: The Role of an Ideal Journalist” afforded young journalists the opportunity to understand the challenges of contemporary journalism practice.

Mallam Fagge said, “It is said ‘seeing is believing’ but not anymore. With Deepfake [and other apps], people can easily manipulate videos, pictures, etc. Thus, we need to dissect pieces of information before sharing them,” he stated.

He also called on the general public to examine stories critically before believing or sharing them with other people.

He further noted that fake news could be countered by applying the “technological, journalistic and pedagogical approaches among others.”

He noted that the nature of social media has made journalism more tasking and placed more responsibility on journalists, which behooves them to protect the image of journalism and not allow quacks to run them out of business.

Journalism educators, practitioners from conventional media and online newspapers as well as the students of Mass Communication from Kano State Polytechnic and Bayero University, Kano attended the event that took place on Sunday, 6th November, 2022 at the Centre for Research in Nigerian Languages, Translation and Folklore, BUK New Site.