IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON JOURNALISM PRACTICE IN MAKURDI,: BENUE STATE OF NIGERIA

This study is on Impact of Social Media on Journalism Practice in Makurdi, Benue State. The work sought to find out how social media has affected the workings journalists in Makurdi metropolis with regards to their journalistic duties. This research used survey method to collect data from 292 respondents. Findings of the study revealed that journalists in Makurdi use social media platforms for professional purpose on a daily basis. And that the social media functions journalists in Makurdi find most valuable in their journalistic work include, breaking news updates, storytelling using multimedia and monitoring public sentiments or opinions. Findings also revealed that in as much as social media has impacted the day-to-day practice of journalists in Makurdi by providing access to a wide range of sources and perspectives, increasing the speed of news reporting and changing how stories are sourced and verified, it has also created pressure to produce more content in a shorter timeframe. The study recommended among other things that Journalists in Makurdi should receive training on the ethical use of social media platforms.