IMPACT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) ON PRACTICING NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS

IMPACT OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) ON PRACTICING NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS. (A STUDY OF PRACTICING JOURNALISTS IN ENUGU METROPOLIS)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification page – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – v
Table of contents – – – – – – – – vi
List of tables – – – – – – – – – vii
Abstract – – – – – – – – – – viii
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION – – – – – – – – 1
1.1 Background of the study – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – 5
1.3 Objective of the study – – – – – 6
1.4 Research questions – – – – – – 7
1.5 Scope of the study – – – – – – 7
1.6 Significance of the study – – – – – 7
1.7 Operational definition of significant Terms – – 8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE – – 9
2.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 9
2.2 Review of concepts – – – – – – 9
viii
2.2.1 Concept of Freedom – – – – – – 9
2.2.2 Concept of Freedom of Information Act – – 13
2.3 Review of Related Study – – – – – 18
2.4 Theoretical Framework – – – – – 19
2.5 Summary – – – – – – – 23
CHAPTER THREE; RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 25
3.2 Research Design – – – – – – 25
3.3 Population of Study – – – – – – 26
3.4 Sampling technique/Sample Size – – – – 26
3.5 Method of Date Collection – – – – – – 27
3.6 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – 28
CHAPTER FOUR; DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 29
4.2 Data presentation and Analysis of Demographic Data 30
4.2.1 Analysis of Data from survey (field) – – – – 33
4.3 Discussions of the Research Questions – – – 43
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CHAPTER FIVE; SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction – – – – – – – 46
5.2 Summary of findings – – – – – – 46
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – – – 47
5.4 Recommendation – – – – – – 48
Bibliography – – – – – – – 50
Appendix – – – – – – – – 53
Questionnaire – – – – – – – 54

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: What is your gender? – – – – – – 30
Table 2: What age bracket do you fall under? – – – 31
Table 3: What is your educational qualification – – – 31
Table 4: What is your marital status ? – – – – – 32
Table 5: Length of active service? – – – – – 32
Table 6: Do you know what the freedom of information act
(FOIA) is? – – – – – – – – 33
Table 7: To what extent is FOIA taken seriously
in Nigeria today? – – – – – – – 34
Table 8: Do you agree that FOIA influence the operations
of practicing journalist in Enugu metropolis? – – 34
Table 9: To what extent does the FOIA meet the information
needs of the public? – – – – – – 36
Table 10: Do you agree that FOIA helps practicing journalists in publishing government accounts on expenditure and revenue income – – – – – — – 37
Table 11: How can press freedom be obtained in Nigeria? – 38
Table 12: As a practicing journalist, what is the major challenge you encounter that is obstructing the relevance of the FOIA? 39
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Table 13: How does the FOIA influence the public on information? 40
Table 14: Do you agree that upcoming journalists in Nigeria should be fully knowledgeable about FOIA at their early stage – – 41
Table 15: Do you think that Nigeria will be a better country if journalists, government, and the public take the FOIA very seriously? – – – – – – – – – 42

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of freedom of information Act (FOIA) on practicing Nigerian journalists using journalist in Enugu states as the focus of the study. The study adopted survey method. A sample of 150 was drawn from a population of 240 registered journalists in Enugu state using the Taro Yamane’s formula and purposive sampling technique. Questionnaire was used to obtain data. Findings revealed that the journalists studied have a high level of awareness of the provisions of FOIA. Also, the journalists perceived the Act as having a more positive impact on journalism practice, conclusion was that the Act pretends good for journalism practice in Nigeria. It was recommended that journalists should make maximum use of the Act, and aspects of the Act that contain nebulous and sling concepts that are open to differing interpretations should be reviewed.