Kelvin Inobemhe | NASARAWA STATE UNIVERSITY, KEFFI, NASARAWA STATE-NIGERIA (original) (raw)

Papers by Kelvin Inobemhe

Media & Communication Currents, Jul 23, 2021

Fake news and conspiracies are often associated with outbreaks such as pandemics and epidemics. N... more Fake news and conspiracies are often associated with outbreaks such as pandemics and epidemics. Nigeria reported its first confirmed coronavirus case in February of 2020 and since that time, a tsunami of information on the disease has been seen online and offline. Myths, fake news and Covid-19 related conspiracies doubled across social media spaces. The threat of such infodemic on public health can only be imagined as it is impossible to quantify the collateral damage. Decisions taken based on falsehood or conspiracies can have adverse consequences on the health of individual members of society or the entire population. With the use of library research technique, this paper discusses how myths, fake news and conspiracy theories across social media platforms pose threats to public health in Nigeria. The paper with the use of activation theory of information exposure explains the need to create effective health communication to help reduce the impact of infodemic on Nigeria's public health system even in the face of a pandemic. It therefore concludes that fake news, myths and conspiracies pose serious threats to public health as individuals could rely on them to take decisions that portends immediate and long term danger to the health of individuals and public health in general. Fake news on social media portends danger to public health as uncontrolled information can send consumers of such content into some form or panic mode, just as the chances of ignoring safety protocols may also be high on the part of those exposed to certain information on social media platforms.

Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research

Media and Communication Current, 2020

The debate to censor social media has taken the front burner in discourse across social milieu an... more The debate to censor social media has taken the front burner in discourse across social milieu and on a global scale. Government institutions are championing the course based on what they termed "abuse of the platforms". According to authorities, social media has the propensity to ignite an already polarised country like Nigeria if not quickly checked. However, the traditional media is regulated and many believe the call to regulate social media is a ploy to muzzle free speech. Regulatory frameworks are not new to the media in Nigeria-National Broadcasting Commission, and the Nigerian Press Council regulates broadcast and print media in the country. In a democratic society, over-regulation is seen as a threat to free speech. Therefore, the call to regulate social media has received backlash from Nigerians across political divides. Anchored on regulation theory, this paper discusses the implications and challenges of regulating social media in a democratic society like Nigeria. The major challenge is that of infringement on citizens' right to free speech. The study utilised library research to arrive at secondary data sources useful for understanding the challenges and implications of embarking on a social media regulation in Nigeria. The paper concludes that it is indeed difficult to regulate social media as it will likely constitute an attack on freedom of expressiona fundamental right of human beings which democratic regimes the world over seeks to uphold.

Styles of Communication

Just about two decades or more ago, journalists and audience relied heavily on direct sources and... more Just about two decades or more ago, journalists and audience relied heavily on direct sources and heavily relied on them for firsthand information on happenings. Whereas journalists relied on people (sources) and events for news, audience patiently waited for journalists to process news and get them delivered at news time. However, all that has changed in modern timesand the phenomena responsible for that are technological innovations such as the new media, of which social media is part and parcel. Advancement in technology is bridging the gap and ensuring things are done differently. Social media is gradually gaining the influence of being a major source of news for allaudience and journalists alike. The innumerable ways newsroom staff explore possibilities of the technology is what this research sought to unravel. With the use of survey methodology, the study investigated specific ways social media is affecting newsroom operations of television stations in Nigeria. Findings of the research show that social media adoption in the media organisations studied is reasonably high and the platforms serve as sources of news just as they are equally used for news dissemination. The study recommends that while the adoption is necessary, users of social media (especially journalists) must be wary as platforms can easily be used to spread unverified information and outright misinformation.

Abuja Journal of Social and Management Review, 2021

Recently, close to 2 billion WhatsApp users worldwide woke up to a pop-up over their screens with... more Recently, close to 2 billion WhatsApp users worldwide woke up to a pop-up over their screens with information on privacy policy update. Several people who value privacy and understand the danger of a policy update from the tech company migrated to rival platforms (Signal, Telegram, etc.). Though the technology giant issued several clarification statements on the update, the backlash was loud indicative of the sensitive nature of privacy. Several Nigerians (students inclusive), armed with the power of the new information age also migrated. Therefore, this study primarily examined the policy update and the level of migration to alternative platforms among undergraduate students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi-Nigeria. The population of the study was defined to include students of NSUK, Nigeria, and methodology is the survey design. The primary instrument for data collection for this study is the Questionnaire. With the aid of Google Forms, a survey was created and results analysed with the use of descriptive statistics such as percentage frequency distribution. Relying on communication privacy management theory and technological acceptance model, the study examined the migration from WhatsApp platform to alternative or rival instant messaging platforms among NSUK student. Among several other findings from the online survey was that Nigerian students take the issue of privacy seriously as there was migration from WhatsApp to other platforms especially Telegram owing to the announced privacy policy update. Therefore, the study recommends among others that if there must be a privacy policy update, technology companies must embark on sensitisation earlier before the actual update.

Styles of Communication, 2021

Communication, Economics, Finance, Administration and Governance in a Pandemic , 2021

Journal of Contemporary Social Research, 2021

Without communication, human activities would have been characterised with unimaginable chaos. Co... more Without communication, human activities would have been characterised with unimaginable chaos. Communication is keyfrom politics, economic and social aspects of life, it has proven to be the centerpiece of all human activities. Political communication has been used for centuries as a tool to approach the people any time the rulers intend talking to the ruled. Channels of communication have evolvedfrom face-to-face (interpersonal) communication, to pamphlets, and then newspaper and later to radio and television, the political class has always found a means to communicate with the people. However, in the 21st century, characterised by sophisticated digital innovations, the pendulum is also tilting to fit the moments. Digital technologies are now being used to reach out to the people. Relying on documentary research, this study explores the adoption of digital technologies in the 21st century political communication in Nigeria. A total of 300 documents were sourced and got through Google Scholar and after a careful process of sifting, 20 relevant articles were adopted and subsequently used in the analysis. Findings of the study show that digital technologies are widely in use in Nigeria for political communication. The study identified tools such as mobile phones, social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and so on) as new digital media tools and platforms used in Nigeria for political communication. The study also finds that new media tools are used for campaigns, mobilisation and participation. The study concludes that political communication in the 21st century rely so much on digital media to thrive. It, however, recommends a careful study and understanding of the tools before adoption and use.

Crutech Journal of Communication, 2021

COVID-19, no doubt, has raised serious public health concerns on a global scale. Even countries w... more COVID-19, no doubt, has raised serious public health concerns on a global scale. Even countries with the most developed medical science struggled and still face challenges occasioned by the outbreak of the pandemic. First, with China, Europe, America and then to the rest of the world, coronavirus has exposed the world in matters of preparedness to tackle pandemics. This is glaring when available information on number of infections is matched vis á vis those of deaths recorded so far from the disease. Back home in Nigeria, the pandemic created serious public health concerns, and authorities such as NCDC, PTF and Ministry of Health have struggled to lead the country's efforts to combat the pandemic and tame its spread. In the face of a high volume of misinformation and outright falsehood circulating across social media platforms, health communication became a veritable tool to fight the pandemic. This paper through library research examines health communication campaigns by government and other stakeholders across social media platforms in the face of public health concerns raised by the outbreak of COVID-19 in Nigeria. With the use of agenda setting theory and health belief model, the paper discusses the usefulness and importance of social media platforms in health communication campaigns.

Media Communication Current, 2021

Nasarawa Journal of Multimedia and communication Studies, 2021

COVID-19 outbreak in the world has further exposed the dangers of fake and unverified news. This ... more COVID-19 outbreak in the world has further exposed the dangers of fake and unverified news. This paper focuses on unraveling different dimensions from whence implications of fake news on the fight against COVID-19 can be viewed. Specifically, the paper looks at the role social media play in spreading fake news and its effect on the fight against COVID-19. The theoretical underpinnings of the study are agendasetting theory and conspiracy theory. The study shows that the impact of fake news on fighting diseases especially "pandemics" are enormous and could be devastating. Specifically, the study notes that public health is greatly impacted as perceptions, and consequently, behaviours are negatively affected by misinformation or falsehood on social media platforms. The paper recommends that all stakeholders must converge to find solutions to the spread of fake news and ensure excesses are checked to curtail any ugly repercussions that may arise again in the near future.

Nasarawa Journal of Multimedia and Communication Studies, 2020

The emergence of new media technologies brought about the transformation of society in virtually ... more The emergence of new media technologies brought about the transformation of society in virtually all aspects of national life. It has collapsed time and distance barrier in communication and thereby democratising information communication apparatus. The increasing use of new media has raised concerns in several quarters on its implications to heighten the spread of fake news in society. The study utilises library research technique to gather data for the study while Inoculations theory and Conspiracy theory were the theoretical framework that guided the study. The paper argues that the proliferation of new media technologies has led to the dissemination of fake news in Nigeria. The study finds that new media technologies was being used to spread fake news and misinformation in key critical areas like political communication, war against insurgency, and the promotion of ethnic sentiments among Nigerians. The study recommends that government and tech companies educate the people on the mechanism of facts checking so that they can identify false and misleading information.

International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Review, 2020

New media technology has undoubtedly taken the world by surprise. Whereas its emergence and growi... more New media technology has undoubtedly taken the world by surprise. Whereas its emergence and growing popularity has been somewhat of a bittersweet experience for journalist and journalism practice in general, a certain aspect of the media world has been most impacted. Television broadcasting is one of such aspects. Television has always relied heavily on technology-from the era of analogue to the digital, the evolution has been one step at a time in history. The introduction of new media technology alongside the digital powers they possess is topical. The study looks at new media technologies in Nigeran television newsroom. This paper is anchored on technological acceptance model and technological determinism theory. The researchers believe that several aspects of the Nigerian television newsroom have been greatly impacted and that reduction in time of production, reduction in a number of gatekeepers, and cost-saving are some of the greatest. The paper concludes that new media technologies have reduced the size of the newsroom and encouraged multi-skilling and multitasking.