THE ROLE OF THIRD WORLD NEWS AGENCIES IN GLOBAL DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION (A CASE STUDY OF NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

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THE ROLE OF THIRD WORLD NEWS AGENCIES IN GLOBAL DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION (A CASE STUDY OF NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The man objective of this study is to investigate the roles of third world news Agencies in the Global Dissemination of information.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) was used as a case study.
A survey research method was used in the study and a sample of one hundred (100 persons were selected and administered for questionnaire).
Five hypotheses were formulated and tested for the study. The chi-square was used in the analysis of the data collected from
the respondents. Simple percentage was also used in data analysis.
The result of the study was that the third world News Agencies played great roles in the global dissemination of information.
The researcher also made a number of recommendations to guide further studies in the related are of study.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the study:

This study sets out to investigate the role of third world News Agencies in the global dissemination of information using News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as a case study.
News agencies are the bodies responsible for the dissemination are the bodies responsible for the dissemination of world
information. They have correspondents who play the role of carrying news across borders.
Some correspondents such as those working for television and Newspaper report back to media in their own countries and
they approach the news from the view points of specific readers and viewers. Others report to agencies which distribute their news
nationally or internationally circulated magazines and they attempt to achieve a more universal outlook including details of interest
to readers from many countries.
News agencies are sometimes called wire services. This is because their oices are literally lived to their clients by wires and
cables over which news and pictures flow. Some sophisticated system also employ satellite networks.
News agencies gather, write edit and send news stories features, analyses and other materials to clients mostly newspaper
magazines, radio and television stations. The service is also available to commercial houses and individuals seeking news such as
those wishing market information. The clients depend on the agencies for the news or information that they cannot gather on their
own for economic or other factors.
There are three categories of news agencies. The first category comprises of those agencies known world wide and oen
referred to as trans-national news agencies or world news agencies. The world news agencies include, Associated press (AP) United
press International (UPI) felegraphorin Agenstro Sovets Kavo Soiuza (FASKS) Agency France Press (AFP) and Renters.
The second category includes new agencies that have clients and correspondents in many countries but whose services are not
spread to every part of the globe like those of the world news agencies. For example, India Press Trust (INPT) pan African news
agencies of individual countries of developing countries. These news agencies are found in African Latin American and Asian
Countries.
The news agency of Nigeria (NAN) belongs to the third would news agencies. The third world National news agencies act as
gate keepers in determining what information from the global flow gets their national media in some cases, deciding what internal
news gets into the international system as well.
They are as varied as the third world itself. Some news agencies still exist mostly on papers and emphasis on development of
national agencies by UNESCO and the I PDC quickly out dates printed summaries.
A report to the MAC Bride commission based on data from the India 1970’s claimed that about 120 national had news agencies
but that about not, including 24 with population in excess of one million people. A more recent (SUSSMAN 1982) survey counted 104
third world agencies, there quarters of them operating under three quarters of them operating under some form of government
control.
NAN was founded as a state enterprise and began operations for about 8 years ago like most news organizations, its charter
callers for it to report news and opinion in a professional and objective manner.
According to one assessment (Ugbaja 1980) NAN” must not act as an institutional opponent to say government or interest, but
where it is in the public interest to report criticism or public policy, it must do so in a restrained and objective manner”.
In most developing countries, news agencies are established, funded and controlled by government. In most cases, they serve
as an arm of the ministry of information or at most government information clearing houses especially for the purpose of exporting
news about government to local and foreign media.
Initially world news agencies also pre-eminent in the order of the flow were dominated by the European news agencies. This
to alleged unbalance in the news flow and reporting in the third world countries the inadequate and the high cost of
telecommunication facilities the greatest obstacles to the foundation of viable news agencies.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Communication is the nucleus of all human activities and information dissemination is a vital and sensitive job which requires
carefulness and eectiveness in order to achieve the required objective.
News agencies occupy prominent positions and play important roles in carrying information and news across the borders.
Since the emergency of news agency journalism the news flow in international are has improved. News agencies collate I process,
edit and distribute news, news materials and features to subscribers either in the form of fees or exchange depending on an
agreement.
The international news agencies have been dominating the gl obal dissemination of world news. Agitations on imbalance
in news flow led to the emergence of third world news agencies which were most established and controlled by the government.
They serve as information clearing houses in the exportation of news about government to local and foreign media.
Development of news agencies in the third world countries is handicapped by lack of important communication equipment for
the easy delivery of the news. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is not le out in this area of concern despite these problems NAN has
played active role in the global dissemination of world news.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:-

The main objective of the study is to make critical analyses of the role of the third world news agencies in the global
dissemination of information using News agency of Nigeria (NAN) as a case study.
The study will look into the functions of NAN, modes of operation, achievement, problems and prospects.
The study will also make a number of recommendations on how to improve the services of NAN as regards information
dissemination.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will provide a comprehensive analysis of the role of the third world news Agencies with particular references to NAN
in the global dissemination of information

THE ROLE OF THIRD WORLD NEWS AGENCIES IN GLOBAL DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION (A CASE STUDY OF NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

THE ROLE OF THIRD WORLD NEWS AGENCIES IN GLOBAL DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION (A CASE STUDY OF NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA