Media and challenges of maritime environmental reportage in Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Abstract

Media is believed to have been saddle with the responsibilities of Informing, educating, enlighten as well as entertaining the general public. However, Nigerian media over decades have encountered some difficulties in reporting the activities taking place in some communities and villages within the maritime domain. This paper therefore, examines the challenges face by the media in reporting the happenings in Nigerian maritime environment especially in the Niger Delta region. The study also find out that lack of access road in some of the communities in the region, In ability of some media to apply and also utilize Information communication technology of the stakeholders in the affected areas are among other factors that hinder the media to operate Optimally in the region. It was revealed that there is very low participation of the media especially the local once in reporting the happenings in some of these revering areas do to some of these factors mentioned earlier, or it will be reported mostly 2 to 3 days after an event have taken place. It is recommended that the government at all level should come to their aid, by providing access road for the affected communities. It is recommended that the security agencies should leave up to the expectation by creating enabling environment for the media to operate optimally especially in the region. It is however recommended that, the media should embrace the use of ICT in their reportage for easy and wider coverage of the maritime domain.