Assessing welfare, conditions of service and trauma in Nigerian journalism

Abstract

This study examined journalistic practice in Nigeria with a view to determining welfare, conditions of service and associated traumatic experience of serving and retired journalists. The study proceeded on the assumption that for journalism to serve its purpose of the pursuit of truth, professionals must have job satisfaction. A convergent mixed method design involving a questionnaire with open and close-ended items was used to gather the study’s data from a random sample of 64 respondents. The study found out that the welfare/conditions of service of journalists had degenerated badly. The study found out further that retired journalists may wait for years before being paid their gratuities and entitlement. It was further discovered that
retirement in journalism is a sentence to poverty. The study found that journalists in privately owned media houses are being exploited by their employers and denied freedom to join professional unions that can protect and fight for their welfare. These and other challenges have led to Nigerian journalists having traumatic experiences including mental illness and depression. The study concluded that the present situation should be arrested to save the future of journalism. It recommends improved remuneration and better welfare package for journalists to reduce unethical practices to the barest medium. Nigerian media organizations should also comply with the compulsory health and pension schemes to encourage journalists to stay on the job until retirement.