| Abstract: |
With the rapid digital transformation of the media landscape, social media platforms have become vital channels for two-way communication, brand visibility, audience interaction, and crisis management. How this works in broadcast organisations in North-Central Nigeria is not known. This study investigated how broadcasting organisations leverage platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to foster relationships with their audiences, enhance organisational reputation, and disseminate information in real time. The study adopted the technological determinism theory. The research employed quantitative research approach. The total population was 58 and the study used the mixed method of qualitative and quantitative research strategies. Structured questionnaire was used to gather data for the study. To validate the instrument, the first draft of the questionnaire was face-validated by the researcher who, after personal scrutiny, made it available to two research experts who equally vetted the instrument before it was used. The reliability of the instrument was further established through the test-retest method using sub-scale of 20 of a similar organization and after an interval of two weeks, it was re-administered to members of another similar establishment. Descriptive statistics using tables, charts, figures, frequencies, percentages and mean deviation of five-point Likert scale was used for data analysis and presentation. Findings indicate that social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, Blog, YouTube and TikTok are well used by the respondents. It equally identified the major challenges to include: Inadequate funds to purchase and management social media tools (mean score of 3.6); challenge of fake news and misinformation (3.7 mean rating); challenge of how to eliminate time-intensive, repetitive tasks such as stuffing envelopes with press releases or faxing them to hundreds of media outlets one at a time (3.5 mean score. The study concluded that social media has become useful in PR practice in broadcast media organisations, though with some challenges. The study recommended among others that public relations professionals in media organisations should continue to take advantage of social media for better engagement with their clients. |
