The Era of New Media Technologies and the Challenges of Media

© Kamla-Raj 2010 J Communication, 1(2): 59-68 (2010)

The Era of New Media Technologies and the Challenges ofMedia Relations Practice in Nigeria

Essienubong H. Ikpe* and Festus Prosper Olise**

*Department of Communication Arts, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Uyo, NigeriaMobile: 08023022665; E-mail: [email protected]

**Department of Mass Communication, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, NigeriaMobile: 08032067241; E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

KEYWORDS Africa. Globalization. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Mass Media. Organizations. PublicRelations

ABSTRACT This study examines the fundamentals of Media Relations, an important aspect of Public Relations, which helpto maintain credibility and mutual relationship with the various media of communication in Nigeria in the era of new mediatechnologies. It provided the opportunity to qualitatively ascertain the import of new media technologies in the practice ofmedia relations in Nigeria; establish the various contemporary tools for media relations and to determine the appropriatestrategies of media relations. The revelations uphold the claim that new media technologies like the internet, mobile phones,videoconferencing among others which now overlap with the different media of communication due to technological innovationsand convergence, have transformed media relations practice globally despite the various factors such as cyber crisis, low levelof technology penetration, poor funding among others posing as challenges to effective media relations practice in Nigeria.Thus, the paper supports the theoretical perspective of development media theory and technological determinism theory. Aclarion call was therefore put forward to all those directly or indirectly involved in the practice of media relations in Nigeria tomerge resources together or separately and be actively involved in ensuring that the transformations brought about by newmedia technologies in media relations are explored and the entire benefits completely exploited by all the stakeholders in thisregard.

INTRODUCTION

In an increasingly rising economic climateand increased competition, with cost rising andprofit dwindling, it has become imperative aswell as challenging for many organizations tonot only make profit but also ensure that thepublic, internal and external, see them in a posi-tive light. To achieve this, organizations needto adopt some measures to ensure that the repu-tation of their organizations’ products and ser-vices are enhanced, at the same time establishand sustain mutual relationship with their pub-lic. One prominent way organizations globallycan achieve this is through good Public Relations(PR) - a process / business of studying publicattitudes, executing programmes of action andrelaying information to the publics through achannels / medium / media, so as to earn publicacceptance and good will. The Public Relationsofficer having this huge task ensures that theappropriate channel(s) of reaching the targetpublics is/are employed among many otherchannels.

It is a known fact that there are so manychannels of communication the PR officerscan use to execute his or her job, but the mostprominent and common is the media. However,

since there are several media outlets, transformingdaily, with increased advancement in technology,the Public Relations officer is left with thetask of maintaining credibility and mutualrelationship with the appropriate media so asto reach their public not just effectively butalso positively. This is where the concept ofMedia Relations, an important aspect of PublicRelations comes into play.

Some of the early descriptions of mediarelations are still being upheld in today’s defi-nitions even though the new media whichbrought about online media have transformedmedia relations practice. Igben (1997) definesmedia relations as a “persistent interactionwith the media of communication in order tomaintain exchange of newsworthy confidenceand sustained public information.” Baran (2004)observes that media relation requires that the“public relations professional maintains goodrelationship with professionals in the media,understand their deadlines and other restraintsand earn their trust.” Biagi (2005) adds thatmedia relations is contacting news media,freelance writers and trade publications with theintent of getting them to publish or broadcastnews and features about or originated by theorganizations. She asserts that media relations

is simply responding to media request forinformation or spokesperson.” Similarly,Hanson (2005) states that media relations “isa two-way interactions with members of thepress”, broadcast and online media – newmedia.

A more recent definition of media relationscomes from Tench and Yeomans (2006). Theynote that media relations involves “managingrelationships with media - all the writers andproducers who contribute to and control whatappears in the print, broadcast and onlinemedia.” From the foregoing, we can deduce thatmedia relations is a two – way communicationprocess that links employer or clients of PRpractitioners with target public through the vari-ous media of communication. Furthermore, itcan be seen as a means of establishing a rapportwith media gate-keepers so that the media canpresent an organization to its publics in a posi-tive light. This is because once an organizationis well packaged and presented positively to thepublic by the various media of communication;this would boost her image before its public. Infact, organizations activities, however well –intended, cannot be known by the target pub-lics in the absence of media relations function.

Media relations have the capacity to reduceignorance as it concerns any organization. Itcan also prevent crisis in any society as well asensures that the reputation of an organizationis enhanced to boost public confidence. Mediarelations also supplies prompt and accurateinformation concerning any issues that is ofinterest to the public. Blond et al. (1996) citedfrom Tench and Yeomans (2006) write that thepurpose of media relations is not to issue pressrelease, or handle enquires from journalist, oreven to generate a massive file of press cutting.The true purpose of media relations, they stateis “to enhance the reputation of an organizationand its products and to influence and informthe target audiences.” Nevertheless, Holtz (2002)argues that the role of an organizational mediarelations department is not to make companylook good in the press, nor it is to keep the com-pany out of the newspaper.

Ideally, the job of the media relationsdepartment is “to help reporters and editors todo their job.” This explains why Ajala (2005)notes that “good media relations can only beestablished if public relations practitioners havean understanding of the functions of the media

in the society.” The media, on the other hand, whichnow overlap with some of the contemporarytools of media relations as a result of theirtechnological developments, innovations andconvergence must continue to operate withinthe ambit of their functions to the society in whichthey operate.

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE

Two communication theories support theperspectives of this paper in the context underreview among other theories that would haveequally shared similar perspectives. They arethe development media theory because it isone of the theories that “seeks to explain thenormative behaviours of the press (media) incountries conventionally classified as developingcountries” like Nigeria (Folarin 2005). The othertheory is the technological determinism theorybecause according to Lievrouw and Livingstone(2006), technological determinism is “the be-lief that technologies have an overwhelmingpower to drive human actions” which leads tosocial change.

From the foregoing, it is evident that mediarelations practitioners in Nigeria must understandthat new media technologies when properlyharnessed are capable of transforming mediarelations practice. In fact, new media techno-logies, by their very nature, are drivers of socialchange, national development and organisationaldevelopment. The various media of communi-cation and their gatekeepers in Nigeria on theother hand, have responsibilities as well asfreedom in their information gathering anddissemination task as posited by developmentmedia theorists, by ensuring that organisationsoperating in Nigeria are objectively and posi-tively presented to the world. This is possiblebecause of technological transformations of newmedia technologies which now overlap withsome contemporary tools for media relationsand the relationship between the media andorganisations in the practice of media relations,which must be sustained and maintainedmutually. It is this relationship that makes thesetwo theories apt for this work.

CONTEMPORARY TOOLS FORMEDIA RELATIONS

It is an acknowledged fact that the mainobjective of media relations is to establish

ESSIENUBONG H. IKPE AND FESTUS PROSPER OLISE60

and maintain good relations with the mediagatekeepers. This can be easily achieved whenthe appropriate tools are employed. Today,technological innovations and convergence haverevolutionized existing media relations tools likepress kits, news letters, news releases, facilityvisits just to mention but a few; thereby leadingto the emergence of new and contemporary toolsof media relations. This is not to say that thesecontemporary tools have replaced the ‘old’ toolsbut are used to complement each other foreffective relations with the media. The contem-porary tools of media relations remains thosemedia / facilities that meet the changing trendsassociated with the 21st century thereby en-hancing the practice of media relations. Theyinclude the Internet, webcasting, e-mail, video-conferencing, video news release, facility visitsamong others.

Of a concern in this 21st century is the factthat the influx of variety of contemporarymedia relations tools leaves the media relationsdepartment with the problem of choice. In thisregard, Ajala (2005) provides some factors toconsider in making the right choice. Some ofthese factors include “the media profile, thetarget public profile, time factor, competitionand cost of the tool.” All these factors ifproperly harnessed are very capable of guidingthe media relations department of any organi-zation in choosing any of these contemporarytools for media relations outlined and discussedbelow.

Internet

The Internet has ushered in a new age formedia relations practice. Today, several organi-zations have corporate homepage and websiteswith informative and persuasive details abouttheir products/services and the image of theorganization is communicated to the media andtheir publics across the globe. This explains whyOnabajo (2005) notes that” a professionalwebsite will improve organizations’ image andenhance communication.” He, however, advisesthat in creating an organizational website, thepublic relations/media relations departmentshould ensure that the website designed forthe organization exploits the interactive natureof the Internet, and enable a two way- flow ofmessages because getting information from thetarget audience is as important as informingthem.

Furthermore, the Internet - network ofcomputer networks, information superhighwayonline media; by its nature of converging withmany other technologies incorporates othertypes of media relations tools commonly referredto as online media relations. Some of these arewebsite newsroom, online news letters, onlinenews releases, Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs), online monitoring among host ofothers. The list certainly, would be inexhaustiblebecause daily new ones are emerging and thiswould continue as long as man is inexistence.

Videoconferencing

This contemporary media relations tool“allows for a live discussion between a group ofpeople in different locations by the use of linkedtelephones and video screen” (Olise 2008).Videoconferencing enables media relationspractitioners to get linked with reporters andother media gatekeepers, to see and talk toeach other from the convenience of their ownconference centres or from meeting spaces,hotels, and offices other venues with therequisite video and telephone facilities.

One of the earliest examples of the use ofa technology that metamorphosed into video-conferencing in media relations as Straubhaarand LaRose (2004) state was in 1982, whenJohn and Johnson used the technology (video-conferencing) to reach hundreds of reportersin thirty cities breaking news and informationabout the Tylenol product tampering episodewhich cost the lives of seven people who ingestedthe tampered over- the counter medication.

Webcasting

Webcasting is a form of broadcastingproduction that incorporates streaming videoand audio on the Internet. It is used to deliver alive press conference or event to the computerscreen of target audience. In the case of mediarelations, a reporter or producer can watch fromhis or her desktop, laptop etc. viewing notonly video but text and photos, participate ininterviews if they are part of the package, then“download the Internet feed or run a tape to getexcerpts for use in the on-air coverage,”(Straubhaar and LaRose 2004).

Webcasting – broadcasting on the net, is firstsource of information for the media about an

FUNDAMENTALS OF MEDIA RELATIONS IN NIGERIA 61

organization. Nonetheless, Hanson (2005) statesthat a major limitation on webcasting is “theneed to obtain permission to transmit materialson the web.” As it seems today, this might nolonger be a limitation especially when oneconsiders the proliferation of computer expertsas well as Internet hackers which has led to theeasy access and pasting of information on thenet without seeking permission.

Video News Releases (VNRs)

Hanson (2005) defines video news releasesas “a tape or digitalized audio and videomessages that serve as a press release to thebroadcast and online media.” The differencebetween news release and video news release isthat video news release is accompanied withsound. They are not just read like news releasein the print. Seitel (2007) states that “on theInternet, new release is delivered by email andshould be shorter than their offline counterparts.”

Organizations can package and send videonews release to media organizations especiallyfor free and believe that they would be aired.Hanson (2005) argues however that to geta video news release on the air, it has to bemore than a slick piece of video promoting thecompany but should be something that mediaorganization want to air. He adds that videonew release that looks like commercial orpromotional films are unlikely to be broadcast,those that tell an interesting story and look likethe video shot for the evening news stand amuch better chance of getting on the air. Thisnotwithstanding, media houses usually mustedit the video news release once they found itdoes not suit their house style or would provokepublic taste. Nonetheless, Adamolekun (2001)asserts that media relations practitioners shouldunderstand that video news release are “toocommercial and too one – sided.” Nevertheless,video news release is still a very good tool ofmedia relations because of its ability to presentinformation through picture and sound

Electronic Mail - Email

The email is also a contemporary mediarelations tool. It is used in contacting the mediawith information about an organization. Thee-mail is one the most popular features of theInternet, mainly for exchange of information

between computers through external telephoneconnections or wireless ports. Fitzgerald andDennis (2005) note that with e-mail, “userscreate and send messages using an applicationon computers callers’ user agent.”

Although, the e-mail can be used by virtuallyall media relations practitioners to send newsrelease to media gatekeepers even thoughmedia gatekeepers may not be comfortable withit especially when not solicited for. Moreover,the fear or worry of computer virus from e-mailattachment may affect their system if the virusis not detected before the attachment is uploaded.This notwithstanding, the e-mail remains areliable and veritable media relations tool. Justimagine the Instant Messaging (IM), a productof the e-mail, which allows media relationspractitioners to communicate with the mediaonline as long as the reporters or journalist,editors etc is on-line at the same time.

Facility Visits

Organizations, can organize facility visits forjournalists so that they can see for themselveswhat the company is doing. Adamolekun (2001)explains that public relations “sourced newsare always suspected because it is difficult tohave an objective and straight to the pointaccount of an organizations performance if itsspokesperson is making the presentation.” Onthe other hand, the publics are more charitableand sympathetic with the news of a third partythey have no reason to doubt his or her sincerity.

Based on this, a facility visit organized forthe media gatekeepers (a third party) wouldboost the image of a company and eliminatenegative stories about the company. For exa-mple, in a situation when someone opens a bottleof a branded drink and finds or claims to findan insect inside it, the company may not beable to win back their customers mind throughconstant publications on the media. There maybe need for the company to organize a facilityvisit whereby the company invite media gate-keepers – journalists and editors etc, from dif-ferent media houses to their production sectionto show them the processing and packaging pro-cess of their drinks because seeing most times,is believing.

Other contemporary tools for media relationsare press kit, computers, and electronic bulletin,e-news letters among host of others. Virtually


all the contemporary tools for media relationsare products of technological advances in thecommunication media. Hence, it is not surprisingthat some of the tools overlap with most newmedia and are important, being accompaniedwith numerous benefits for media relationspractice today.

THE IMPORTANCE OF NEW MEDIATECHNOLOGIES INMEDIA RELATIONS

Fidler (1997) defines new media as “allemerging forms of communication media.”Olise (2008) adds from a new dimension thatnew media have to do with the convergence ofcomputer technology and telecommunicationstechnologies. They are new communicationtechnologies that combine the computersand telecommunication technologies andare used as channels for the dissemination ofinformation to a heterogeneous audience re-gardless of time, space and distance. Thereare different examples of new media such asthe Internet, mobile phones, videoconferencing,e-mail, chat rooms, online newspapers/ news-magazines among host of others.

These different types of new media haveone way or the other affected media relationspractice. Media relations practitioners whileusing new media can work more effectively andefficiently. This is because it is has proven thatnew media help to increase work efficiency andspeed as well as reduce cost. Moreover, newmedia enable media relations practitioners tocommunicate with the media in a new andcreative ways which would go a long way increating confidence in not just the media buttheir publics as well.

Other importance of new media in mediarelations practice are outlined and discussedbelow.

Enhance Two-way Communication

New media like the internet and mobilephone among others make for two –waycommunication which is the core aim of goodmedia relations. Ayankojo (2001) recalls that“there are chat rooms for virtual discussionwhere users have opportunities to talk on-line”with the organizations having the websites.A message typed and sent within a chat room

appears almost at the same time on the com-puters of other users in the same chat room,24hours daily. New media also encouragefeedback and interactivity. Take the mobilephones for instance, these new media givemedia relations practitioners’ means to interactwith reporters and get immediate feedback asthe case maybe. In addition, the web, Rodney(2005) observes is “interactive in nature.”

Furthermore, Lievrouw and Livingstone(2006) state that new media give users the meansto generate, seek and share content selectively,and to interact with other individuals and groupson a scale that was impracticable with traditionalmeans.” In short, the immediacy, responsivenessand social presence of interaction in most newmedia constitute a huge opportunity for mediarelations practice.

Enhance the Development of a PositiveImage

The mere fact that an organization has awebsite can boost the image of the organiza-tion not to talk of having an attractive, wellorganized and constantly updated websites.Moreover, having a website encourages inter-national recognition. For instance, a companyin Nigeria with an active website would defi-nitely be recognized globally. People and mediaorganizations would tend to associate more withcompanies recognized in a positive light glo-bally. Moreover, considering the nature of theinternet that helps to open the world up therebyreducing the world into an atomic village, thereis a tendency that more people would comeacross a company’s profile which has a websitethan the ones that do not.

Ease Assessment of Current CorporateImage Position

The feedback mechanism in addition withthe task on organizations and other bodies onthe net to justify their actions and also explaintheir mission as well as their reactions on is-sues have made human communication a morerobust activity (Adedina et al. 2008). Indeed,new media make it easier for organizations tobe aware of what their publics think about theircorporate image so as not to face the danger ofhaving false assumption that they are favourabledisposed to their public. Since most new media


have this feedback mechanism they can be usedto relay to organizations what their public re-ally think about them. This in turn can assist inpre-empting and eliminating misunderstandingand crisis that could have arisen.

Offer Ubiquity

The ubiquity nature of new media cannotbe ignored. Baren (1997) in Ike (2005) believesthat the “new communication technologiesare often projected as a benefit to democracybecause they permit greater citizen involvement.”Similarly, new media when applied in mediarelations, ensure greater involvement of themedia because they are virtually everywhere.The Internet for instance, Cutlip et al. (2006)state represent “the most ubiquitous leadingedge of what is a communication revolution.”In essence, media relation professionals usingthe new media like the Internet, mobile phonesetc. would affect everyone in their societies.

Although several scholars have argued if theubiquity nature of new media is a good thing;media relations practitioners would see it asa good thing especially since the new mediaare veritable tools which would enable themto communicate with different journalist fromdifferent media organization no matter wherethey are because new media are everywhere.

Make Planning and Implementation ofMedia Relations Easier

New media make the media relations pro-cess easier, faster and cheaper to a large extent.The e-mail and electronic bulletins board forexample “can transmit message back to thesource in a matter of seconds” (Rodney 2005).The media relations practitioners can use theInternet to carry out quick and cost effectiveresearch. After implementing media relationspolicies, those involved in the process canuse new media to get feedback on how well theprocess is progressing. News releases can besent to the media houses through new mediatechnologies like the e-mail, mobile phone etc.All these are done faster, easier and cheaper withthe aid of the new media than the traditionalmeans.

Furthermore, new media eliminate the pro-blem of distance and time; communicate betterwith the media of communication among host

of other importance. In fact, any organizationthat is not making use of new media technolo-gies for media relations practice in this techno-logical age would definitely find itself not mo-ving with global trends, even if they are em-ploying all the strategies of media relations.

STRATEGIES OF MEDIA RELATIONS

Organizations globally as well as mediarelations practitioners must adopt differentstrategies to be able to survive and succeed inthis global competitive world. Thus, it thereforebehoves on organizations’ media relationsdepartment to map out effective strategies foreffective media relations practice. Essentially,media relations should be planned and imple-mented based on certain rules, principles andguidelines. All these make up the strategies ofmedia relations.

Tench and Yeomans (2006) provide somebasic rules for effective relations as follows:i. Act as a service to the media: answer ques-

tions, return calls before deadlines, provideinformation and context.

ii. Accept the independence of the media; donot offer payment, do not ask for copyapproval

iii. Disclose your interest i. e., let the journalistknow who you are representing

iv. Be as available to the media when the newsis bad as when you have good news topromote.

Contrary to one of the views of Tench andYeomans (2006) that media relations should ‘actas a service’, it is our view that media relationsas a practice should be a service to the mediabecause that is the only way it will not interferewith the functions of the media. Furthermore,in dealing with the media, media relationspractitioners should be honest, straight forwardand have good interpersonal relations withmedia gatekeepers such as journalist, editorsamong others who cover and edit events whichare related to their organization. Nonetheless,Bivin (2008) advises that in dealing with themedia, the organizations media relations depart-ment should not “bombard journalist with adaily barrage of press release.” This is becausereporters and editors who you bombard withyour releases know this and are likely to stopreleasing your information.

For the parties involved to be able to suc-


cessfully follow these principles, they wouldhave to adhere to the guidelines of good mediarelations. Cuttip et al. (2006) provide someguidelines for good media relations as follows:i. Shoot Squarely: The most important asset in

dealing with the media is credibility whichmust be earned usually over a period oftime. If you can not speak the truth for somelegal / legislative reason then say nothing.

ii. Give Services: The quickest and surest wayto give the cooperation of journalist is topromote them with newsworthy, interestingand timely stories, and pictures that theywant when they want them and in a formthey can readily use. Media relationspractitioners who hope to place stories withnew media must know and adhere to mediadeadlines rules

iii. Do not Beg or Carp: Nothing irritatesjournalist and editors as well as newsdirectors more than the practitioners whobeg to have stories used or complain aboutstory treatment. If information is notsufficiently newsworthy on its own merit,to attract their interest, no amount ofbegging or carping can change the qualityof that information.

iv. Do not Ask for Kills: Practitioners have noright to ask the media to suppress or kill astory. It is seen as an insult to mediagatekeepers. However, if the media reportinaccurate or misleading story, ask for acorrection – rejoinder.

v. Do not Flood the Media: It is advised thatyou stick to what journalist will considernews, keep media mailing hot, current andsend the most appropriate journalist at eachnews media.

Furthermore, every organizations mediarelations department should also conduct aresearch to know not just the objective of themedia relations practice but also the problem ifany. They should decide what the messageshould be and which channel / contemporarytool to use for the dissemination of the messageto the media. They must also evaluate the entireprocess. In fact, the media relations departmentshould plan the media relations process verywell. This is because planning would eliminateunnecessary work, improve work efficiency,ensure that the objectives are achieved, demon-strates value for money and avoid any possiblecrisis in the future. Above all, planning through

the adoption of effective media relations strategieswould help to reduce the challenges that mayarise due to the changing trends in new mediatechnologies.

FACTORS MILITATING AGAINSTEFFECTIVE MEDIA RELATIONS

PRACTICE IN NIGERIA IN THE ERAOF NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES

Increasingly and daily, new media are becominggateways for effective media relations planning,implementations and practice. Media relationspractitioners globally, are now embracing newmedia due to the numerous benefits accruingfrom utilizing them and this has helped ineffective media relations practice in this 21stcentury. Regrettably, as it seems, developingcountries like Nigeria are still lagging behindin the development and utilization of newmedia in all spheres of life, media relationspractice inclusive. Some of the factors responsiblefor this unfortunate development range fromcyber crisis, corruption, Low penetration of NewInformation and Communication Technologies(NICTs) in Nigeria, poor funding of mediarelations department, lack of expertise to poorpower supply.

Some of these factors are examined below.

Cyber Crisis

This is one of the major factors affectingmedia relations practitioners in their use of newmedia. As media relations professional, youare not only working for yourself, you are alsoworking for an organization. Media relationsprofessionals, therefore, should be careful notto make any mistake that could ruin, not justhis or herself but the organization especiallywhen using new media like the internet. Theinternet revolution came with its problem. Ithas the problem of human system failure, net-work problem, virus issues and many others.Campbell et al. (2009) note that “spam andspurious news” are some of the problemsassociated with the internet. This among otherrelated issues constitute cyber crisis for effec-tive media relations practice.

In this age of new media, it is very possiblefor anyone to wreck havoc, create a controversyor mar the image of a company or an individualin any small organization. Even a disgruntle


employer or small/large group of people canmar the image of an organization by pasting acontroversial information on the net. This, nodoubt would affect effective media relationspractice negatively. However, prompt responseto any such information online is one of thefastest means to combat cyber crisis.

Corruption

Corruption is another factor militatingagainst effective practice of media relationsin the era of new media technologies. In thisregard, Okafor (2002) states that many formsof bribery were erroneously described as media/ public relations practice “adversely affectedthe integrity of the profession.” In Nigeria forinstance, it is commonly believed that somemedia gatekeepers ask for ‘white envelope’ inone way or the other before accepting storiesand news release from organizations.

Sometimes, some journalist without recourseto professional ethics rejects stories that arenewsworthy and attractive from organizationsmedia relations department because of lackof incentive. It is not surprising therefore thatoccasionally, there have been issues of distrustor mistrust in media relations practice globallyas manipulations of information has become theorder of the day because of corruption. To tacklethis issue, media gatekeepers must ensure thatthey operate within the confines of the ethics oftheir profession.

Low Penetration of New Information andCommunication Technologies (NICTs)

The world is getting digitalized but generallyless developed countries (LDCs) like Nigeriahave low level of technology of penetration.Danaan (2006) states that “it will take LDCsmany decades to a systematic, efficient andreliable ICTs” new media technologies. However,since most LDCs have realized that virtually allnew technologies are needed in all aspect of life,media relations practice inclusive, they havestarted to take bold steps by making policies thatwould encourage the acquisition and utilizationof the various new media. Nonetheless, Nigeriais still lagging behind when compared withcountries like Ghana and South Africa, whosepower supply history is very encouraging.

Furthermore, even the internet, e-mail and

mobile phones in Nigeria are not easily afford-able, accessible and efficient. Take the e-mailfor example; when messages with attachmentare sent, opening the file takes a lot of time andsometimes may not even open due to the natureof the type of network selected in a bid to savecost.

One of the main reasons for this low tech-nology penetration in Nigeria is the high costof purchase and maintenance of most newmedia majority of new media are producedand designed in Europe, Asia and America andimported in Nigeria at a high cost due to thehigh foreign exchange rate with N150 to $1.Therefore, it is time all hands must be on deckto help Nigeria overcome darkness.

Poor Funding of Media RelationsDepartment

Media relations should be seen as investment.Unfortunately, most organization tends to ignorethe proper funding of media relations depart-ment especially for the acquisition of new me-dia. Ikpe (2005/2006) however asks “will someNigeria organization be able to bear the cost ofacquisition and maintenance of ICTs”? Indeed,inadequate funding also contributed immenselyto poor media relations practice in this era ofnew media technologies.

Apart from acquiring and maintaining of newmedia, media relations department need financefor both planning and implementing mediarelations which are not readily available in mostdeveloping countries.

Lack of Expertise

Media relations practice in this era of newmedia technologies requires expertise for bothin the practice and the use of new media tech-nologies for media relations. It also requiresadequate training of media relations departmentpersonnel’. This required expertise is lackingin most developing countries.

Okafor (2002) attributes this situation tothe fact that early practitioners included peoplewho “rose through the rank and graduates fromother disciplines like Marketing, Psychology,Journalism, Linguistics etc. who did not receiveany formal training in either public relations”or media relations to enable them functioneffectively in government and business organi-


zations. Even those who read Public Relationsare not knowledgeable in all the new mediausage and are not constantly trained in thisregard. Regular training is the key to unlockthis factor.

Even the few who may claim to have fairor good knowledge of new media usage forthe practice of media relations are seriouslyhampered by the unsteady power supplyproblem in Nigeria. Most new media requireconstant and stable power supply. This, unfor-tunately, has been a mirage in Nigeria for a longtime. All these factors if not properly handledcan put the practice of media relations in thisera of new media technologies in jeopardy.

CONCLUSION

Apparently the challenges confronting thepractice of media relations in Nigeria in eraof new media technologies are alarmingand should not be ignored. Efforts at reducingthese factors lie in the hands of all stakeholdersinvolved directly and indirectly in the practice.These include the Nigerian government,media organizations, corporate organizations,government and Non-Governmental Organi-zations (NGOs), individuals, as well as publicand media relations practitioners amongothers. The situation requires advocacy for adeliberate and conscious government policies totackle the various challenges and a clarion callto all the stakeholders for a way forward.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In view of this, the following are recom-mended as part of the ways to reduce and ifpossible eradicate some or all of the factorsmilitating against effective media relationspractice in Nigeria1. Media relations practitioners need to ensure

that the interpersonal relationship estab-lished with media gatekeepers must besustained and maintained mutually as themedia serve as the springboard for theadvancement of the image of their orga-nizations.

2. Organizations in Nigeria and others in mostlydeveloping countries, as it seems are theones lagging behind in frequent trainingof staff, must ensure that their staff are sentfor regular training all over the world soas to keep them abreast with the changing

trends in communication due to the trans-formation brought about by new mediatechnologies.

3. Proper funding of the media relationsdepartment is very essential since moneyis required to off set some media chargesand for instant mobility of media relationsexperts. In fact without money those sad-dled with the responsibility of interactingwith the media in order to represent andprotect the interest of their organizationmay not be able to function as expected.

4. Organizations operating in Nigeria in the21st century should have an active website.Apart from this, the site should be updatedregularly with events happening in theorganization especially those ones whichpertain to their relationship with the mediaand the plan of action they intend to executeover a period of time in favour of their pub-lics. In addition, there is need for quarterlyor as the case may be, online survey throughthe organizations website in order to deter-mine people and the media perceptionabout them. Above all, media relationspractitioners must be ready to use the bene-fit of the internet to their organizationsadvantage but must also be positioned tohelp their organizations deal with the crisisof the Internet.

5. Organizations especially in Nigeria wherethere is still no visible improvement in po-wer supply despite government continuousclaims and promise of providing regularpower supply over the years should end-eavour to generate their own source of po-wer supply while hoping the governmentpromises in their regard would eventuallybe realized.

6. Nigeria government must endeavour toprovide a conducive atmosphere for orga-nizations operating in Nigeria through ste-ady and regular power supply and moderatetaxation for the smooth operations of mediaactivities and other activities.

Unarguably, if seventy-five percent of theabove workable recommendations are putinto action, media relations practice in Nigeriawould be taken to unimaginable height. It wouldalso ensure that the importance of new mediain media relations are felt especially when theright contemporary tools are employed and theappropriate strategies adopted. Furthermore,when and if the recommendations proposed


herein are properly harnessed, it would equallygo a long way to help Nigeria in her quest ofbecoming one of the leading economies in theworld as captured in her vision 2020.

Therefore, all those directly or indirectlyinvolved in the practice of media relations inNigeria must be prepared to merge resourcestogether or separately and be actively involvedin ensuring that the transformations broughtabout by new media technologies in mediarelations practice are adequately explored andthe full benefits completely exploited by all theorganizations operating in Nigeria.

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Documents

The Era of New Media Technologies and the Challenges of Media