ATTITUDE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Since the general public cannot be in all places at the same time, journalists through the media bring the world closest by reporting politics, sport, disasters even in far away China, UK, US, Russia e. t. c within some seconds. Isamuko, B. (2010)

Journalist is the nose, eye, mouth, ear of the public who help the public to see what is happening, to find-out where it is happening, to help public to ask question on what they want to know from the people involved and to feed them as quickly as possible. Isamuko, B. (2010)

Imagine a life without information, without news, without mass media and journalists.

Journalism is the collection, preparation and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such media as pamphlets, newsletter, magazines, radio, motion pictures, television, the internet and books.

Journalism is one saddled with the responsibility of finding facts, writing news, editing news and other editorial materials that are worthy of public interest for presentation. Journalist work in a radio, television, newspaper, magazine, online news blog/ website e. t. c.

The earliest known journalist product was a newssheet in ancient Rome called the ACTA DIURNA published daily from 59 BC, it was hung in prominent places and recorded important social and political events.

Journalism in the 20th century was marked by a growing sense of professionalism. In our society today it has been observed that there is gender disparity in all quarters, mass media is not an exception yet women journalists have contributed significantly to the development and success of journalism locally and internationally especially in the broadcast media where they serve as newscasters, presenters and reporters.

The research will examine the attitude of secondary school students towards journalism as a career using students of Baptist High School, Iree as a case.

1.2       HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF BHS

The Baptist High School, Iree was founded in February, 1959 and sited at its present location in the valley between Eru and Maye Hills along Iree-Ikirun Road.

The school was earlier planned for establishment in 1958, but for the government policy that somehow changed in favour of the establishment of Babtist High School, Saki, the dream could not be realized for that year.

The person to midwife the proposed school had already been named and given a marching order to move to Iree from his then Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo’s working place. At the change of the policy in 1958, Deacon Isaac Adebisi Adedoyin was asked to continue his good services at the olivet heights, Oyo while every other thing that needed to be done officially to actualize the dream continued in the untiring hands of member of Iree Community, the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the Government.

At the inception of the school, the Baptist High School, Iree wanted to give quality education to the children of her members, mainly to allow the children of the poor to enjoy quality education at minimum cost. However, this golden opportunity was later extended to other denominations and as well as other religions circles with the principles motivation to provide sound and quality education for all attain an enviable feat by wining several academic awards for the good performance of its students.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Basically, the study aims at finding out the attitude of secondary school students towards journalism as a career with the view to know the perception and opinions of students especially those in Art department about the course they have in mind to pursue and the reason.

1.3       PURPOSE OF STUDY

2      To know weather students of BHS know anything about journalism.

3      To know the percentage of BHS students that prefer journalism as a career.

4      To examine what influences the students toward chosen journalism as a career.

5      To know the type of mass media that students of BHS prefer to work.

6      To highlight some of the challenges facing students of BHS to choose journalism as career.

7      To x-ray the contribution of school counselor in helping students of BHS to choose and mould their career.

1.4       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Do students of BHS know anything about journalism?
2. How many students of BHS prefer journalism as a career?
3. What influences the students toward chosen journalism as a career?
4. Which of the mass media are students prefer to work?
5. Is their any challenge facing students of BHS to choose journalism as career?
6. Does school counselor help students of BHS to choose and mould their career?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is hoped that this research work will help education planner to determine the number of upcoming students into journalism.

It will also project to professional journalists how they are judged by the audience.

Parents will also benefit from the work by guiding and educating their children on their careers and expose them to some things that will help molding their careers.

It will also form part of the academic work that future researchers can rely on a as reference material.

1.5       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project has been designed and based on altitudes of senior secondary school students to journalism as a career.

The scope of this project concentrate on senior secondary students of case study to authenticate the attitudes of students to journalism as career. Giving brief history about the case study and various definition of journalism.

It also converse the literature review in which information from different authors basically on the project are gathered from journal from textbooks, journals, handout e.t.c. Relevant information from the case study will also be covered.

Majority those activities being carried out in Baptist High School concerning their attitude to journalism as a career.

1.6       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Uneasy lies the heads that wears the grown so they say. The research on this project is not an expectation because it has been subjected to series of setback and limitations.

There are many limitations ranging form not knowing where to start, not knowing who to consult or approach for materials not knowing what next to write in various segment of this study and not actually knowing who to put me through in achieving my work and others are:

1. Stress from other academic activities is one of the limitations to the research work

2. Financial constraint to travel to different places.

3. Duration for the research work is relatively short

3. Materials that are available on this topic is relatively small as the concept is new or people are not written from that angle.

Other major limitation is difficulties to collect some information and to confirmation some data from the case study there believed that as part of their protocol information should not be disclosed anyhow especially to outsiders.

1.7    DEFINITION OF THE TERM

Attitude– This is the thinking or feeling which female mass communication students exhibits towards the practice of journalism.

Journalism: This is the professional job expected of every graduate of mass communication to practice which is the work of collecting writing and publishing of news stories, articles in Newspapers and magazines or broadcasting them on Radio and Television to inform the general public on things happening in the world

Career: This is a particular job or the type of Job one do in other to earn a living. Such as journalism for graduates of mass communication.