Impact Of Freedom Of Information Act On Journalism Practice: A Study Of Journalism Practice In Uyo Community

Impact Of Freedom Of Information Act On Journalism Practice: A Study Of Journalism Practice In Uyo Community

Chapter One

Preface

Background of the Study

Freedom of information is both a conception in journalism an issue in contemporary medical practice. This controversial conception establishes that media interpreters ‘ especially intelligencer reserve the freedom to probe, to dig, to pry for the purpose of carrying information, news, opinion and publish same without interference. It proposes that the gathering and reporting of news and opinion should operate without any limitation or constraint. In other word intelligencer, like every other Nigeria have the right to hold opinion, admit information and impact ideas without hindrance. This is a abecedarian mortal right guaranteed every existent by the constitution including intelligencers.

Again freedom of information is an essential right for every person; it allows individual and groups to cover their right. It’s an important guard against abuses, mismanagement and corruption. It benefits government themselves in terms of openness and translucency in the decision making process and ameliorate citizen trust in government action.

For the important of the freedom of information, check had shown that nearly seventy( 70) countries around the world including Nigeria haven’t espoused comprehensive freedom of information act to grease access to record held by the government bodies and another fifty have pending sweats. A many countries have issued rulings or used indigenous provision. numerous countries have espoused others that can give for limited access their own records held by the government agencies and private

association, specific bills that give right of access in certain area similar as health, terrain, government procurement and consumer protection.

Freedom of information could be traced to the age enlightenment and development of republic inAmerica.it is a product of libertinism which deduced incontestably from the libertarian proposition of the libertarian approach to the component of libertarian approach of media.

Freedom of Information roundly opposes the authoritarian gospel of the press in which absolute power and control over power, content and the use to which the media could be put abided with the monarch.

As refocused out in chapter five of GOKER.( 2003). mass media and the society. issues and perspectives the authoritarian systempre-supposes that; verity was conceived to be not the product of the great mass of people but a many men who were in a position to guide and direct their fellows therefore, verity was allowed to be centered near the center of power. The autocrats of the time used the press to inform the people of what the autocrats allowed they should know and the programs the autocrats allowed they should support.

The part of the press also thus was primarily to support and advance the programs and thinking of the government in a society where review of the political ministry and officers in power through the media was interdicted.

This contradicts the beliefs of the libertarian that man is a rational being able of choosing between verity and falsehood, deciding between bad and good, and when face with indispensable choices, able to unerringly choose the verity and the good. The press thus, must be free to feed the people with information and allow them to judge because they are rational beings. According to Siebert pater so et ela ― the libertarian

liable assume that in a popular society, there would be multifariousness of voices available to, if not actually reaching the public. ‖ Let every man who has commodity to say on public issues express himself anyhow of whether what he has to say is true or false and the public eventually decided.

Statement of the Problem

Before the signing of freedom of information act( FOI) by chairman Good luck Jonathan on the 28th may 2011, the press went through a lot of review in the hands of people/ government especially the military government which as a result numerous intelligencer/ media interpreters were locked , assassinated and assaulted. still, this exploration work end at studying;

v The effect of government suppression on intelligencers.

v Non access to public information kept by government, public institution and private bodies.

v review and government repression.

Ideal of the Study

It’s a well- known fact that Freedom of Information Act( FOI) was to strengthen the indigenous guarantee of freedom to admit and impact information and ideas. The law encourages investigative journalism, balance reporting, and neutrality, verification of stories, openness, translucency, fairness and delicacy in media donation. thus, the experimenters consider the following objective applicable.

1. To find out the Impacting of Freedom of Information Act( FOI) on intelligencer practices in Uyo Community.

2. To know the extent of Freedom of Information Act Practice in Uyo Community.

3. To determine how Uyo L G A( original government area) encourages Freedom of Information Act.

Exploration Questions

The experimenter ‘s attend in the exploration work will be concentrated on how to answer the following questions;

1. What are the impacts of freedom of Information Act on intelligencers in Uyo community

2. What are the extents of Freedom of Information Act among rehearsing Journalist in Uyo Community

3. How does the government of Uyo community encourages Freedom of Information Act.

Compass of the Study

This study is substantially focuses on the hearthstone of Uyo community which include the four clans of Uyo original government of Akwa Ibom state.

Significance of the Study

This study is end at promoting and encouraging the new law ― Freedom of Information Act ‖ in Uyo community and Nigeria at large. The study will be of great

benefit to the experimenter, intelligencer and the entire Nigeria to embrace the law in order to encourage professionalism and the ethnics of journalism.

Functional Description Of Terms

Freedom This is the power or right to act, speaketc. as one wants without anyone stopping. It’s the authorization to use, act, and speak,etc. without restriction in Uyo community.

Information This is a fact told, heard or discovered about commodity/ notoriety. It’s also seen as knowledge gives provides pass on admit/ gain/ collect about commodity/ notoriety in Uyo community.

Act This is a law made by a congress or analogous body in Uyo community.

Journalism This is the exertion or product of intelligencers or others engage in the medication of written, visual, or audio material intended for dispersion through public media with reference to factual, ongoing events of public concern. It’s intended to inform society about itself and to make public effects that would else be private in Uyo community.