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Media Ownership and Control In A Digital / age of Convergence
TOPIC : Media Ownership and Control In A Digital / age of ConvergenceBold text By AKINRETI, Qasim  Olalere AS PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT IN THE Ph.D CLASS OF MASS COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT, MASS COMMUNICATION BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, ILISAN, OGUN STATE. LECTURER: PROFESSOR DAYO ALAO

JANUARY, 2013. Introduction Globally the issue of media ownership is very germane to the management and practice of journalism in its entirety. This is simple because it a major determinant of the control of the operations and funding of communication systems by an individual, corporate or government. Arguably, the ownership structure of media organisations shape the content, slant of news, programmes  and the direction of media messages in discharge of the major role of the media to inform, educate and entertain the people.(Sina Aina 2002) The media ownership and control are products of the communication policy and systems of a particular country. According to UNESCO, 1972, Dayo Alao, 2012 that communication policy are sets of principles and norms established to guide the behaviour of communication systems… shaped in the context of society’s general approach to communication. To that extent the communication policy emanate from political ideologies, the social and economic conditions of the country and the values on which they are based, they strive to relate these to the real needs and prospective opportunities of ‘communication’.

Braid el at (1990) supports this argument by referring to communication policy as the guidelines on ownership, distribution and utilization of communication resources; define the role of communication in society; define the relationship between media, government and business; provide the framework by which the present structures may be transformed so that they can support the goals of building a just and humane society. It is within this line of thought that Dayo Alao (2012), to a well articulated plan, guidelines, drawn up government thorough consultations with stakeholders in the communication industry covering wide range of structures, institutions related to communication in its entirety. These include: Ownership and control, Funding (Subsidies or grants), Tax incentives, Licensing power, Content rules, and Regulatory framework among others. He further opines that as a policy, it a product of the values and orientation of the people in a country expressed through communication channels of newspapers, magazine, radio and television, lately the online platforms. To him, A national communication policy cannot and should not be an aim in itself. It should be formulated in accordance with the development priorities of each country. National development communication policies should complement other sectoral development policies and promote and support their objectives. Specialised communication strategies should be formulated for each technical sector, and the content of communication messages must be provided by the different technical sectors and specialists. This description of communication policy tallies with submissions of Media scholars like Abrahamson 2001, Daly 2003 and McQuil2005. According to them, communication policy must be seen from the prism of media regulation and media governance. Abramson (2001) argues that media regulation flows from media policy. Regulation is the instrument through which the state supervises controls or curtails the activities of non-state actors in accordance with policy. Regulation, therefore, consists of the deployment of specific and building implements used to intervene in media markets and systems e.g. quotas, ownership restrictions, competition rule among others. 3 To Daly,(2003) Media governance is a more contemporary phenomenon that reflects the shifting locale of power towards supra or sub-national levels as well as the development of non-government modes of organisation and forms of influence. He posits that as distinct from the concept of government, media governance “is seen to imply a network form of control to refer to primarily to a process and to have associated with its diverse agents”. And for McQuail (2005), communication policy is broader both spatially and instrumentally than regulation and “refers not only to formal binding rules but also to numerous informal mechanisms, internal and external to the media by which they are “steered” towards multiple objectives “(McQuail, 2005). Adesoji, Hahn 2011, concludes that media ownership is central to the functionality, style, outlook, survival and perception of newspapers. While using historical approach, Adesoji and Hahn submits: The glamour and self fulfillment in newspaper proprietorship as well as the parochial interest which some newspapers have served allure their owners and even encourage the addition of new titles even when other dynamics point to the contrary. African Study Monographs,32(4).pg 177-203 Aside from the communication policy, the effect of the Second World War, economic, political interests, advancement in technology and globalization, equally defines the scope and magnitude of the media ownership and control from one country to another. In this line of thought that this paper will examine media ownership and control and its effect in a digital age.

The approach will cover the evolution of media ownership and control, its features, operations, effects on mass media or inherent problems and the suggestions for the way forward. Evolution of media ownership and control Grants, (1971), O’Brien, (1976), Nyamajor, (2002) traced the evolution of media ownership and control to the nature of the media – print, news agencies or electronic- Radio and Television. According to them, media ownership and control can plural or a mix of state owned /public owned and private owned.

Dare 1997:543-544, agrees with the above submission, noting that the Nigerian press before 1990s was dominated by government –owned newspapers, but it was the privately owned newspapers and magazines that exerted the most influence on public policy. The Print media and News Agencies For newspapers or print media, the private, corporate or group of people owned this outlet more in Europe and western countries. Specifically in the western countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, US, and Germany, media ownership and control are dominated by the private entrepreneurs. A good example is Rupert Murdoch - one of the best known 'media moguls' in the western world. He owns a 30% share in News Corporation, News Corp HQ is in Sydney, Australia. In the UK newspapers industry, he owned News Corporation publisher of Daily Telegraph, The Times, and Sun newspapers. China,Latin America and Africa was a mix bag of government and the private entrepreneurs, More pungently, in Africa and Nigeria, the colonial powers allowed religious groups to first take over the ownership of the print media as demonstrated in the establishment of a printing press and newspapers in 1797 in Egypt, 1800 in southafrica, 1801 in Sierra Leone and 1826 in Liberia. 5 The very first printing press in Nigeria was established in Calabar in 1846 by Reverend Hope Waddell of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Mission. The press was used to print Bible lessons and later arithmetical books for schools. (Ajibade 2003) In 1854 another missionary based in Abeokuta, Reverend Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), established a press. Five years later, (1859) he used it to print the very first newspaper in Nigeria “Iwe Irohin”. From that effort grew what we know today as the CMS Press, which has published thousands of books in Nigeria. The News agencies in Europe were owned by private entrepreneurs, - groups, or press associations and government owned. The Associated Press, (AP), was owned by North American newspapers group. Reuters owned and controlled by the British, Australian and Newzealand press group. United Press International, (UPL) is owned and controlled by Scripps –Harvard newspaper chain in the US. Agence France Presses,(AFP), is a mixed enterprise run and funded by  French press unions and government organisations. The TASS,XINHUA are  state owned news agency by the Russian  and the Chinese governments. The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN), is established and funded by the Nigerian government. These media channels dominated the new distribution channels vital to the print and electronic media globally. The Electronic / Broadcast media Unlike the print media, generally, the ownership and control of the electronic media are state run and later taken over by private investors through the process of deregulation in some countries. Two factors are responsible for this. Radio and Television are instruments of propaganda and public enlightenment on government policies. Hence government hold on it is justified. The following examples amplified this decision. The British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, is a radio and television arm, owned by the British government, funded by the tax payers’ money through the Act of Parliament. It is used primarily to inform, educate and entertained the British people, through BBC Radio 1 and its cities outfit like BBC Nottingham, Birmingham etc.

For the wider world on the activities of the British government and its interest locally and internationally, BBC World Service has remained constant like the “Northern stars”, as the first among the equals in the external broadcasting world. The Voice of America, VOA, is a US government radio station totally subverted by the state department.

The Federal radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Voice of Nigeria, VON, and the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, as well as NTA International were established by the Nigerian government to disseminate information to the people locally and externally. They are funded through appropriation and the federation account.

However, the new era of privatization and deregulation has seen the FRCN and NTA’s funding, partly coming through commercialisation of its news and programmes. The deregulation of the broadcasting industry in the 1992 had seen the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, given licenses to more private entrepreneurs, companies and institutions to owned radio and television outfits. Today, according to the NBC website, there are 105 TV stations. 90 owned by the federal and state governments and 15 by private entrepreneurs, and companies, owned and run TV stations out of 25 offered the license. 34 had wireless cable MMDS,5 Direct to home satellite TV. 97 radio licenses were in operations, 73 for the federal and state governments and 24 for private entrepreneurs. Interestingly 55 companies already had the license for operations. 24 universities and polytechnics had campus radio license. In all, the ownership and control of radio and television cut across different professionals aside from journalists. It is an all comers affair. 4 Journalists Chris Anyawu- Hot FM, John Momoh-Channels TV, Chris Izamuje- Brilla FM and Steve Ojo of Galaxy TV, are keeping the flag flying for the media professionals.

The Bruce brothers, owners of Silverbird TV, Rhythm FM,Raymond Dokpesi,-Raypower FM,African Independent Television, AIT, and Murhi Okunola of MITV, Star FM and Amin Monsalli of Nigeria Info FM, Cool FM,Cool TV  holds the baton for private  interests in the Nigerian media. Surprisingly, a foreigner Amin Mousalli- a Lebanese, just like Rupert Murdock in UK and US, had the opportunity to invest in the Nigerian media industry. Against this backdrop, Sina Aina, Nyamajor 2002, Anyakora, Potiskum, 1996, submits that there are four major types of media ownership and controls at the turn of the 90’s. They are religious group, political parties, private entrepreneurs and government at the federal, and states level jostling for stiff competition in the media space. The religious groups are coming through terrestrial and satellite broadcast Channels of DSTV, Bsky B outside the country. Examples are the Catholic media, Dove Media owners of Superscreen TV, The Redeemed TV, Muslim Television Ahmadiyya, MTA, based in London, UK. Political parties are using surrogate media companies to participate in media ownership and control.(Bola Ahmed Tinubu owners of Radio Continental,RC and Television Continental,TVC, Gbenga Daniel owners of Rainbow FM and Compass Newspapers. Senator Tunde Ogbeha established Hot FM and Senator Mike Ajegbo of Minaj TV are good example of politicians of different political parties owning radio and television companies.   Private entrepreneurs and media professionals like Raymond Dokpesi, owners of Daar Communications-AIT, Raypower and Daar sat, Muritala Gbadeyanka of MITV, John Momoh, of Channels TV, Sam Amuka of Vanguard newspaper, Isah Funtua and Maina Wada of People’s Daily and Nduka Obaigbena of Thisday Newspaper.

The conceptual approach Biagi (1999), Guardian Media guide,UK (2001) identifies four types of media concentration or ownership. They are 1.	Concentration of ownership within one industry (e.g. a chain of newspapers- the Rupert Murdock media empire ) 2.	Cross-media ownership (a company owning more than one type of medium, e.g. newspaper, Radio and television interests- the triple heritage communication owned by the former Nigerian president Ibrahim Babangida, Darr Communications of Raymond Dokpesi, Tinubu media empire- Radio and TV Continental as well as The Nation Newspaper ) 3.	Conglomerate ownership (a company with media interests as well as other business interests- The Axel Springer press group in Germany- A large industrial firm ) 4.	Vertical integration (companies owning different levels of the same industry, e.g. production and distribution- AOL –Time Warner group America Online (internet provider) and Time Warner (owned CNN news station, plus other TV companies, Time magazine, other magazine companies and Warner Bros films), The features of media ownership and control Funding The media organisations established by the government are funded by direct allocation through subvention by act of parliament. The funds for the operations Nigeria state media establishments - NTA, FRCN AND VON are from the federation account through appropriation from the National assembly. State radio and television stations receives annual subvention from respective state governments. As result if direct funding through subventions, government controls the operations of the media organisation through the appointment of their stooges as Director Generals, Managing Directors and Executive Directors to influence the editorial policy of the media outfit. In most cases (politicians- professionals) are appointed who will do the bidding of the government. These are noticeable in the appointments of Managing Directors Daily Times, before it was sold by the government. Till today, the appointments of Director Generals in NTA, FRCN are based on political considerations. Invariably, self censorship on stories pertaining to government activities is the order of the day. Stories from the opposition groups are treated unprofessionally or not given air space at all. The case is even worse with private ownership; radio or TV media executives are appointed based on religious, political and social affiliations. Hence, stories against the interests of the owners are not used. Conversely, stories in favour of the owners are given special and speedy treatment. The editorial slant of the defunct National Concord, The Citizen Magazine are good case in point. Today,Thisday,Tribune, Leadership, Daily Trust, The Nation newspapers  editorial policy are geared towards their owners interest. Nwachuku Florence 1996 echoes this submission: The Nigeria Tribune and the Daily Sketch were used to advance the political interest of Obafemi Awolowo, while the Concord Group of newspapers represented the interests of their owner, Moshood Abiola and his political National Party of Nigeria (NPN). The role of the newspapers in political party partisanship continued in the 1990s. Funding of private media outfits newspapers, radio and television are done  through direct investment, bank loans and overdrafts, shares, private placements adverts from multinationals, government agencies and other corporate bodies. Some years back in Nigeria, the shares of defunct daily times was listed on the Nigerian stock exchange. Daar Communications owners of Raypower FM and African Independent Television, AIT, also had a public listing of its shares after securing loans from consortium of banks. Advertisements are also been used subtly to control the media as one of the main source of funding. Government adverts are directed to government owned media outlets to secure their loyalty and influence the news slants. Ironically, this started during the colonial era as reported by Sina Aina, pg 194, 2002. He cited the favoritism given to the Anglo-African newspapers (1863), The Pioneer newspaper got 900 to 950 pounds adverts while The Record newspaper realized 350 pounds from European advertisement. This explained the papers pro government stance. Today, the private newspapers like The Guardian, Thisday newspapers are also guilty of adverts patronage from government, which affect their editorial policy in some instances. Other Media groups also curry the favour of government agencies and parastatals for adverts which eventually influences their news judgment. Uche, 1989. Herman & Chomsky, 1988, describes this attitude as the main source of the conflict of interest as ownership colours or censors news items that may endanger it, particular when such information is widely publicized. Thus news objectivity is sacrificed. Editorial Policy Control The slogan he who pays the piper, dictate the tunes is apt in the area of editorial control of the media .Over the years, media owners both government and private have held firm control on the editorial policy of their respective media organisations. In the days of the Daily Times, New Nigerian newspaper, Daily Sketch, the Nigerian observer, Nigerian tide editorial policy are uncritical of government policies or programmes. Dayo duyile, former editor of the daily sketch jointly owned by the governments of Oyo,Ogun,Ondo,Osun and Ekiti states relates his experience cited in Oso(Op cit),thus The board…dictates the proprietors’ tune, the general manager trumpets it loud to the ears of his staff, and the editor marries the music to synchronize the board editorial policy….Sina Aina, 2002 Pg199. Presently, the editorial policy of The Nation Newspaper, Radio and TV Continental stations  owned by the National leader of the opposition group-Bola Tinubu, are dictated by his socio-economic and political interests. Most news stories from the above media organisations are at variance with the policy thrust of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. It virtually knocks down government policies and programmes perceive injurious to the people aspirations. At the same time, the newspaper promotes the interests of the opposition groups, especially Action Congress Governors. The Guardian, Thisday newspapers editorial, though quiet elitist, are alleged tinted towards the interests of the publishers. In some cases the editorial policy are in support of government and at some point against the government. The sole determinant is the publisher’s interest. Coker 1968: (109-110), Dare 1997 sums up the competing interests such as ethnic, political, religious and economic exerted on the media through their editorial policy. In most bracing form, privately owned newspapers were sophisticated political weapons in the hands of their owners who has political ambitions. Regulations These are related to administrative and legal controls of the media by the government to monitor their operations and activities. In this respect, Nigerian government set up the following regulatory agencies for the task. The Nigeria Press Council, NPC, was set up to monitor the operations of the print medium-Newspapers, magazines and journals. The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, license, monitor the broadcast  media organisations, outline the rules of engagement in terms of news and programmes as stated in the broadcasting code. For example, emphasis is placed on 60 per cent to 40 per cent local content for news and programmes in any radio and television stations. Any breach of the broadcasting code attracts sanctions, ranging from fines to withdrawal of licenses. It is on record that the NBC has fined and withdrawn the licenses of two broadcasting stations for unethical practices in recent years. Some federal and state owned radio and TV stations were fined for unbalanced reporting and denying opposition parties’ fair hearing on their local stations. Adaba FM a private radio station in Akure, Ondo station also got the wrath of NBC for an alleged inaccurate political broadcast. The radio station license was withdrawn and fined but it went to court to upturn the sanction. Channel TV in Lagos license was equally withdrawn momentarily for an embarrassing news story on the health condition of Late President Musa Yar Adua. After a series of interventions from prominent Nigerian and a letter of apology, channels TV license was returned. Aside from the NBC, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is another media regulatory agency, established to allocate the spectrum for the radio and television stations, as a form of legal control on the ownership for the broadcast industry. This form of regulation on media ownership and control is the order of the day globally. In the UK,the Communications Act 2003 of the United Kingdom   gave a regulatory  body, the office of communications, Ofcom , with  regards to the  legal recognition  for  the operation of community radio services and lifted the controversial restrictions on cross-media ownership. Aside from the broadcast media, the communications act also  have control  and regulations of internet services in the areas of  illegal  use  of other people's  open internet communication access called the wifi broadband connections without their permission. More importantly, the legislation also gave for the first time non-European entities opportunity to totally own a British television company.

The digital age conundrum In the present digital age, news production through blogs, twitter, facebook, podcasting, peer-to-peer file sharing, on-demand entertainment, and the digitization of television, radio, and satellite have positive and negative implications for media ownership and control globally. Some critics believe these technologies keep the public more involved in news production, in terms of content. They react to news items on matters of public importance at a tickling of an eye and influence the editorial comments in some instances. Furthermore in the 21st century, new media owners have emerged who published online and equally influence the flow of media control. With the digital media, they have equally encouraged propaganda disguised as news. Here, both professionals and Non professionals are involved. The non –professionals call themselves citizen journalists.

It is now becoming increasingly difficult to monitor or control their activities on the social media. They do throw ethical issues overboard because the traditional media regulatory agencies cannot track them down.

In the words of Steve Case, the founder of AOL, the new media has truly come of age. It has will fundamentally change the way people get information, communicate with others, buy products and are entertained" And for George Monbiot, anti-globalisation writer/campaigner, an end to residual freedom of a consolidating press has come and the glorious flowering of internet democracy has taken over. Accordingly, the ownership and control of the media are now dictated by globalisation and technology.

The Constraints of media ownership and control a. Media are now more than ever before being used as instrument of propaganda, blackmail, intimidation, cover up and exploitation of politicians and businessmen b. There are apparent financial difficulties in terms of inadequate funding of the state owned media organisations and private investments in the media. c. Going by the Nigerian experience in media ownership and control in the digital age ,there are inadequate personnel   and specialist working in the regulatory agencies  for proper monitoring of the media D.Unethical practices and breach of broadcasting code more  by the private media organisations as Tuchman (1978: 2 explains “ Ethics and truth in journalism have assumed global concern as scholars recognize that their basic constituents of objectivity, accuracy, fairness and balance have merely assumed mythical qualities as journalists battle to assign credibility to their news stories.)  He describes objectivity as `facticity' (a mechanism which allows the journalists to hide even from themselves the `constructed' and `partial' nature of their stories”. e .Loss of cultural values through globalisation- the use of English as language of broadcast  has affected the psyche of the youths and diverted their attention to listen to enlightened news and programmes  most media organisation depend so much  on cheap and imported programmes of little relevance to Africa’s development.  Informed Documentaries   have given way to mediocrity F. Commercialization of news and programmes has become the vogue in the Nigerian media as the ownership and control of the media are tending towards the private entrepreneurs and government pursuance of partial commercialisation of its media due to economic considerations. Willie Nnorom (1994 cited in Ekwo 1996:63) defined news commercialization as "a phenomenon whereby the electronic media report as news or news analysis a commercial message by an unidentified or unidentifiable sponsor, giving the audience the impression that news is fair, objective and socially responsible". This, in the main is detrimental to the core role of the media to inform, educate and entertain the people on issues germane to their progress and development. UNESCO (1980:152) report alluded to the commercialization of news when it wrote: The news has become commercial product... important developments in the countryside are pushed aside by unimportant, even trivial news items, concerning urban events and the activities of personalities. Though nearly three decades old, UNESCO's assertion certainly has currency in Nigerian media scene as news items have to be paid for by those who want to be heard. News is no longer about reporting timely occurrences or events, it is now about packaged broadcast or reports sponsored or paid for by interested parties. By this practice individuals, communities, private and public organizations, local governments, state governments and ministries, gain access to the mass media during news time for a prescribed fee. The message they wish to put across is then couched in the formal features of news and passed on to the unsuspecting public. Conclusions To a greater extent, the media ownership and control in Nigeria has gone through different phases in line with the global practices in the media. The tradition of using the media as a political tool during the colonial era and has continued in the present dispensation more importantly by the new breed politicians in disguise of providing credible platforms for the people to be informed, educated and entertained. The liberalization policy of the media space in the 1990s  has encouraged proliferation of private investment in the media landscape, especially the broadcast media. Just like the Rupert Murdock taken over of the media space in the UK, a non Nigerian- Amin Mousalli, a Lebanese has now been given broadcast license to own both radio and television outfits. The entrants of his radio stations- Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Nigeria Info FM and Cool TV have really redefined broadcasting in a digital age. Despite this development, the monitoring of editorials or contents from these media outlets by the media regulatory agencies has suffered a great set back.

Recommendations Going by global practices, the state and the private entrepreneurs should continue to own the media outlets but the media regulatory agencies should be up and doing to control the media contents which will ultimately promote unity and progress of the country. Greater emphasis should be devoted to manpower development or capacity building for the officials in regulatory agencies to keep in tune with the challenges of the digital age. There should be clear demarcation between commercialisation of news and programmes as well as public service news items. References Aluma, V.A.(2010).Theorizing Popular Community media for Democracy and Development. Cited in Popular Media, Democracy and Development in Africa. Edited by Herman Wasserman. Taylor & Francis. Anyakora, G.Potiskum.S, 1996: The state of the media in Nigeria, in k-Blay,Amihere and Alibi(eds) state of the media in west Africa,1995-1996. Accra: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung:pp101-108. Coker, I.H.E. 1968.Landmarks of the Nigerian Press in Nigeria, 1859-1965.Nigeria National Press. Dakroury, A.1: Who Owns the Medium Owns the Message? The Ambiguity of the Right to Communicate in the Age of Convergence Dimkpa,P. 1997 : Media Management in Nigeria. OrgCanon Consultant ,Lagos Nigeria Dare, O, 1997: The Press. In (L.Diamond,A.Kirk-Greene & O.Oyeleye,eds).Transition Without End: Nigerian Politics and Civil Society under Babangida ,pp535-551.Vantage Publishers, Ibadan. Duyile, D.1987.Makers of Nigerian Press: An Historical Analysis of Newspapers Development, the pioneer Heroes, the Modern Press Barons and the New Publishers from 1859-1987.Gong Communications Nigeria, Ltd, Lagos. Ekwo. Uchenna (1996) "Commercialization of the news in Nigerian media: An Impediment to Information flow" In Ikechukwu Nwosu and Uchenna Ekwo (eds) Mass Media and Marketing Communications. Enugu: Thought Communications Publishers. Pp 61- 77. Herman, E.S & Chomsky, N.1988. Manufacturing Consent; The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Pantheon Books, NewYork. McQuail, D. (2000) McQuail's Mass Communication Theory. Fourth edition. London, Sage Publications. Omenugha, K.A & Oji, M: News commercialization, ethics and objectivity in journalism practice in Nigeria: strange bedfellow? Nnamdi Azikwe University, Nigeria; Delta State University, Nigeria Oso, Lai (2000) "Inculcating ethical standards through education and retraining" In Ethics and Regulation: Formulating a working agenda for journalists and the media. Lagos: International Press Centre. pp 24 - 38. Onanuga Bayo,1996 : Challenges  of the  Besieged  Press  on state  Of the Media. Published By Lagos State Council  of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists. Omu ,F.I.A. 1978: Press Freedom In Nigeria –A critical  Analysis of Salient Issues .Alayande Printing & Publishing  Company Ltd, Abeokuta, Nigeria Uche, Luke Uka (1989). Mass Media, People and Politics in Nigeria. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. UNESCO Report on News commercialization, ethics and objectivity in journalism practice in Nigeria: Strange bedfellows? Cited by Kate Azuka Omenugha & Majority Oji. Journals Adesoji ,A.O.,Hahn,H.P.,2011 :When (Not) to be a Proprietor: Nigerian Newspaper Ownership in a Changing Polity: In African Study Monographs,34(4) Oso Lai,1998: “Perspectives on Ownership  and Control  of the Press in Nigeria”, In  “The  POLYMATH”, Journal  of the ogun state  polytechnic, Abeokuta , Nigeria .Vol No 1 pg 75-78. Paper Presentations Dare (1998).Democratisation in Africa: What role for the Africa media.”Paper presented at the 11th biennial conference on African Council for Communication Education, Nairobi, Kenya.9 -15th October. Unpublished Paper Oloyede ,I.B, 2002: The Pres s Under the Military Rule in Nigeria.1966-1993, an unpublished PH.D Thesis  submitted to the Department of  Language and Communication  Arts, University Of Ibadan, Nigeria Online Access Botelho, S, 2011. How traditional media companies should reshape for the digital age. White paper on Traditional Media Lags In Product Development and IT Proficiency. Accessed on 13th Jan.2013 at 8.44pm  on www.foliomag.com/media-management-in the digital - age. Nwachuku,F.C 1999:Media ownership in Nigeria: Present and future perspectives .cited in akodu1.blogspot.com/2009/04/media-ownership-in –Nigeria-bane-or boon. Accessed on January 20th, 2013 at 6pm. Pavlik J.V, 2008. Media in digital age –. Accessed 13 January .2013 at 8.51pm on www.amazon.com/media-digital-age- john-pavlik/dp/0231142099. Websites www.nbc.gov,ng www.amazon.com/media-digital-age- john-pavlik/dp/0231142099 www.foliomag.com/media-management-in the digital - age.