SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND ITS CHALLENGES AMONG PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONERS

Abdulrasheed Ajibola Saadudeen, Fatiu Tope Olohungbebe, Abidoye Fatai Ibraheem

Abstract


This study investigated the motives for adoption of social media platforms among public relations practitioners in public institutions. The study adopted qualitative research method as well as in-depth interview as a data collection instrument through which the use of social media is explored from the practitioners' perspectives. With a population of one hundred and ninety five registered members, purposive sampling method was used to select ten members who are information officers of PR departments or units in public establishments within Kwara State of Nigeria. The findings of the study show that the practitioners use social media due to their importance, such as interactivity, mutual relationship as well as connectedness. Lack of control and irreversible nature of information posted on social media are also identified as few of the challenges encountered by the practitioners. It is, therefore, recommended that more studies should be embarked upon with a view to exploring the influence of other variables, such as self-efficacy, socio-economic influence, availability of enabling technological devices on the adoption of social media among the practitioners.


Keywords


se;challenges; Public Relations; Social Media; Nigeria;

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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.47851/naujocommed.v2i2.135

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Department of Mass Communication. Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.

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