Digital Media and Information Dissemination in Tertiary Institutions in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study digital Media and Information Dissemination in Tertiary Institutions Akwa lbom State. Nigeria sought to determine the extent to which electronic media (e-mail, voice-mail, picture message. and live calls) influence organizational communication in tertiary institutions in the study area. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. Four specify objectives, and a research question were raised and translated into a research hypothesis for testing at .05 level of significance. Conceptual and empirical review of literature indicated that digital media is likely to affect organization communication among staff of tertiary institutions at horizontal and vertical communication patterns. A researcher made instrument called Digital Media Interaction Scale (DMIS) with reliability coefficient of .87 using cronbach Alpha was 752 respondents representing 10% of the study population was used. They were selected using stratified and random sampling techniques where the five governments owned tertiary educational institutions in the study area formed strata. Data collected were analyzed using percentages and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results show that digital communication media have significant influence, ensure more effective and transactional organizational communication at diverse degrees of intensity and reach depending on authority structure and line staff within the institutions examined. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended among others that staff of tertiary academic institutions should be encouraged to use digital communication media to boost effective and efficient communication.