Influence of Social Media on Youths’ Usage of Traditional Mass Media in Nigeria

Abstract

The social media are very popular means of public communication mostly among the youth all over the world.  This paper mainly investigated influence of social media on youth’s usage of traditional mass media in Nigeria. The study was conducted using survey research method, sample size of 500, multi-stage sampling technique was adopted to draw samples and questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. The study revealed that social media create a link enabling youth audiences using them to access traditional mass media online. Thus, social media widen the horizon of media convergence. Also, the study found that youths use social media to date, indulge in cybercrimes, discuss national issues like economic, politics, and socio-religious matters; but most of them do not use the media to communicate to their national leaders on aforementioned issues. Based on the results, the researchers’ recommend that the government enact laws to guide the youths’ uses of the media.

Keywords: Social media, traditional mass media, use, convergence, communication