ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the structures and operations of the Nigerian media systems from 1859 to the present day. It traces the origin of the Nigerian press as a product of missionary enterprise and how the press later contributed to the emergence of the Nigerian First Republic in October 1960. Unfortunately, the media, unknowingly perhaps, contributed to the collapse of the same Republic in January 1966. The study discusses the elements that formed the basis of the establishment of the Nigerian broadcasting systems and reflects on the uniqueness of each of the phases in the evolution of the Nigerian media system. Using the textual analysis approach, the chapter identifies the role of the Nigerian media in this era of modernity. The writer examines the various platforms the old and the new media have created for the Nigerian citizens to relate to one another. The chapter, however, notes that despite the ubiquitous nature of social media, the majority of the Nigerian public appears to rely more on the news and information being provided by the conventional media. This is depicted in the attempts by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to pressure the National Assembly to pass into law a bill proscribing hate speech and thereby censure the activities of social media providers in the country. The chapter therefore examines the nexus between the old and the new media, and ways they could be deployed more effectively to enhance information delivery systems in the country. The various techniques the media use to communicate news and information on events and issues are equally discussed in the study.
