PERCEPTIONS OF WOMEN IN JOURNALISM PRACTICE IN MAIDUGURI

ABSTRACT The study examines the public perception of female journalists and its implication on their productivity. The study is centered on four objectives: to assess women involvement in journalism practice in Borno State, to ascertain the performance of female journalists in Borno State, to find out the people's perception of women in journalism, and to determine the influence of public perception on the productivity of women in journalism, from which four research questions were derived. Based on the conceptual framework of the study, relevant literatures were reviewed to strengthen and give credence to the objective of the study. The study utilized Feminist Muted Theory as a theoretical framework and survey was used as a method of research. The study used questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. One hundred questionnaires were administered to respondents who are students of the Department of Mass Communication, Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri, using Google form. Findings revealed that 62% of the respondents have negative perception of women in journalism; further findings showed that 65% strongly agreed that female journalists face challenges as a result of gender disparity. It was recommended that media houses should portray women in good light to change the negative perceptions of the public about female journalists. Female journalists should belong to a functional professional body that will fight for their interest. Young female students should be encouraged to go into the journalism profession against the perception that is a male gender profession.