NEWS GATHERING ACTIVITIES AND JOURNALISTIC PRACTICES IN CROSS RIVER STATE: A STUDY OF CRBC JOURNALISTS

This study investigates Newsgathering and Journalistic Practices in Cross River State, focusing specifically on journalists at the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC). The primary objectives were to identify the challenges faced by journalists in accessing information and sources, analyze the ethical considerations and standards adhered to during news gathering, explore the influence of news organizations on journalistic practices, and assess the credibility of information obtained through various news gathering techniques. Employing a survey research design, the study collected primary data through interviews with CRBC journalists. The theoretical framework used for this study is Social Responsibility Theory. The population of the study comprise of all journalists in CRBC, Calabar, having a total number of 32 journalists but only 12 of them are registered with the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ). The findings indicate that these journalists encounter significant barriers in their news-gathering efforts, including travel restrictions and bureaucratic obstacles, which impede their ability to report comprehensively and promptly. Despite these challenges, CRBC journalists demonstrated a commitment to balanced and objective reporting, adhering to ethical principles that underscore integrity and accountability in their work. The study also uncovered a tension between the journalists' dedication to impartial reporting and the pressure to prioritize government coverage, often exacerbated by organizational leadership that undermines journalistic independence. Based on these findings, the study recommends that CRBC address the mobility and information access challenges faced by its journalists, reinforce the ethical standards and practices they uphold, re-evaluate organizational policies to empower journalists for more comprehensive, objective, and independent reporting, and support robust verification and fact-checking practices.