Where are Nigeria’s backpack journalists?

The strong wind of convergence, which became pronounced  around 2000 in the field of journalism, is still growing wild wings. The question is: where is it leading? What we know is  as long as the changes,  dynamism  and enablement being provided by the hurricane of technology and internet continue there may  be no end in sight.

This wind is encouraging economies of scale within media industries.  The shadow of diminishing returns of profit in print journalism is getting darker and thicker and new strategies are being applied.  Full online Newspaper like this medium is gaining ground. In no way are online papers immune from convergence. It pays them better if they embrace this too. Traditional media industry styles are diminishing and the call is now towards convergence. Daily boundaries are broken. There is now merging of varied strategies being into one platform. Big Television media are now playing in text, graphics, audio (podcast) and video arena.  We can imagine what BBC, VOA, Al Jazeera and Channels Television at the home front here are doing with a combination of all the platforms.

Very strong print with presence online are playing with video, text and graphics as well. It seems no one wants to be left behind. While it is true each platform distinctiveness will still be noticed, the fusion brought about by convergence is blurring the marketplace within the media industry.

What is the implication of this for modern day journalist?  There is urgent call for multiple skills professionals. Navbahor  Imamova of  VOA service once challenged journalists that the day of one-skill professionals are gone for good.  Claiming to be a pro in text/print without a strong desire to up the game into basic understanding of how photo, graphics, audio and audiovisual  work may put you in a disadvantaged position  in the days  ahead.

Journalist does not have to be a  jack of all trades in these skills as there will  always be a need for professionals in these fields. But it is foolhardy for journalist or broadcaster of today to pride him/herself in just one skill. It is the shortest route  to extinction.

Has media professional in our clime who still  argue s/he may not be affected considered the fact that abilty to use computer was not initial part of demand of print industry in Nigeria? Have they considered how  stories had to be posted through varied long means and how technology had reduced such problems now? Text, video, photo and podcast can now be sent from the spot and in view cases emailed to or  uploaded  into the  headquarter’s server from thousands of miles away? Have you considered the chances of a journalist without knowledge of how to use email, computer in this age? These were not essential in the 50s.

The incubation  of a backpack journalism began when some Engineers at Columbia University developed a mobile workstations for journalist. This workstation was strapped on a journalist back and  it allowed them to come back from a news event   with varied news contents in video, photo, text among others. The argument against this initially was that the workstation was too big and did impede speed of journalist. As we know, with development of micro software, gadgets and other high power Iphones, heavy backpacks in large workstation may not be necessary again.

In Nigeria, media  owners  are gradually establishing Radio, Television and Print  conglomerate. Today the structure still tends towards separation of these entities. But as we move forward there is a global discussion around media technology convergence (which focuses on  content creation, publishing and distribution for now) and possible media industry convergence in the future. The logistics may not be easy for now as those who had tried this still have issues to resolve but the fact is a time was when it was practically ‘Impossible’  to put a man in  the moon.  We know that challenge had been overcome now.

Backpack or what we call Multimedia journalism professional must bloom now in Nigeria. The media industry is making demands on its professional as new roles and responsibilities are now emerging and this will continue.  Many Newspapers now have online editors but not many are experimenting with video and audio news packaging in their platforms. Soon this will become a norm. More and more changes and disruptions are ahead whether we agree with this or not.

Time is now for journalist, broadcasters in  Nigeria to develop a high level of competence in audio, text, graphics and  video shooting and editing as well as photography. You do jot need many coaches in this regards. There are now software around. At the minimum level, journalist must be accustomed and be ready to combine these new set skills.

Why these new set of skills are not part of job description  demands for now is because  like what obtained in the initial stage within the  advanced world where it all began, the slow internet access and  cost are not making many media houses going headlong with the full demands of convergence details. Hence many are still playing safe with text, graphics and photo which consume less bandwidth when compared with video.

But as market forces continue to play it parts and we have right regulatory framework in place, we know we are gradually coming to the desired  cost and speed.   Full convergence has its benefits as it helps in attracting new audience which may mean more revenue for media houses. We  are aware convergence has its own challenges. But the question today is do we have backpack Journalists now and in the right quantity in Nigeria?. Do not be caught unaware. Your professional future is in your hand!

You do not have to know it all. But you need to know everything about something and something about everything which allied with the  media industry practise. This, combine with character and great work ethics will make a journalist of today indispensable irrespective of where the pendulum of the changes within the industry  swings.

Olaito is a communication and media professional