COMMUNITY JOURNALISM AND THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL REPORTING IN OSUN STATE

ABSTRACT This research examine the ‘Community Journalism and the challenges of Rural Reporting in Osun State. The specific objectives were to examine the role of community journalism in rural development, to examine the effectiveness of these channels of communication, to examine the attitude and perception of rural dwellers to community journalism and to examine the challenges of rural reporting in Nigeria. The sample for this study was aimed at One-hundredand Fifty (150) drawn based on population studied by combination of simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaire and the descriptive method for data analysis has been supplemented with the use of some stratified instruments. The study concluded that: Nigerian press and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) as an institution or organ is expected to report all or every sector of the Nigerian economy with sufficient attention on each sector. As observed in the study, it would be necessary for the Nigerian press and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to give equal attention to all sectors of rural development. The researcher hereby recommended that: Community reportage should be established for the primary aim of canvassing and monitoring development policies and projects including focusing attention on the development needs of the rural people, Every newspaper or broadcasting house should create development desk just as there exist foreign, sports, business desks, among others. With this, there will be increased coverage of development activities and Correspondents should be employed from amongst the rural people. They should be trained and made to cover their areas.