FAKE NEWS AND WHISTLE BLOWING POLICY: AN ASSESSMENT OF THEIR IMPACT ON MEDIA CREDIBILITY

ABSTRACT

The study is focused on the impact of fake news and whistleblowing policy on audience perception of media credibility. Fake news has become a buzzword in recent times and a subject of speculation. Because of the position of the media as the fourth realm of the estate in the society an evaluation of media credibility is crucial. This is because media messages have the power to make or mar the society. This research work is hinged on the framing theory, selectivity theory and the uses and gratification theory. The survey research method was used to gather data used for this study. Using the questionnaire as an instrument of data gathering on 85 students from the department of Mass Communication, the findings of the study revealed that the prevalence of fake news in the Nigerian media is high and factors such as the whistleblowing policy further breeds fake news. The researcher then came to a conclusion that fake news have negatively impacted media credibility and made the masses lose interest in them. The researcher went further to recommend a better regulation of the media, fact checking before dissemination of information and the media operating independently of the government and political actors as some possible solutions to curbing the menace of fake news.