Evaluation of the Credibility of 'Oracular Journalism' among Nigerian Media Audiences in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

Background: In most traditional African societies, there is often the notion that prediction is an extra-mundane phenomenon. African journalists have reportedly imbibed the trend of using the mass media to make predictions – this is simply called ‘oracular journalism’ (predictive reportage). Objective: This study investigated the media audiences within the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria evaluation of predictive reportage. Method: This study adopted descriptive survey research with a sample of 381 media audiences who are staff of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, and sampled them using non-probability sampling techniques. The respondents were selected from the academic and non-academic staff of the university while, the data were collated using a structured questionnaire. The data presentation was done using simple percentages, frequency, and tables. Results: The results revealed that the audiences have high knowledge of predictive reportage in the media, but, they did not perceive it as a practice that comes from extra-mundane sources like predictions in African cosmology. One of the findings indicates that Nigerian media audiences perceive ‘oracular journalism’ as an advancement in the journalists’ reporting skills. It was also revealed that, political matters ranked the highest among the areas that the Nigerian mass media make predictions in their reportage. Conclusion: The study concludes that Nigerian journalists should strive to uphold the principles of predictive or oracular journalism, which is part of the latest vogue in journalism practice in the world now. Such adherence to the principles would help the journalists use their professional skills to offer the media audiences the services that social media influencers could not provide. Unique Contribution: This study has indicated that the Nigerian media audiences at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University know about the emerging trend of using the mass media to make predictions for members of the public. This revelation expectedly, should help the journalists to make more efforts to continue to improve their skills or methods of prediction in media reportage. Key Recommendation: The researchers urge Nigerian media practitioners to continue improving on the contemporary journalism vogue that dwells on predicting the future for the media audience.