Traditional and Digital Media: Balancing Regulation with Press Freedom in Nigeria

In the digital media, a lot appears to be happening, particularly in capturing a framework that caters to both traditional and digital media. This study was conducted to assess the regulatory framework that governs traditional and digital media in Nigeria. Furthermore, the researchers also sought to assess the impact of the regulations on press freedom as well as challenges faced by practitioners. The researchers relied on a survey to gauge the perception of carefully selected journalists, legal practitioners, and media consumers in the Southern Taraba senatorial district of Taraba State, Nigeria. The researchers purposively selected 300 respondents as representatives of the demographics and administered questionnaires. The retrieval rate was 94%, as 282 questionnaires were retrieved and usable. Data from the field survey indicate that the current regulatory framework does not address the dynamics of traditional and digital media. The capacity of journalists was also seen as affected by the regulatory framework due to the inhibitive factors and challenges identified, including intimidation, censorship, and a lack of clear media laws. The researchers concluded that excessive regulation undermines press freedom and recommended that stakeholders should always be engaged in drafting the regulatory framework.