Proceedings of 2nd Library and Information Sensitisation Forum Nigeria (LISFN) International Conference 2023

Abstract:

The study considers the social media as a new public sphere where all the keepers of the society as a realm, are kept under some sort of watch as well, in terms of public scrutiny of their actions and inactions. Social media have offered internet users across the globe various discursive spaces with measurable degree of economic and sociopolitical impact. The objective of the study is to explore the social media as a new public sphere and its potential as the fifth estate

of the realm where people converge to engage and debate public issues of importance and watchdog one another in the realm. This is considered from the Nigerian perspective and how the citizens have been able to influence public policies with social media usage. The study explores the following questions: what is the assessment of social media influence on democratization of communication in Nigeria? Can social media be considered as a new public sphere? Is social media a fifth estate of the realm to watchdog the others? The study adopts interview method to sample the opinions of eminent communication scholars such as Dr Yakubu Ozohu-Suleiman and Dr Fatonji. The information gathered were analyzed accordingly

and concluded that social media has democratized communication in Nigeria and offered a relatively free and interactive space for discourse and exchange of information, but not a fifth estate of the realm, rather a digital arm of the traditional media – forth estate.

Keywords: Mass media, social media, public sphere, communication, journalism, society