Impact Of Advocacy Journalism In Combating The Spread Of Fake News In Enugu State

Abstract

The stability and advancement of Nigeria are now seriously threatened by the proliferation of fake news. In recent times, fake news has contributed greatly to sparkling unrest in different corners of Nigerian society. The goal of this study is to examine the impact of advocacy journalism in combating fake news in Enugu, to determine the effectiveness of advocacy journalism in fighting the spread of fake news in Enugu State, to analyse the roles of advocacy journalism on combating the spread of fake news in Enugu State? And to identify the challenges affecting the usage of advocacy journalism in combating fake news in Enugu? A mixed method of research design which entails collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted. The sample size of 384 at 95% confidence level was used. The instruments for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. The results of the distributed questionnaire were presented in tables using simple frequency, percentage and mean analysis. The explanation building technique was used to present the interview data. Findings from the data analysis revealed that the impact of advocacy journalism on combating the spread of fake news is rated high. The researcher suggests that effective tactics have to be developed to halt the spread of fake news, restore public trust in the media, and alert people to the dangers of misinformation and fake news.