Mountain Top University Library

The growth of social media has incontrovertibly charted new frontiers for conventional journalists. Social media platforms have not only emerged as important news platforms for the public but also useful tools for journalists. Media houses have now formed digital divisions solely tasked with operating websites and social media handles. The huge flow of information through social media platforms makes journalism more of a desk job; leaving less time for field works and research. This study sought to find out the extent to which print media journalists utilize social media for news gathering. It also examined the social media tools that print media journalists use and challenges they encounter while gathering news as well as how the information gotten from the social media is verified before dissemination. The study used questionnaire to collect data from 50 respondents who were purposively sampled. The collected data was analysed and the results presented through tables, frequencies and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that print media journalists make adequate use of social media for news gathering. Twitter and YouTube are the tools used mostly by print media, while credibility of the source is the challenge mostly encountered by print media journalists. The study recommended better ways of utilization of social media, enhancement of credibility of the social media content, adherence to ethical standards and policies, strict gate keeping rules in order to ensure quality of content.