Media Career Development Specialist Lekan Otufodunrin writes on the increasing number of journalists obtaining doctorate degrees and the impact on their careers and the industry.
The list of practising journalists with doctorate degrees keeps increasing by the year.
Apart from those who have obtained their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, some are about to complete theirs, some have just commenced and others are planning to get admission for the post-graduate study.
At the recent graduation of Caleb University, Ikorodu, multiple award-winning investigative journalist, Olatunji Ololade, who is Associate Editor at The Nation bagged his PhD in Media and Communication Studies with his thesis titled “ Celebrity Culture and Journalism Practice in Nigeria (2021-2023) – A Case Study of The Nation, Daily Trust and The Punch Newspapers.”
Ololade’s academic journey dates back to the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta in 1998 where he obtained the Ordinary and Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication and later a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the Lagos State University (LASU). His Master of Science (MSc) in Media and Communication is from the Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki.
The former Chief Correspondent of Sun Newspaper and Staff Reporter at TELL Magazine is one of the growing circle of many practising journalists across media organisations in the country who have decided to obtain the highest academic qualifications while still in the newsrooms.
“My decision to acquire a PhD in Media and Communication Studies subsequently ( after being Adjunct Faculty with the Pan Atlantic University and Caleb University – both in Lagos), was borne of a personal yearning and professional necessity,” Ololade explained in response to questions shared with him and other practising journalists who are now doctorate holders.
He adds: “ I wanted to interrogate the growing intersection between journalism and external influences, like celebrity culture—how it influences public discourse, media ethics, and the business of news production. Beyond personal curiosity, I saw the need to engage with academic research in ways that shape policy and newsroom practices.”
Top: L-R Ololale, Amah, Tubosia, Olaniyi
Bottom: L-R Adegoroye, Masi, Anosike, Akinreti
Other journalists who responded to our questions also shared similar motives and other reasons for taking up the challenge of acquiring the PhD qualifications while still holding senior editorial positions that required them to deliver on various major assignments.
They also spoke on how they were able to cope, advised colleagues planning to enroll for PhD studies, What impact will having a PhD have on your practice and overall career development and how more journalists having PhD’s can enhance the town and gown relationship between the newsroom and the classroom.
South-South Bureau Chief of The Nation, Bisi Olaniyi, who also bagged his Doctorate in Communication Studies, specialising in Print Media from the University of Port Harcourt said in an interview that undergoing the course as a full-time staff was “challenging and tasking, requiring sleepless nights”
“I sacrificed my social life to meet up. I also gave up my sleep time and spent most nights reading or writing stories,” Woman Editor, National Network Newspaper, Port-Harcourt, Ngozi Anosike who got her PhD in English and Communication Arts from Ignatius Ajuri University of Education recalled.
Asked what advice he has for colleagues intending to enrol for doctorate degrees, Deputy Director, Digital Media at Voice of Nigeria (VON) who bagged his PhD in Communication and Media Studies from Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Qasim Akinreti said they should show and demonstrate determination and plan very well due to the cost implications.
“ It took me 13 years intervals from my first Degree to Masters and PhD. I had to obtain a loan from the office Cooperative and a bank. I hope to complete the repayments by the end of this year,” the former Chairman of the Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) stated.
Head of Press, Office of the Secretary to Rivers State Government, Juliana Masi (PhD, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Port-Harcourt) said they should not hesitate to take the required step, noting that “until you do, you will never realize that you can accomplish it. Decide to challenge yourself. Have an open mind, START. Get a support team, work-home, if none, start anyway. “
Deputy Director, Reportorial with the River State Broadcasting Corporation, Acholonu Ijeoma Tubosia ( PhD Broadcasting and Development Communication, Imo State University) also said “They should first make up their minds, then with hard work and perseverance it can be achieved. Bearing in mind that it is not an easy road, they should not look at the challenges but always remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
On the impact of doctorate degrees on media careers of journalists, Manager News, River State Television Hannah Amah (PhD Educational Management, Planning and Administration, Rivers State University) said “Studying and researching opens your mind to a lot of possibilities, improves your work, gives you more platforms and you become an authority in one or more areas of study, especially what you researched on.
“Your career development is faster and taken to a whole new level, generally you learn to impact what you know because Public Speaking and Paper presentations are part and parcel of the PhD programme. More is expected from you generally as a PhD holder.”
Asked how more journalists having PhD can enhance the town and gown relationship between the newsroom and the classroom, Deputy Editor, (Sunday) New Telegraph, Biyi Adegoroye, (PhD Mass Communication/Media Studies from Lead City University, Ibadan) said “It places us in a unique position to have the best of the two worlds- praxis amen scholarship.”
“We become assets to the universities and often assist in shaping the perception of Mass communication students, and even shape post-graduate research to make them very relevant to solve communication issues in the society,” Adegoroye who is also an adjunct lecturer at McPharson University said.
Associate Professor of Journalism and Director, Digital Media Research Centre at Lagos State University, Ojo Professor Tunde Akanni said the trend of more journalists bagging PhDs is inspiring and beneficial to the two sides, especially given the fast pace of tech impact on the newsroom.
“Intellectual up-scaling for journos is of utmost importance although, for the simplistic ones, this may sound exaggerated,” the former Senior Features Writer at National Concord Newspapers noted.
“You will get to appreciate the need for constant knowledge updating for journos when you listen to them discuss reporting of certain specialized beats especially those with global appeal. Indeed, the claim in some quarters to the effect that newsrooms have left classrooms behind holds no water, unscientific, unfounded and rather reductionist.”
Acting Director, of Fountain University Centre for Research, Innovation and Technology, Dr Rasheed Adebiyi also said It’s good that more practitioners are coming into the research ecosystem.
“It is also an opportunity for practitioners to get into the academia impacting teaching and research.”
FULL INTERVIEWS WITH ‘PhD JOURNALISTS’
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‘We need more professionals with PhDs to teach journalism’
‘Impact of having PhD on media career development’