1
THE ATTITUDE OF FEMALE MEDIA STUDENTS TOWARDS
JOURNALISM AS A CAREER: A CASE STUDY OF THE ARIZONA STATE
UNIVERSITY
BY
COM 471 - Global Media and Cultural Identity
i
DECLARATION
This research report is my original work and has not been presented for a degree I any
other university. No part of this project may be reproduced without prior permission by
the author or Arizona State University.
STUDENT NAME:
Signature __________________Date ____________
This report has been submitted for examination with my approval as University
Supervisor.
NAME OF SUPERVISOR:
Signature __________________Date ____________
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
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ABSTRACT
The researcher in this work exhausted the systematic arrangement of the work in
sequential order. The preceding chapters of this work have among other things tried to
summarily review, discuss and interpret the Attitude of Female Mass communication
Students towards Journalism as a Career at Arizona State University. Chapter one, gives
a detailed introductory overview on how the female journalists neglect the practice of
their profession after studying it the universities thereby creating an imbalance in the
number of female and male trained journalists working in the field, as it is seen that the
number of male in the field and media houses surpassed the number of female
notwithstanding the fact that the number of female journalists who graduates each year
from the United States. Institutions are greater than the number of the male journalist
graduates. Chapter two projected the literature that were used in building up this work,
how they were reviewed ranging from the female Journalist Attitude towards Journalism
as a Career. All these were reviewed to know more about the reason behind the Negative
Attitude of Female Mass Communication Students towards Journalism as their Career.
Chapter three treated the issue of research methodology ranging from the research design,
population of study, sampling techniques, using the systematic sampling technique. The
researcher’s method of investigating was based on the copies of questionnaire that were
distributed to the selected respondents. In chapter four, data presentation was done
through analytical process that followed each table and the tables were properly
interpreted according to the data computed therein. The chi-square Goodness of fit test
was adopted as a means for testing the hypotheses formula. In chapter five, the researcher
gave a brief summary of the whole work done in this research work, the findings,
conclusion and recommendations.
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TABLE OF CONTENT
CONTENTS
DECLARATION .............................................................................................................. i
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENT .................................................................................................. iii
CHAPTER ONE- INTRODUCTION .............................................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the Study ........................................................................................ 1
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem ....................................................................... 5
1.3 Objectives of the Study .......................................................................................... 7
1.3.1 General objective ............................................................................................ 7
1.3.1 Specific Objectives ......................................................................................... 7
1.4 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 7
1.5 Research Hypothesis .............................................................................................. 8
1.6 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................. 8
1.7 Importance of the study .......................................................................................... 9
1.8 Limitations of the study ......................................................................................... 9
CHAPTER TWO-REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................... 11
2.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 11
2.2 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................ 11
2.2.1 Self-Presentation Theory ............................................................................... 11
2.2.2 Self-Perception .............................................................................................. 12
2.2.3 Social Cognitive Theory ............................................................................... 12
2.3 Conceptual Framework: Review of Concept ....................................................... 13
2.3.1 The Concept of Attitude ................................................................................ 15
2.3.2 The Concept of Journalism ........................................................................... 17
2.3.3 Female Attitude towards Journalism ............................................................. 17
2.3.4 Discrimination of Female Journalism ........................................................... 19
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2.3.5 Impressions about Female Journalists ........................................................... 24
2.4 Review of Related Studies ................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER THREE-RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................. 29
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 29
3.2 Research Design ................................................................................................... 29
3.3 Population of Study .............................................................................................. 30
3.4 Sampling Frame ................................................................................................... 30
3.5 Sampling Technique ............................................................................................ 30
3.6 Description of Research Instrument ..................................................................... 31
3.6.1 Validity of Data Gathering Instrument ......................................................... 32
3.7 Data Collection Procedure ................................................................................... 32
3.8 Pilot Test .............................................................................................................. 33
3.9 Data Processing and Analysis .............................................................................. 33
CHAPTER FOUR - DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS . 35
4.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 35
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis ............................................................................ 35
4.2.1 Analysis of Demographic Data ..................................................................... 35
4.2.2 The age bracket ............................................................................................. 36
4.2.3 The Profession of the respondents .................................................................... 37
4.2.4 The Marital Status of the Respondents ......................................................... 38
4.2.5 The field the respondents would like to go into after their course of study .. 38
4.3 Analysis of Data from Survey (Field) .................................................................. 39
4.3.1 Research Question One: Hazards of journalism as a career scare. ............... 39
4.3.2 The extent to which respondents agree that the hazard of journalism as a career
scare women........................................................................................................... 40
4.3.4 The Perception of Women Journalist by the Public ...................................... 41
4.3.5 Female journalists are regarded to be doing work meant for male journalists
................................................................................................................................ 42
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4.3.6 The hazards of journalism that scare women away from the profession ...... 43
4.3.7 Female journalist don’t get married because of the profession .................... 44
4.4 The fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less hazardous
jobs after their training ............................................................................................... 45
4.4.1 The fragile nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs .... 45
4.4.2 Women as mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous jobs ....... 46
4.4.3 The society belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts is why
they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous profession ............................... 47
4.4.4 Women journalists excel in their profession only as News casters and in
commercials and not in investigative aspect of the profession .............................. 48
4.4.5 “What a man can do a women can do better” does not apply to women
journalist in United States because of socio-cultural nature of the country .......... 49
4.5 The possible solution to the female apathy to journalism profession in United States
.................................................................................................................................... 50
4.5.1 Women journalist in civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all
aspects .................................................................................................................... 50
4.5.3 Ways that women could be made to be attracted to journalism profession .. 52
4.6 Hypothesis Testing ............................................................................................... 53
An alternative hypothesis which was formulated by the researcher was tested using the
chi-square and data already analyzed. ....................................................................... 53
Hypothesis 2 ............................................................................................................... 54
4.7 Discussion of Findings ......................................................................................... 55
4.7.1 Ways that the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from the
profession ............................................................................................................... 55
4.7.2 The fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less
hazardous jobs ........................................................................................................ 57
4.7.3 The possible solutions to the female apathy to journalism profession in United
States vis-a-vis their counterparts in other countries ............................................. 58
4.7.4 Hypothesis Testing ............................................................................................ 59
CHAPTER FIVE- SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AN RECOMMENDATIONS ........ 61
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5.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 61
5.2 Summary of Findings ........................................................................................... 61
5.3 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 62
5.4 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 63
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies ............................................................................. 65
References ...................................................................................................................... 66
APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 70
Appendix I: The Letter to the Respondent ................................................................. 70
Appendix II: Questionnaire ........................................................................................ 71
SECTION A ............................................................................................................... 71
APPENDIX III: WORKPLAN SCHEDULE ............................................................ 77
APPENDIX IV: BUDGET ........................................................................................ 78
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Institutions and percentage of women studying media in United States ......... 26
Table 2: Overall presence of men and women in media ................................................ 27
Table 3: The Gender of the respondents ........................................................................ 35
Table 4: The Age Bracket of the Respondents .............................................................. 36
Table 5: Represents the profession of the respondents .................................................. 37
Table 6: Responses on the Marital Status of the Respondents....................................... 38
Table 7: Response to the field the respondents would like to go into after their course of
study ............................................................................................................................... 38
Table 8: Represents the hazards of journalism as a career scare ................................... 39
Table 9: The extent to which respondents agree that the hazard of journalism as a career
scare women................................................................................................................... 40
Table 10: Female journalists are regarded to be doing work meant for male journalists
........................................................................................................................................ 42
Table 11: The fragile nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs ..... 45
Table 12: Women as mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous jobs ........ 46
Table 13: Society’s beliefs that women are weaker than men ....................................... 47
Table 14: What a man can do a women can do better ................................................... 49
Table 15: Women journalist in civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all
aspects ............................................................................................................................ 50
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Table 16: Governmental support can help women to be attracted to journalism profession
........................................................................................................................................ 51
Table 17: Represents data on the ways that women could be made to be attracted to
journalism profession ..................................................................................................... 52
Table 18: Chi-Square Table 1 ........................................................................................ 53
Table 19: Chi-Square Table 2 ........................................................................................ 54
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: A representation of the conceptual framework ............................................. 14
Figure 2: The perception of Women Journalist by the Public ....................................... 41
Figure 3: The hazards of journalism that scare women away from the profession ....... 43
Figure 4: Represents female journalist don’t get married because of the profession .... 44
Figure 5: Women journalists excel in their profession only as News casters ................ 48
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CHAPTER ONE- INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Journalism is the preparation, collection and distribution of News and related
interpretations and feature materials through such media as pamphlet, radio, Newsletters,
magazines, television, Bill Boards, the internet and Books (Hachten, 2005).
Journalism according to World Book encyclopedia (Vol. 11) is the profession of
recording events which can be of interest to the public. It is therefore both World-wide
in scope and as limited as the territory covered by the smallest weekly paper. Men and
women who are engaged in this tremendous News gatherings task call themselves
journalists and such modern journalists use every means of communication to report the
News of the world to Newspaper, Magazine and the New Rooms of Radio and
Television.
According to Dorfman, Murty, Ingram, Evans, & Power, (2004), an Attitude is a
composite of how a person understands, feels about and act towards the given person,
issues, events and objects.
The earliest known Journalists product was a News sheet in Ancient Rome called the
ACTA DIURNAL published daily from 59BC, it was hung in prominent places and
recorded important social and political events. Journalism in the 20th century was marked
by a growing sense of professionalism.
Journalism is changing, as is the role of women in the workplace, but the two are not
always evolving in harmony. Women are better educated and encouraged to achieve at
work – just as journalism intensifies, jobs become tougher, and the economic pressures
become greater. The digital revolution means journalists can work from anywhere, but
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what is sometimes viewed as the ‘electronic cottage’ may also become the ‘electronic
cage’ (Lewis, 2001). As news cycles shorten and demands increase for a 24/7 multi-
media presence, so the nature of the work has become more challenging.
Meanwhile women still continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden in the home
either because society expects it or they want to, which makes things harder to manage
if the workplace becomes more demanding. Women substantially outnumber men in
journalism training and enter the profession in slightly greater numbers, but still today
relatively few are rising to senior jobs and the pay gap between male and female
journalists remains a stubbornly wide one. The same is true across many across United
States and all over the world. And older women, especially if they have taken a break,
find it difficult to retain a place in journalism (Stice, & Shaw, 2004).
The exception to this is in some former Eastern bloc countries where women continue to
be well represented amongst the higher echelons of journalism and the media. The fault
line in most Western societies remains the same and this applies across many
occupations. What now so often determines whether women are reaching senior posts is
whether they have family responsibilities (Stice, & Shaw, 2004). These exacting roles,
such as news reporting or senior editors, which are dependent upon a news or output
agenda are difficult for anyone with other responsibilities. The relatively few women
who do get these jobs at a higher level have few outside responsibilities; for example,
they are far more likely than men to be childless.
Since the late 1980s the drive for female audiences to fulfil advertising targets benefited
women journalists who were hired to provide a diet of softer, lifestyle, and feature
journalism. And many of the women who did reach the highest levels came from this
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genre. This has prompted an ongoing debate about the ‘feminization of journalism’.
There are still enduring stereotypes; women predominate on the lifestyle pages, but do
not feature much in crime or sport. They are also far less likely to be seen on the front
page, which leads to the tendency that ‘Men’s news is to write on the front page
that a fire happened, women’s news is to write inside why the guy lit a fire for the third
time’ (Johnston, 2003).
In United States, the case of gender roles that is rooted in our African culture seems to
bar women from pursuing media as a career. Even television programs portray this in the
way programs roles are shared among the two genders. A content analysis of 105
television advertisements aired on United States's television networks (ABC and NBC)
during an 8-week period (July and August 2015) was carried out recently. Commercials
were coded according to the sex of the central character, spokesperson, the nature of
products/services presented, setting, and occupation of the central character. There were
no significant differences in the proportion of women and men serving as central
characters in commercials. However, both men and women were depicted in traditional
roles. Significant gender differences were apparent in relation to the products and
services presented, preferred spokesperson, commercial settings, and occupational cues.
Generally, the stereotyped nature of United Statesn commercials is consistent with
findings obtained in developed countries (Mwangi, 1996).
With the revolutions in the media industry and the traditional background as the main
issue facing women in the verge of joining journalism as career, it is ironical that most
women than men graduate from media institutions. This negative attitude of female
student journalists is highly reflected in the Number of mass media houses. Almost all
institution of higher learning in United States offer Mass Communication courses leading
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to the award of various degrees and certificates, including Diploma, Higher Diploma,
Bachelor and Master Degrees. The increase in the Number of female graduates from all
these institution are not reflected in the media of communication in the country (Hachten,
2008).
Each year, hundreds of female students graduate as Mass Communicators. A close look
shows that the Numbers of female Journalist students surpassed the Number of their Male
counterpart. But in the field today, a good number of these female graduates are not seen
working in the various media houses scattered all over the country. Reference to the
convocation booklets from these schools revealed that good Number of female Mass
Communication students graduated from those schools.
In the year 2011, about 86 female Journalist graduated from the University of Arizona,
about 150 female Journalists graduated from United Statestta, and that same year the
United States Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) had about 70 female graduates.
Similarly with other Mass Communication schools in the country for instance in the year
2015, Arizona State University (CU) has turned out about 23 female graduates from the
department of Mass Communication for graduation. Presently, in my class we are 46
students in Number, 24 out of the 46 students are females while only 22 are male.
In other levels, the Numbers of female students surpassed the Number of Male students
in the departments of Mass Communication with great difference. In recent year, Media
houses in the Western countries lack trained journalist in the various communication
activities. Invariably, it has been the same in United States and this could be seen in most
cases of the media houses in the country. There has been an imbalance in the number of
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female and male trained Journalists working with them (Manning-Miller, & Brown-
Dunlap, 2002).
According to Odero, & Kamweru, (2000), those who are worried about this situation said
that if there were more women than men seeking Jobs in the media houses and they all
have the same ability and background, more men get the job it is noted that women could
only be awarded a job if they are hardworking and qualified, they must be awarded or
offered a job in the journalism professions. Furthermore, the NBC for instance has about
twenty five trained journalists on its staff, ten out of the twenty five are female. The
situation is similar in other media institutions throughout United States and in most
Western countries
1.2 Statement of the Research Problem
This study was undertaken because of the low participation of the female Journalist
graduates towards practicing Journalism as their career. Despite the fact that there is
considerably good number of trained female journalists, very few of them are working
with media houses in United States.
A large number of female Journalists are produced from different Institutions offering
mass communication, but female participation in the profession is very negligible.
According to Adagala (1994) “One thing that is glaring in the United Statesn media is
the near absence of United States women as news makers”. Though United States is
developing, it has gotten to a stage where the female Journalists and their male
counterparts should be competing in the media houses.
The number of female Journalists in the field is very few compared to the number that
graduates from Journalism schools and universities. The female tend to run away from
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practicing Journalism. Women Journalists are not often seen as lecturers neither do
women help in the development and promotion of the profession unlike in other
professions where the female and male compete and seek superiority over each other.
This dormant attitude of females towards the profession has resulted to the males
claiming superiority over them in the field and as such not portraying a good image of
women in the society. This is because most men in the society believe that Journalism
exposes the practitioners and makes the female counterparts lose their dignity.
Many female Journalists who work in the media sometimes do not show keen interest in
their job. This affects the female practitioners as the male practitioners always tend to
over shadow them both in position and in interest to work.
This researcher seeks to demystify the stereotypes against women that what women
should be doing is only the traditional household chores on daily basis and the fact that
women are inferior career wise compared to men. Women should not only participate in
university press clubs more actively than men but should reciprocate the same after
school in a real journalism career.
Some of the gaps with regard to the research above are that, there has been little research
done on the attitude of women towards journalism as a career. Researches done so far in
United States seem to be more on the discrimination of women in job places and their
empowerment.
Many researchers are venturing into why women are discriminated in terms of job offers
and trying to get solutions to the problem and how they can helped in securing jobs and
reducing the discrimination. This research is to provide a baseline on the underlying
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issues and attitude of women especially at the university and national level towards
journalism as career.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.3.1 General objective
Because of the way the image of our women in our society are been portrayed when it
comes to them practicing Journalism as their profession, the study is therefore aimed at
finding out the Attitudes of Female Media Students toward Journalism as a Career.
This study therefore tends to look into the image of women in the media and more also
to find out why there has been this imbalance in the Ratio of working male and female
Journalists.
1.3.1 Specific Objectives
i. To determine why there is sharp contrast from the number of female
Journalists that graduate from Journalism schools and the number in the field.
ii. To investigate on the possible solutions to the female apathy to the journalism
profession in United States in relation to their counterparts in other countries.
iii. To give suggestion based on findings.
1.4 Research Questions
1. Does it mean that female student journalist have negative attitudes towards
journalism as carrier?
2. Do female student journalist shy away from practicing journalism?
3. Does discrimination against female journalist by employees and the
conditions of service make them have negative attitudes towards practicing
journalism?
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4. Does the impression by the society that media women are irresponsible make
them have negative attitudes towards practicing journalism?
5. What are the possible solutions to the female apathy to the journalism
profession in United States vis-a-vis their counterparts in other countries?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1. H1: Hazard of journalism as a career does not scare women away from
the profession.
2. H1: Fragile nature of women do make them drop their profession for
less hazardous jobs after their training.
1.6 Scope of the Study
As the study while portraying the general attitude of women towards journalism as a
career, mainly focuses on the attitude of female media students at Arizona State
University towards journalism as a career. It attempts to draw an over view of a good
number of professionals who have already made similar studies of women images in the
media and their attitude towards journalism. In Arizona State University the number of
female media students supersedes the number of male students yet in the end, this number
does not add up to the number of these same of women practicing journalism.
Many female students at Arizona State University take up active roles in the practice of
journalism through participation in the journalism club and in the process of publishing
the university Varsity Post yet a dismal number of them end up taking media as a career.
In this study, the research has raised a number of assumptions, it assumes that the way
the image of women is being portrayed in the society, as journalists it has created an
imbalance in the ratio of working male journalists to the female counterparts. In essence,
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the research has deemed it fit to concentrate more on Arizona State University female
journalists and the issues affecting them as journalists.
1.7 Importance of the study
This study will be of immense benefits to the female journalists because a lot of people
are being baffled over the issue why women do not take up journalism as a career after
studies. It has really agitated the minds of some professionals and has equally created a
lot of controversy. The researcher, therefore has deemed it fit to find out the reason for
such negative attitude of females towards journalism.
Some authors and researchers lives on assumptions mainly because of the way the images
of Women are being portrayed in the society as journalists (Wolf, 2013). This study has
therefore provided an avenue for an exhaustive study on the controversial issue of
knowing the militants against the idea of women going into journalism as a career, how
do these women see the practice of journalism, do they go into the study with the
intention of practicing journalism or taking up just as a career.
This study will serve as resource materials for programs design and implementation in
the effort concerning women in development and to students pursuing Mass
Communication and Journalism. It will also be a useful reading and reference material
for others.
1.8 Limitations of the study
A study of this magnitude, always have limitations. Some of the respondents were not
willing to reveal true information needed for the study which rendered some of the
questionnaires not useful in the research. Another limitation of this study is the sample
size. Time constraints limited the sample to 100. This was to allow the researcher do the
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required information gathering within the time frame. Another great challenge in this
study was where the researcher needed finances to travel around the county. However
the study was not funded and it, therefore, posed a great challenge to the researcher to
fund it.
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CHAPTER TWO-REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
This chapter is a review of related studies to the attitude of female Arizona State
University Media students towards Journalism as a career. The chapter is organized under
the following headline; Review of concepts, Review of related studies, Theoretical
framework.
2.2 Theoretical Framework
Theoretical framework is a collection of interrelated ideas based on theories. It is a
reasoned set of prepositions, which are derived from and supported by data or evidence
(Kombo & Tromp, 2011).
2.2.1 Self-Presentation Theory
It is known as cognitive dissonance theory, it was founded by Leon Finger. It is when we
are motivated to form impression that matches with our belief. We change our attitude
because we are motivated to maintain consistency attitudes of our cognition. This theory
is very relevant in this study because most of women have been influenced by the societal
believes that some types of work is meant to be accomplished by men and not women.
This has affected women in cooperate world and those in the universities like Arizona
State University. Female students take their media students because it is the course that
the United Statesn Joint Admission Board selected them for because they chose to do it
but eventually, the cultural believes and the influences from friends and family forbids
and discourages them form pursuing journalism as a career.
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2.2.2 Self-Perception
It is coming from the individual view. It explains attitude change result of the individual
view or perception about his actions, thoughts perhaps feelings. It answers that when our
attitude are weak, we simply observe our behaviour. Female Students view journalism
activities such reporting as tedious and not meant for them. This is one of the reasons
why women love jobs that confine them to an office floor such that going to the field for
field work seems impossible to them. Although, some women have surpassed this,
majority of them are held a back by this thoughts. Most of these women pity themselves
to the point where they fore go important opportunities in their lives because of self-
denial.
2.2.3 Social Cognitive Theory
This study will be based on social Cognitive theory by Philip and Ziller (1992).In this
study, the researcher discovered that various theories of Mass Communication discusses
the freedom, importance and functions of the Mass Media in the society and so on.
Regrettably, none of those theories have reference to this topic in study.
Based on this, the researcher anchors her study on a theory that is relevant to her study
which is social cognitive theory, it is only social cognitive theory that has been observed
to have similar mode of orientation and behaviour which relates people in the same social
cognitive to such phenomena as Mass Communication and media similar ways.
It was also emphasized according to Agbo et al (2000) that “Member of a particular social
category will select more or less similar Communication content and will respond to it
roughly equal way”. So most female Mass Communication students who belong to the
same social cognitive in the society, develop negative attitude towards Journalism as a
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career. As most of the female Communicators are negatively affected by the
discriminations from the society and our family, it shows that they have responded to it.
The issue here is that the way women are portrayed when they are seen practicing
journalism determines to a large extent how the public will perceive such an individual.
The Nature of Journalism tends to posse questioning challenges that influences people’s
construction of reality. This is why women’s participation as journalists should be an
issue of grave concern to both expects in media organizations, Higher Institutions, the
society at large, and in our individual families in other to encourage them in the practice
of their profession.
Because of the way our society, cultures and families portray women who practice
journalism, the female journalist students who can also be referred to as members of a
particular social cognitive will leave their journalism career for other jobs and respond
to it roughly equal ways.
There are other theories that explains attitude change such as learning theories,
consistency theories, and the cognitive response theory discussed above. The researcher
in this study decided to use the Cognitive Theory.
2.3 Conceptual Framework: Review of Concept
Conceptual framework refers to what the researcher conceptualizes to be the relationship
between variables in the study and their graphical or diagrammatical relationship
(Mugenda & Mugenda, 1999). This section will present the main ideas that will govern
the study.
The conceptual framework below illustrates that journalism as a career will be affected
by the attitude of female media students. Such a student could be making choices of
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whether to pursue media as a career, depending on the predisposed attitudes that the
student has acquired over time concerning the career and its demands. In this framework,
attitude of female media students may be taken as the independent variable and
journalism as a career as the dependent variable.
The influence of the attitudes of female media students could be fostered by factors like:
the student’s personality, cultural background and even age of the female student, which
in this case could be taken as the intervening variables.
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
Attitude of female media
students
Intervening variables
Cultural background
Age
Gender
Genetic Factors
Dependent Variable
Journalism as career
Figure 1: A representation of the conceptual framework
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In this area, the following concepts were reviewed on this particular research topic. The
concept of attitude, the concept of journalism, female attitude towards journalism,
discrimination of female towards journalism and impression about female journalist.
2.3.1 The Concept of Attitude
Attitude can be defined as an evaluation, also as stored memories or as a tripartite model.
When it is an evaluation, it is a learned behavior. It is a set of feelings of a person towards
something one experienced. Intermediately, the tripartite model is divided into three
components ABC, where the A represent affective Model, the B represent the Behavioral
Model while the C represent the Cognitive Model. It can also be said to be a set of
interrelated memories towards an object, events, persons, situations etc.
Attitude has some Functions and Roles: Knowledge function, ego defensive, self-
function and impression function.
Incuses of the functions and roles involve:
Knowledge Function
It helps an individual to package and organize his thinking and their functions. It gives
reasons to the way people behave the way they do. It summarizes the understanding of
prove and how to cope with the event, it also help us to understand to cope to the
attitudinal object.
Ego Defensive
It helps an individual to protect or present himself from an unpleasant information. It is
hiding the truth about yourself.
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Self-Function
It helps an individual to create and maintain positive sense of himself/herself. It maintains
the self-esteem. When you like the viewer of your model, to reality in life, it will make
you to feel practically positive about yourself.
Impression Function
It helps people to form good impression about themselves. It is by using good and
positive concept to describe their views, He/she is defending himself/herself. The
individual tries to tell the world that he is capable of doing things. Some attitude
formation includes; and can be formed through the following ways:
Operant Conditioning: Attitudes can be formed through operant conditioning by rein
forcemeat.
Classical Conditioning: Attitude is formed through classical conditioning when a
particular stimulus causes a response and if it happen continuously then attitude is
formed.
Post Experience: Attitudes can be formed through experience it is the experience that
guide our actions, it also guides our thinking and behaviour.
Genetic Factors: The genetic factors referred to temperament, ability and the pattern of
emotions. This genetic factors when found in an individual can be seen as factors
responsible for the attitudes that individual forms.
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Role plating: Role is a set of norms that defines how people in a given situation ought
to achieve social position. When we enter into a new role, we become sensitive to our
new social situation until we fit into that role.
2.3.2 The Concept of Journalism
The World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 1.1) defines journalism as the profession of
recording events that maybe of interest to the public. Journalism is the collection,
preparation and Distribution of News and related commentary and feature materials
through such media as pamphlet, Newsletters, magazines, Radio, Motion Pictures,
Television, Bill Boards, the internet and Books. Journalism is also defined by Ganiyu
(2004) as “the job of gathering, writing, and disseminating of news and view about the
society through the means of mass media”.
According to the World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 1.2), journalism is the discipline of
collecting, analyzing, verifying and presenting information regarding current events,
trends, issues and people. People who practice journalism as a profession are called
journalists. It is therefore both world-wide in scope and as limited as the territory covered
by the smallest weekly paper. Men and women who are engaged in News gatherings task
call themselves journalist and such modern. Journalists use every means of
communication to report the News of the world Newspaper, Magazine and the News
Rooms of Radio and Television.
2.3.3 Female Attitude towards Journalism
The Concept of Female Attitude towards Journalism tells us that the women Journalist
have negative attitude towards practicing Journalism as their career. There is also every
reason to believe that the United States women have made a significant entry into the
Journalism profession. In our country United States today, if the women Journalists are
18
having negative attitude towards Journalism as their career, they are not to be blamed
because the culture and religion have helped in making women silent thereby relegating
them to the background and also deny them of their right and privileges, they should
enjoy as journalists and member of the society (Kareithi, 2013).
According to trader and lee (1991) the women constitute the majority of the category of
person whose voice may not be heard in public is a well-known fact. The marginalization
of women is a feature of developed and developing societies (Gallagha, 1985). But
though the status of women is poor in the developed world, it is so poor in the developing
countries that it can only be described as wretched. In United States, for instance, a
combination of cultural and religious factors has reduced women to more appendages of
their male counterparts.
Current trends in Journalism recruitment in United States indicate that the journalist of
the future will have to pass through a tertiary to acquire the minimum of a diploma in
Mass Communication/ Journalism as stipulated by the United States Union of Journalists
(KUJ). The proliferation of journalism schools in the country despite the negative
influence which this proliferation could generate (Kamunge, 1987; Oduma, 1987), has
already provided many centers where formal journalism education can be acquired at the
tertiary level. However, female Journalist still have negative Attitude towards Journalism
because of the cultural and religious factors that reduces them to mere appendages of the
male counterpart.
According to previous researchers in the media, Women have a negative attitude towards
practicing Journalism as their career because of the hazards involved in the profession.
For instance on 30th October 2014 the media community was shaken recently by events
19
that eroded the gains made in freedom of Expression. One of which was the beating of
reporters from Nation Television in Mombasa. There are other several encounters that
journalists were killed, for instance, John Kituyi, from The Mirror Weekly was killed in
Eldoret in April 30th 2015, Francis Nyaruri, Citizen Weekly reporter was killed in
Kisumu in January 2009, Trenent Keegan, a freelancer from Arizona was also killed on
May 28th, 2008 (CPJ, 2015). These and many others, has deterred women from pursuing
journalism. All these journalists are male, an indication that this field is dominated by
men.
2.3.4 Discrimination of Female Journalism
The Concept of Discrimination Against Women Journalists tells us that women studies
which is basically women focused have in recent time received the attention of UNESCO
(1975 – 1985), the ten-year “toward Equality under the UN Decade for women in Asia,
Africa, Latin and South American”, have brought women issues such as unequal job
opportunities, cultural barriers, low economic and political Empowerment and Human
Right Abuse (Nzomo, 1995).
Some United Statesns have established Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) such
as Association of Media Women in United States (AMWIK), Gender Resource Network
(GRN) and Gender and Development Action (GADA). Since it has been noticed that
women are object of discrimination, all these was established to advance the needs of
United Statesn women by calling for the abolition of obnoxious cultural practices that
have placed women at the background making their participation in both social, political
and economic activities in effective (Abuoga & Mutere, 1988).
20
Again, women are presently discriminated against and largely marginalized in many
fields is known fact. According to Peter (2001) less than fifty years ago, Journalism was
an almost exclusively male profession, female journalists, she says were the exception
and women were discouraged to enter journalism. Journalism therefore was a mescaline
profession. This assertion according to item (1997), was perhaps the origin of the “select
sex”.
In some countries, for instance, notes Peter (2001), particularly in parts of central and
Eastern Europe, women make up the majority of working Journalists. For instance in
Iran, a woman was appointed as the president of Advisors in charge of press affairs. In
United States, a women, July Gichuru was appointed as the Group Digital Business
Manager, at the NBC and in Nigeria also, a Woman, Bemi Oyo was appointed as the
Special Adviser on Media and publicity to the former president chief Olusegu Obasanjo.
This is an indicator that women in Africa and United States are capable (McGhie, 2011).
The United Nations Women Watch of June 2003 revealed that, in the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in the United Kingdom, women in Senior Executive
positions increased from 19 percent to 29 percent in 1996-1988. The BBC‟s goal was to
have women occupy 30 percent of senior executive positions and 40 percent of senior
and middle management points by the year 2000.
In other countries like Seychelles, the publication said, women actually constitute the
majority of the National Broadcasting Company’s production and Journalists staffs
occupy most senior post. Similarly, note Ammu (2002. P, 3), apart from the large number
of female staff reporters and sub-editors, the India press currently boasts of many women
who are senior editors (including editors in charge of single editors or multi-editors of
21
dailies, political editors and financial editors). Chief reporters, chief of bureau, special
and foreign correspondents, business journalists, sports reporter and columnists, not to
mention magazine editors and feature writers.
He further posits that: The increasing visibility of women television and in indigenous
English Language print media generally known as the mainstream, national press
because of its unique reach in influence sugarless that, there are not more impediments
in women’s path to the top of editorial pyramid. The assertions of Ammu suggest clearly
that, there is nothing to stop competent and determined women from fulfilling their
professional dreams (Ammu, 2002).
In some countries like Burkina Faso, were women are appointed as directors of the
National Television service and private radio organizations, while from 1987 to 1997 the
percentage of women journalist in Hungary rose from 10 percent to 33 percent, women
are now editor – in – chiefs of tow nationwide daily Newspapers and many private
magazines (Rutter, 2002).
The story of women in United Statesn media provides an interesting reading, according
to Mwangi (1996), a women have been appointed the editor of a National Newspapers,
the National concord since 1980s to date. Until then, Mwangi continued, “there was no
women in such post in National Newspaper except in female oriented publications like
now rested woman’s world magazine. Abiola in Vanguard of December 10th 1986
quoted by Mwangi (1996) also noted that, only 7% of top media jobs in United States
are filled by women. The Number must have attained positions of General Manager of
Radio and Television stations and some directors. Yet, such laudable attainments have
not satisfied observed and critics of the positions women occupy in media houses.
22
Corroborating this view, Morna (2003), said discrimination in the work place combined
with a general lack of respect for women’s human rights in many cultures, creates barriers
for women entering the media industry. In many countries, she urged, women seeking to
enter the media to be prepared to face sexist attitudes, sexual harassment, pay inequities,
discrimination on assignment and promotions, inflexible work environments and a lack
of support mechanisms.
Morna further said, in countries such as the United States, women are the majority of
students in journalism courses, only a small percentage of these women go to work in the
media. Many graduates, faced lower salaries than their male counter parts and lack of
opportunities for promotion, opt for jobs in other sectors such as public relations. She
concluded by saying that, “while the numbers of the male and female Journalists are
edging towards a balance, few women are advancing to senior or management levels
giving them limited control over how news is defined or on bring and promotion
practices.
Awe (1996), agrees with Morna when she said, the media can be an even more effective
agent for the women’s cause, if only there were more women working in this profession
and that, the basic problem is that “women need to be in managerial position to be able
to protect interests in decision affecting women and their portrayal in the media”.
The position of women in the society and our different cultures makes the men and the
society at large discriminate against women journalist. According Hananiya (2004), she
says that “the general view about the Women was always conceived within the context
of the home functions only”. Business of this view about women, the concept of a women
practicing journalism was considered Rebellious and unfeminine. The obsolete idea
23
about women’s place in the society still tell on their position in the media houses and
Journalism filled Oraro (2008) says “Women also have problems of time, given their
multiple roles and heavy domestic responsibilities”. Traditional cultural attitudes in most
societies also discriminate against women having access to Education. This can also
discourage them in the practice of journalism as girls and encouraged to get married and
become house wives or encouraged to take up any other job which gives them more time
and make them responsible house wives than their journalism profession. There is also
the issue of Gender bias in attitude towards women studying journalism or using
information technology as many people hold the views that women cannot think or work
scientifically.
It is not a bidden fact that women are underrepresented in the field of journalism. This
maybe because of the discrimination of the basic assumption that “a women’s
responsibility should be her sole priority”, thereby undermining her active participation
and performance in the practice of journalism. The issue of Gender bias too contribute
enormously to the low participation of women in Journalism. Another assumption
militating against female participation according to Amao (1999) is that “female sex is
biologically not designed for energy exerting, hazardous occupation and long hours filed
assignment”.
Supporting the above assumption, Beverly (1995) notes that the society assumes that
“Women should be mothers, school teachers, their Dressers, Secretaries, Maids and
Social Workers only. Therefore they do not need Education or Training in other fields
like Journalism.
24
2.3.5 Impressions about Female Journalists
This Concept Impressions about Female Journalists tells the negative impression the
society have about female Journalists, maybe as a result of our cultural and Religion
practices. Since Negative cultural perceptions and social expectation can impose lower
status and devalued role on individuals which in turn, can result in limited job or career
choices, restricted opportunities and access to training programs and Narrow
stereotypical Employment possibilities. In the United Statesn situation, the parents or
elders are believed to know the best and as such, family or the parents dictates the type
of occupation and will choose it for them regardless of the children ability and interest.
The impression is that female Journalists don’t need to be serious about their occupations
or that they are not meant to practice Journalism as it keeps them away from their various
homes while they are expected to be helpers to their husbands who are expected to be
Bread-winners for the family.
Also, the impact of sexism and negative female gender images in Journalism is
particularly alarming. In a follow up study, Oduma (2000), found out that the image of
women in United Statesn home video films generally is causing the society in general to
perceive United Statesn women as easily by materials things, way ward and of low
morality. Because of these, they are seen to be only fit for domestic work rather than
professional and career role. Oduma (1996) based on his findings concluded that “the
image of women in the field of Journalism is very negative and capable of negatively
influencing the perception of women among the large society in the country”.
Again, the media are responsible for perpetuating stereotypes of women; women are
presented either as house wives, or as sex object and commodities. Particularly,
dangerous and offensive is the increasing use of the image of women as schemers and
25
manipulators of “Innocent” man for material gains, such images take for granted the
dynamism in women’s social relations. Where a man plots and uses a woman for his
material gain and comfort, it is considered all right and he is quite and often seen as an
achiever (Mwangi, 1996). These are the social realities of our time and there presentation
ought not to favor one sex over the other.
These portrayals of feminine image in print media advertisements generally has been
from time immemorial objects of pleasure, stereotypes of the domestic creed. With the
present rapid development changes of the women’s roles in our society, it is expected
that all fields of communication from speech to written forms should reflect these change,
Tamayo (1996) posits. In the recent years United Statesn women have been appointed
ambassadors, commissioners, directors general. Etc. also, Sybil (1996) affirms, with
Nation development planning moving in new directions and assuming greater dimension.
Women have begun to assume more political roles and persons from varied ways of life
are becoming involved, but the image of women which the media have projected over
the years has been vehemently condemned by feminist groups and researchers on gender
issues.
Media publications in the country especially magazines, are in the habit of publishing
seductively dressed ladies on their front pages. Inside and back pages with derogatory
statements, such pictures usually bear no relevance to any of the articles in the papers.
These feminine images portrayed as sex objects can be seen to be posited within an
ideology, which sees women as the property and objects of men’s pleasure. Further, the
portrayal of these images are negatively skewed and stereotyped. It moves from the silent
background pounding to the destructive treatment of women in United Statesn media
with that of print media advertisement is overwhelmingly negative (Mwangi, 1996).
26
2.4 Review of Related Studies
According to the previous researchers in the media, Oduma (2005), indicates that “the
media are male dominated in terms of subject matters, News and people who report News
prominence of Male and Female reporters”. Oduma (2000) supporting this notion states;
Gender relations in United States are characterized by a lot of imbalance to the
disadvantage of women. Tradition, culture, Religion and other factors have continued to
widen the disparity between United Statesn men and women, by keeping women in
subordinate positions.
Kamunge, (1996) says that “there are 52 Journalism/Mass Communication training
institution offering various programs from diploma to Ph.D. and degree in Mass
Communication in United States. Some of these Institutions complied by him as at 1996
are University of Arizona, United Statestta University, United States Institute of Mass
Communication, Philadelphia University, United States University (USIU), Ohio
University. etc. Also, Institutions that offer related courses with number of students,
percentage of females and percentage of males are given in below table;
Table 1: Institutions and percentage of women studying media in United States
Types of Institution
Noof Students
%ofFemale
% of Male
University with Mass Communication
1630
47
53
University with Related Courses
920
52
48
Polytechnic
1495
55
45
Monotechnic
985
54.5
53.5
Others
1085
54
46
27
With a very close look at the table above, it is obvious that the number and percentage of
females in the Institution are greater than Males. This study shows that female are willing
to study Mass Communication and Journalism as their career but United Statesn culture
and Religion won’t allow them to practice it as their profession.
Again, Njogu (2005), presented a data on the overall presence of women and men in the
news and it is categorized in three distinct ways which are subjects, reporters and
presenters.
Table 2: Overall presence of men and women in media
The above table shows the respective number of females and males that occupy the
position of presenters, reporters and subjects in the United Statesn media. If we preach
and practice gender equality in all facets of our socio political and Economic framework,
it is expected that males and females participation in Journalism and News as Presenters,
Reporters and Subjects should be equal contrary to expectations, data presented in the
above table indicated that;
Females
Males
Females
Males
Total Subject
Presenters
69%
31%
42
19
61
Reporters
5%
95%
4
71
75
Subjects
17%
83%
42
206
248
28
a. Greater number of females appears in the Media as presenter than males.
b. The position of women as subjects in the News is quite insignificant compared to
men.
c. Women issues received least mention in the News media.
d. 42 (69%) out of the 61 News presenters were females while 19 (31% were males,
4 (5%) out of 75 reporters where females while 71 (95%) were male and 42 (17%)
out of 248 subject in the News were female while 206 (83%) were male.
With this, we have seen that the only place for the women in the media houses is to
become presenters. This is because the society think or take it to be the only place the
women can fit in and not going into long pressure and filled hour routine assignment and
competition as reporters with the men. With this, women going into the field at late hours
to gather and report news may be seen as an abomination in the United Statesn Traditions
as they are expected to be at that hour. This is why they are given a less hectic position
in the media houses.
29
CHAPTER THREE-RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter discusses the method used in the study, it contains and explains the
following; Research Design, population of study, sampling technique (Sample) used,
description of research instrument, validation of data gathering instrument, method of
data collections and method of data analysis.
According to Chakraborty (2009), research is a human activity based on intellectual
investigation and is aimed at discovering, interpreting and revising human knowledge on
different aspects of the world’. The research activity follows a certain structure and the
methodology is a part of the structure. The methodology section in a research study
explains the research design and the methods to be followed in conducting the research.
These include the data collection methods, the sampling technique and how data is to be
analyzed and interpreted.
3.2 Research Design
Survey method is the research design to be adopted by the researcher. Survey, according
to Maina, (2006) “Is a research method, which focuses on a representative sample derived
from the entire population of study”. A researcher who employs this method therefore
goes into the field and selects samples out of the entire population. It has to do with
administering questionnaires personally to gather data and collecting them back from the
various respondents to analyze the data for a better result.
In this study, the researcher conducted a survey amongst the Arizona State University
female media students through the use questionnaires where the respondents were
30
assumed to provide the answers to the questions in utmost faith. This questionnaire
enabled the researcher to complete the researcher as accurately and as authentic as
possible.
3.3 Population of Study
Population of the study according to Ogile (2005) “involves a group of persons or
aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information from the study”.
Population refers to all cases or individuals that fit a certain specification (Ohaja, 2003).
Therefore, the population that was used in this study was the female students of Media
Department of Arizona State University. The researcher chose the population because
the population will make it easier for the researcher to extract the research sample from
it.
3.4 Sampling Frame
According to Thabane, Chu, Ismael, Rios & Goldsmith, (2010), the source material or
device from which a sample is drawn. It is a list of all those within a population who can
be sampled, and may include individuals, households or institutions.
The sample size of this study was 45 female students of between the age of 18 years to
25 years and from first year to third year from the media department of Arizona State
University which is assumed to be a true representative of the entire population.
3.5 Sampling Technique
According to De Choudhury, Lin, Sundaram, Canadan, Xie & Kelliher, (2010), sampling
technique is the sample obtained from the sample population which must be a true
representative of the sample population. This can be accomplished by using randomized
31
statistical sampling techniques or probability sampling like cluster sampling and
stratified sampling. It is also the selection of some members or elements from the
population for actual investigation (Thabane, et al, 2010). It is also a section or part of an
entire population of people or things which are studied to obtain information about the
research variables (Madueme, 2010).
The sample technique used in this study was the randomized statistical sampling where
45 female students were selected at random from the entire population of the media
female students of Arizona State University. These 45 female students were a true
representative of the entire population of the female students such that the response of
these sample of 45 students was assumed to be a reflection of what the rest of the students
would respond if they were all interviewed. The researcher deemed it fit to use
randomized statistical sampling method which is a probability sampling technique to
randomly select from the population. Using this sampling technique, the researcher
selected a simple size of 45 respondents.
3.6 Description of Research Instrument
The measuring instruments that was used for this research work was the questionnaire.
The questionnaire had close ended questions, this close ended questions was used to
make the responses easier for the researcher by making the responses measurable. The
questionnaire is also a technique for data collection, it is used to ascertain fact, opinion,
attitude, beliefs, idea practices and other demographic information (Wairuru, Kim,
Kimanga Schwarcz, Kimondo, and Umuro & KAIS study Group 2012).
A total of Nineteen (19) items were drawn and administered to the respondents. The
questionnaire was divided into two parts. Part A; contains the demography of the
32
respondents while part B, contained the items that answered the research question that
was formulated for the study.
Item 1 – 5 answered question on the demographic trends of respondents
Item 6 – 11 answered research question one
Item 12 – 16 answered research question two
Item 17 – 19 answered research question three.
3.6.1 Validity of Data Gathering Instrument
The instruments used was questionnaire. It valid because it’s ideal for measuring what it
is designed for, which is the opinion of the female students about the attitude of female
Media students towards journalism as a career.
Obasi (2008) says “validity is the appropriateness of an instrument in measuring what is
intended to measure” for the reason, the researcher went further to ensure that the
questionnaire used for this study was thoroughly scrutinized by the supervisor to ensure
its clarity, relevance, un-ambiguity and comprehension.
3.7 Data Collection Procedure
Data was collected by administering the questionnaire copies to selected female students
of Arizona State University Media Department. The administration of the questionnaire
copies was done face to face with the respondents. Out of 45 copies of questionnaire
distributed to the respondents, it is expected that all the copies were retrieved, which
gave a response rate of return of 100 percent though a percentage fall was expected in
33
case some respondents did not cooperate. The completed copies of the questionnaire was
collected and analyzed by the researcher.
3.8 Pilot Test
It is essential to pilot test the interview guide. This is done to ensure the flow of questions
and the structure of the questions. This is administered to colleagues in the office to run
test and edit as required. The number of interviews to be tested is estimated as 5 percent
(2); this ensures a good base of response on the questions and confidence in the tool.
During the in-depth interview the researcher gave a brief summary on the purpose to the
interviewee before the interviews commence. Assurance of the confidentiality and
anonymity is captured in the letter and brief.
3.9 Data Processing and Analysis
Data collected was analyzed using frequency tables, percentage, simple descriptive data
analysis and chi-square statistical analysis. Chi-squares is a nonparametric statistical tool
which can be conveniently used in testing hypothesis when dealing with contented data.
Chi-square formula is presented below;
Chi-square formula;
x2 = E (o – e)2
e
Where x2
=
Chi-square
E
=
Summation
34
O
=
Observation frequency
e
=
Expected frequency
35
CHAPTER FOUR - DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction
The purpose of this study was to find out the attitude of female Mass Communication
students towards journalism as a career: a study of Arizona State University female mass
communication students. This chapter is concerned with the presentation and analysis of
data gathered through the use of questionnaire distributed. Forty five (45) copies of
questionnaire were distributed, out of which forty (40) copies were retrieved. The study
answered the following research questions;
1. In what ways does the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from
the profession?
2. Why does the fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less
hazardous jobs after their training?
3. What are the possible solution to the female apathy to the Journalism profession
in United States vis a vis their counterparts in other countries?
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis
4.2.1 Analysis of Demographic Data
Item 1- 5 in the questionnaire answered questions on the demography of the respondents.
Table 3: The Gender of the respondents
From the table above, 0 respondent out of (40%) are male, while 40 respondents (40%)
are female.
Response Per gender
Frequency
Percentage %
Male
0
0
Female
40
100
Total
40
100
36
4.2.2 The age bracket
Table 4: The Age Bracket of the Respondents
Response
Frequency
Percentage
17 – 20
12
30
20 – 22
15
37.5
23 – 25
7
17.5
26 – 28
6
15
29 and above
0
0
Total
40
100
From the above table, 12 respondent (30%) out of 40 respondents fell under the age
bracket of 17-20, 15 (37.5%) out of 40 respondents fell under the age bracket of 20-22,
7 respondents (17.5%) out of 40 respondents fell under the age bracket of 23-25, 6
respondents (15%) out of 40 respondents fell under the age bracket of 2628, 0 respondent
(0%) out of 40 respondents fell under the age bracket 29 and above.
37
4.2.3 The Profession of the respondents
Table 5: Represents the profession of the respondents
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Student
40
100
Civil servant
0
0
Journalist
0
0
Private business
0
0
Other professions
0
0
Total
40
100
From the above table, 40 respondents (100%) out of 40 respondents are students, 0
respondents (0%) out of 40 respondents are civil servant, 40 respondents are civil servant,
0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents are journalist, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40
respondents are private business, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents are other
professions.
38
4.2.4 The Marital Status of the Respondents
Table 6: Responses on the Marital Status of the Respondents
From the above table, 34 respondents (68%) out of 40 respondents are single, 6
respondents (32%) out of 40 respondents are married.
4.2.5 The field the respondents would like to go into after their course of study
Table 7: Response to the field the respondents would like to go into after their course of study
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Journalism
13
32.5
Civil service
4
10
Business
18
45
Others
5
12.5
Total
40
100
From the above table, 13 respondent (32.5%) out of 40 respondents liked to go into
journalism, 4 respondents (10%) out of 40 respondents liked to go into civil servant, 18
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Single
34
68
Married
6
32
Total
40
100
39
respondents (45%) out of 40 respondents liked to go into business, 5 respondents (12.5%)
out of 40 respondents liked to go into other kind of fields.
4.3 Analysis of Data from Survey (Field)
4.3.1 Research Question One: Hazards of journalism as a career scare.
Item 6 – 11 answered this research question. Question 6: Does the hazard of journalism
as a career scare women away from the profession?
Table 8: Represents the hazards of journalism as a career scare
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Yes
24
60
No
16
40
Total
40
100
From the above table, 24 respondents (60%) out of 40 respondents said yes, 16
respondents (40%) out of 40 respondents said No.
40
4.3.2 The extent to which respondents agree that the hazard of journalism as
a career scare women
Table 9: The extent to which respondents agree that the hazard of journalism as a career scare women
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
18
45
Agree
7
17.5
Undecided
3
7.5
Strongly Disagree
3
7.5
Disagree
9
22.5
Total
40
100
From the above table, 18 respondents (45%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from the profession, 7
respondents (17.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that the hazard of journalism as a career
scare women away from the profession, 3 respondents (7.5%) out of 40 respondents are
yet to decide if the hazard of journalism as a career (7.5%) out of 40 respondent strongly
disagree that the hazards of journalism as a career do not scare women away from the
profession, 9 respondents (22.5%) out of 40 respondents disagree that the hazard of
journalism as a career do not scare women away from the profession.
41
4.3.4 The Perception of Women Journalist by the Public
From the above table, 13 respondents (32.5%) out of 40 respondents perceived women
journalist that they are tough, 7 respondents (17.5%) out of 40 respondents perceived
women journalist that they have heart of men, 15 respondent (37.5%) out of 40
respondents perceived women journalist as crime hunters, 5 respondents (12.5%) out of
40 respondents perceived women as socialists, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents
perceived women journalist as none of the above.
16%
As women that
have heart of men
9%
As crime hunters
19%
As socialites
6%
None of the above
0%
Total
50%
FREQUENCY
Figure 2: The perception of Women Journalist by the Public
42
4.3.5 Female journalists are regarded to be doing work meant for male
journalists
Table 10: Female journalists are regarded to be doing work meant for male journalists
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
16
40
Agree
14
35
Undecided
3
7.5
Strongly Disagree
6
15
Disagree
1
2.5
Total
40
100
From the above table, 16 respondents 5 (40%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
women journalists are regarded by the people as good journalist doing the work of men,
14 respondents (35%) out of 40 respondent agree that women journalist are regarded by
the people as good journalist doing the work of men, 3 respondent (7.5%) out of 40
respondents are yet to decide if women journalist are regarded by the people as good
journalist doing the work of men, 6 respondents (15%) out of 40 respondents strongly
disagree that women journalists are regarded by the people as good journalist doing the
work of men, 1 respondent (2.5%) out of 40 respondents disagree that women journalist
are regarded by the people as good journalist doing the work of men.
43
4.3.6 The hazards of journalism that scare women away from the profession
Figure 3: The hazards of journalism that scare women away from the profession
From the above table, 18 respondents (45%) out of 40 respondents thinks that
discrimination scares women away from the profession, 6 respondents (15%) out of 40
respondents thinks that cultural belief scares women away from the profession, 6
respondents (15%) out of 40 respondents thinks that religious belief scares women away
from the profession, 10 respondent (25%) out of 40 respondents think all of the above
scares women away from the profession, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents thinks
that none of the above scares women away from the profess.
Frequency Percentage
18
45
615
615
10 25
0 0
40
100
RESPONSE TO QUESTION 10
Discrimination Cultural belief Religious belief All f the above
None of the above Total
44
4.3.7 Female journalist don’t get married because of the profession
Figure 4: Represents female journalist don’t get married because of the profession
From the above table, 18 respondents (45%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that it
is true that female journalist find it difficult to get married because of the profession, 13
respondents (32.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that it is true that female journalist find
it difficult to get married because of the profession, 4 respondents (10%) out of 40
respondents are yet to decide if it is true that female journalist find it difficult to get
married because of the profession, 2 respondents (5%) out of 40 respondents strongly
disagree that it is not true that female journalist find it difficult to get married because of
Strongly Agree
Agree
Undecided
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Total
0
20
40
60
80
100
Frequency Percentage
Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Strongly Disagree Disagree Total
45
the profession, 3 respondents (7.5%) out of 40 respondents disagree that it is not true that
female journalist find it difficult to get married because of the profession.
4.4 The fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less
hazardous jobs after their training
Item 12-16 answered this research question.
4.4.1 The fragile nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs
Table 11: The fragile nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs
From the above table, 20 respondents (50%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
the fragile nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs after their training,
9 respondents (22.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that the fragile nature of women make
them to do other less hazardous jobs after their training, 8 respondent (20%) out of 40
respondents are yet to decide if the fragile nature of women make them to do other less
hazardous job after their training, 1 respondent (2.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly
disagree that the fragile nature of women do not make them to do other less hazardous
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
20
50
Agree
9
22.5
Undecided
8
20
Strongly Disagree
1
2.5
Disagree
2
5
Total
40
100
46
jobs after their training, 2 respondent (5%) out of 40 respondents disagree that the fragile
nature of women do not make them do other less hazardous jobs after their training.
4.4.2 Women as mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous jobs
Table 12: Women as mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous jobs
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
19
47.7
Agree
11
27.5
Undecided
0
0
Strongly Disagree
7
17.5
Disagree
3
7.5
Total
40
100
From the above table, 19 respondents (47.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
women as mothers are supposed to do engaged in less hazardous jobs, 11 respondent
(27.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that women as mothers are supposed to be engaged
in less hazardous jobs, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents are yet to decide if
women as mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous jobs, 7 respondents
(17.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly disagree that women are not supposed to be
engaged in less hazardous jobs, 3 respondents (7.5%) out of respondents disagree that
women are not supported to be engaged in less hazardous jobs.
47
4.4.3 The society belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts
is why they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous profession
Table 13: Society’s beliefs that women are weaker than men
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
16
40
Agree
15
37.5
Undecided
1
2.5
Strongly Disagree
4
10
Disagree
4
10
Total
40
100
From the above table, 16 respondents (40%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
the societal belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts is why they are
considered not fit to engage in strenuous profession, 15 respondents (37.5%) out of 40
respondents agree that the societal belief that women are weaker than their male
counterparts is why they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous profession, 1
respondent (2.5%) out of 40 respondents are yet to decide if the societal belief that
women are weaker than their male counterparts is why they are considered not fit to
engage in strenuous profession, 4 respondents (10%) out of 40 respondents strongly
disagree that the societal belief that women are weaker than their male counterpart is not
why they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous profession, 4 respondents (10%)
out of 40 respondents disagree that the societal belief that women are weaker than their
48
male counterparts is not why they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous
profession.
4.4.4 Women journalists excel in their profession only as News casters and in
commercials and not in investigative aspect of the profession
Figure 5: Women journalists excel in their profession only as News casters
From the above table, 21 respondents (52.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
women journalist excels in their profession only as Newscasters and commercials and
not in investigative aspect of the profession, 14 respondents (35%) out of 40 respondents
agree that women journalist excel in their profession only as Newscasters and
commercial and not in investigative aspect of the profession, 3 respondents (7.5%) out
26%
17%
4%
3%0%
50%
Frequency
Strongly Agree
Agree
Undecided
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Total
49
of 40 respondents are yet to decide if women journalist excel in their profession only as
News casters and commercials and not in investigative aspect of the profession, 2
respondents (5%) out of 40 respondents strongly disagree that women journalist do not
excel in their profession only as Newscasters and commercials and not in investigative
aspect of the profession, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents disagree that women
journalist do not excel in their profession only as Newscasters and commercials and not
investigative aspect of the profession.
4.4.5 “What a man can do a women can do better” does not apply to women
journalist in United States because of socio-cultural nature of the country
Table 14: What a man can do a women can do better
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
13
32.5
Agree
5
12.5
Undecided
2
5
Strongly Disagree
6
15
Disagree
14
35
Total
40
100
From the above table, 13 respondents (32.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
the above quote does not apply to women journalists in United States because of socio-
cultural nature of the country, 5 respondents (12.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that the
above quote does not apply to women journalists in United States because socio-cultural
nature, 2 respondents (5%) out of 40 respondents are yet to decide if the above quote
50
does not apply to women journalists in United States because of sociocultural nature, 6
respondents (15%) out of 40 respondents strongly disagree that the above quote apply to
women journalists in United States because of socio-cultural nature, 14 respondents
(35%) out of 40 respondents disagree that the above quote apply to women journalists in
United States because of socio-cultural nature.
4.5 The possible solution to the female apathy to journalism profession in United
States
Item 17-19 answered this research question.
4.5.1 Women journalist in civilized nations equal their male counterparts in
all aspects
Table 15: Women journalist in civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all aspects
From the above table, 15 respondents (37.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
women journalist in most of the civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all
aspects, 9 respondents (22.5%) out of 40 respondents agree that women journalist in most
of the civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all aspects, 7 respondents (17.5%)
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
15
37.5
Agree
9
22.5
Undecided
7
17.5
Strongly Disagree
5
12.5
Disagree
4
10
Total
40
100
51
out of 40 respondents are yet to decide if women journalists in most of the civilized
nations equal their male counterparts in all aspects, 5 respondents (12.5%) out of 40
respondents strongly disagree that women journalist in most civilized nation do not equal
their male counterparts in all aspects, 4 respondents (10%) out of 40 respondents disagree
that women journalist in most civilized nation do not equal their male counterparts in all
aspects.
4.5.2 Governmental support in terms of training as general empowerment can
help women to be attracted to journalism profession
Table 16: Governmental support can help women to be attracted to journalism profession
From the above table, 19 respondents (47.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly agree that
governmental support in terms of training and general empowerment can help women to
be attracted to journalism profession, 15 respondents (37.5%) out of 40 respondents agree
that governmental support in terms of training and general empowerment can help
women to be attracted to journalism profession, 1 respondent (2.5%) out of 40
respondents is yet to decide if governmental support in terms of training and general
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
19
47.5
Agree
15
37.5
Undecided
1
2.5
Strongly Disagree
5
12.5
Disagree
0
0
Total
40
100
52
empowerment can help women to be attracted to journalism profession, 5 respondents
(12.5%) out of 40 respondents strongly disagree that governmental support in terms of
training and general empowerment cannot help women to be attracted to journalism
profession, 0 respondent (0%) out of 40 respondents disagree that governmental support
in terms of training and general empowerment cannot help women to be attracted to
journalism.
4.5.3 Ways that women could be made to be attracted to journalism
profession
Table 17: Represents data on the ways that women could be made to be attracted to journalism
profession
Response
Frequency
Percentage
Strongly Agree
2
5
Agree
6
15
Undecided
3
7.5
Strongly Disagree
9
22.5
Disagree
20
50
Total
40
100
From the above table, 2 respondents (5%) out of 40 respondents believes that lecture
could be made to attract women to journalism profession, 6 respondents (15%) out of 40
respondents believes that seminal could be made to attract women to journalism
profession, 3 respondents (7.5%) out of 40 respondents believes that workshop could be
53
made to attract women to journalism profession, 9 respondents (20.5%) out of 40
respondents believe that in service training could be made to attract women to journalism
profession, 20 respondents (50%) out of 40 respondents believes that all of the above
could be made to attract women to journalism profession.
4.6 Hypothesis Testing
An alternative hypothesis which was formulated by the researcher was tested
using the chi-square and data already analyzed.
Hypothesis 1
H1: Hazard of journalism as a career does not scare women away from the profession.
Using table7
Table 18: Chi-Square Table 1
Response
O
E
(O-e)
(O-e)2
(O-e)2
2
Strongly Agree
18
8
10
100
12.5
Agree
7
8
-1
1
0.125
Undecided
3
8
-5
25
3.125
Strongly Disagree
3
8
-5
25
3.125
Disagree
9
8
1
1
0.125
Total
40
19
Therefore: x2 =19
Df = 5-1 = 4
54
Table value = 9.488
P = 0.05
Decision Rule: Since the calculated value is greater than table value (19 > 9.488), the
alternative hypothesis which states that hazard of journalism as a career does not scare
women away from the profession is accept.
Hypothesis 2
H1: Fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less hazardous jobs
after their training. Using table 12
Table 19: Chi-Square Table 2
Response
O
E
(O-e)
(O-e)2
(O-e)2
2
Strongly Agree
20
8
12
144
18
Agree
9
8
1
1
0.125
Undecided
8
8
0
0
0
Strongly
Disagree
1
8
-7
49
6.125
Disagree
2
8
-6
36
4.5
Total
40
28.75
Therefore: x2 =
28.75
55
Df = 5-1 = 4
Table value = 9.488
P = 0.05
Decision Rule: Since the calculated value is greater than table value (28.75 > 9.488), we
accept the alternative hypothesis which state fragile nature of women make them drop
their profession for less hazardous jobs after their training.
4.7 Discussion of Findings
In this section, the data collected from survey on “attitude of female Arizona State
University Mass Communication Students towards Journalism as a career” would be
discussed. The data contained in 40 fully completed questionnaire retrieved from the
respondents. Responses on the hazard research questions would be discussed.
4.7.1 Ways that the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from
the profession
The aim of this question was to know if the hazards of journalism scare women away
from the profession. The data on table 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were used to answer the
research question. The data in table 6 showed that 24 respondents (60%) says Yes while
16 respondents (40%) says No that they do not believe that the hazards of journalism as
a career scare women away from the profession.
The data on table 7 indicates that 18 respondents (45%) strongly agree that the hazards
of journalism as a career scares women away from the profession, 7 respondents (17.5%)
agree that the hazards of journalism as a career scare women away from the profession,
3 respondents (7.5%) are yet to decide if the hazard of journalism as a career scare women
56
away from the profession, 3 respondents (7.5%) strong disagree that the hazards of
journalism as a career do not scare women away from the profession, 9 respondent
(22.5%) disagree that the hazards of journalism as a career do not scare women away
from the profession, the data on table indicates that 13 respondents (32.5%) perceived
women journalist as tough, 7 respondents (17.5%) perceived women journalist as heart
of men, 15 respondents (37.5%) perceived women journalist as crime hunters, 5
respondents (12.5%) perceived women journalist as socialites while 0 respondent gave
on response to it.
The data in table 9 indicates that 16 respondents (40%) strongly agree that women
journalists are regarded by the people as good journalist doing the work of men, 14
respondents (35%) agree that women journalist are regarded by the people as good
journalist, 3 respondents (7.5%) are yet to decide if women journalist are regarded by the
people as good journalist doing the working of men, 6 respondents (15%) strongly
disagree while 1 respondent (2.5%) disagree that women journalist are regarded by the
people as good journalist doing the work of men.
The data in table 10 indicate that 18 respondents (45%) thinks that discrimination scare
women away from the profession, 6 respondents (15%) thinks that cultural belief, 6
respondents (15%) thinks religious beliefs, 10 respondents (25%) thinks all of the above,
0 respondent (0%) thinks that none of the above scares women away from the profession.
The data in table 11 indicated that 18 respondents (45%) strongly agree that it is true that
female journalists find it difficult to get married, 13 respondents (32.5%) agree that it is
true, 4 respondents (10%) are yet to decide if it is true, 2 respondents (5%) strongly
57
disagree that it is not true, 3 respondents (7.5%) disagree that it is not true that female
journalist find it difficult to get married because of the profession.
From the finding therefore, it has been discovered that the hazard of journalism as a
career scares women away from the profession. Also greater number of women do not
4.7.2 The fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less
hazardous jobs
The aim of these question is to know if the fragile nature of women make them to do
other less hazardous jobs after their training.
The data on table 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 were used to answer the research question.
The data on table 12 indicated that 20 respondents (50%) strongly agree that the fragile
nature of women make them to do other less hazardous jobs after their training, 9
respondents (22.5%) agrees, 8 respondents (20%) are yet to decide, 1 respondent (2.5%)
strongly disagree, 2 respondents (5%) disagree that the fragile nature of women do not
make them to do other less hazardous jobs after their training.
The data on table 13 indicates that 19 respondents (47.5%) strongly agree women as
mothers are supposed to be engaged in less hazardous job, 11 respondents (27.5%) agree,
0 respondent (0%) are yet to decide, 7 respondents (17.5%) strongly disagree, 3
respondents (7.5%) disagree that women are not supposed to be engaged in less
hazardous jobs.
The data on table 14 showed that 16 respondents (40%) strongly agree that the societal
belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts is why they are considered not
58
fit to engage in strenuous profession, 15 respondents (37.5%) agree, 1 respondent (2.5%)
is yet to decide, 4 respondents (10%) strongly disagree, 4 respondents (10%) disagree
that the societal belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts is not why
they are considered not fit.
The data on table 15 showed that 21 respondents (52.5%) strongly agree that women
journalist excel in the profession only as Newscasters and commercial and not in
investigative as pest of the profession, 14 respondents (35%) agree, 3 respondents (7.5%)
are yet to decide, 2 respondents (5%) strongly disagree, 0 respondent (0%) disagree. The
on table 16 indicated that 13 respondents (32.5%) strongly agree that the above quote do
not apply to women journalists in United States because of socio-cultural nature of the
country, 5 respondents (12.5%) agree, 2 respondents (5%) are yet to decide, 6
respondents (15%) strongly disagree that the above quote apply to women journalists in
United States while 14 respondents (35%) disagreed. From the finding therefore, it was
discovered fragile nature of women make them other less.
4.7.3 The possible solutions to the female apathy to journalism profession in
United States vis-a-vis their counterparts in other countries
The aim of these question is to find possible solutions to the female apathy to journalism
profession in United States vis a vis their counterparts in other countries. The data on the
table 17, 18, 19 were used to answer the research question.
The data on table 17 indicated that 15 respondents (37.5%) strongly agree that women
journalists in most of the civilized nations equal their male counterparts in all aspects, 9
respondents (22.5%) agree, 7 respondents (17.5%) are yet to decide, 5 respondents
59
(12.5%) strongly disagree, 4 respondents (10%) disagree that women journalist in most
civilized nations do not equal their male counterparts in all aspects.
The data on table 18 showed that 19 respondents (47.5%) strongly agree that
governmental support in terms of training are general empowerment can help women to
be attracted to journalism profession, 15 respondents (3.7%) agree, 1 respondent (2.5%)
are yet to decide, 5 respondents (12.5%) strongly disagree, 0 respondent (0%) disagree.
The data on table 19 indicated that 2 respondents (5%) believes that lecture could be
made to attract women to journalism profession, 6 respondents (15%) believes that
seminal, 3 respondents (7.5%) believes that workshop, 9 respondents (22.5%) believes
that in-service training while 20 respondents (50%) believes that all the above could be
made to attract women to journalism profess.
From the findings therefore, it is appropriate to state that governmental support, lecture,
seminal, workshops, In-service training can help impact the attitude of female towards
journalism as a career. The finding revealed that 88.9% of female Journalists do not go
into journalism profession after studies. Journalism as a career caused a lot of hazards
that why it scares women away as shown on table 7.
4.7.4 Hypothesis Testing
Hypothesis H1: hazard of journalism as a career does not scare women away from the
profession. This hypothesis was formulated by the researcher as an assumption of the
research or study to find out if the hazards of journalism do not scares women away from
the profession. The chi-square formula was used to statistically test this statement.
60
Using table 7 in the questionnaire and chi-square formula, the hypothesis showed that
the calculated value (19) is greater than the table value (9.488), therefore, the alternative
hypothesis which state that the hazards of journalism as a career do not scare women
away from the profession is accepted by the researcher.
From the data obtained and analyzed, it is pertinent to note that women in the field are
scared of the profession because of the hazards. The finding is also related to the social
categories which is observed to have similar modes of orientation and behaviour which
related people in the same social categories to such phenomena as Mass Communication.
Hypothesis 2: Fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less
hazardous jobs after their training. This hypothesis was formulated by the researcher as
an assumption of the research to find out if the fragile nature of women make them drop
their profession for less hazardous jobs after their training. The Chi-square formula was
used to statistically test this statement.
Using table 12 in the questionnaire and Chi-square formula, the hypothesis showed that
the calculated value (28.75) is greater than the table valve (9.488), therefore, the
alternative hypothesis which state that the fragile nature of women make them drop their
profession for less hazardous jobs after their training is accepted by the researcher.
From the data obtained and analyzed, it is necessary to note that fragile nature of women
scares them off the profession.
61
CHAPTER FIVE- SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AN RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
The main aim of this study was to know the attitude of Arizona State University female
mass communication students towards journalism as a career. Survey researcher design
was adopted using questionnaire for data gathering. Based on the data collected, analyzed
and discussed, this chapter will be focused on the summary of findings, conclusion and
recommendations.
5.2 Summary of Findings
The researcher in this work have exhausted sufficient efforts in the systematic
arrangement of the work in sequential order. The preceding chapters of this work have
among other things tried to summarily review, discuss and interpret the Attitude of
Female Mass communication Students towards Journalism as a Career.
In chapter one, the researcher gave detailed introductory overview on how the female
journalists neglect the practice of their profession after studying it the universities there
by creating an imbalance in the number of female and male trained journalists working
in the field, as it is seen that the number of male in the field and media houses surpassed
the number of female notwithstanding the fact that the number of female journalists who
graduates each year from the United States. Institutions are greater than the number of
the male journalist graduates.
62
The chapter two of this work projected the literature that were used in building up this
research work, how they were reviewed ranging from the female Journalist Attitude
towards Journalism as a Career. All these were reviewed to know more about the reason
behind the Negative Attitude of Female Mass Communication Students towards
Journalism as their Career.
Chapter three on its sides treated the issue of research methodology ranging from the
research design, population of study, sampling techniques, using the systematic sampling
technique. The researcher’s method of investigating was based on the copies of
questionnaire that were distributed to the selected respondents.
In chapter four, data presentation was done through analytical process that followed each
table and the tables were properly interpreted according to the data computed therein.
The chi-square Goodness of fit test was adopted as a means for testing the hypotheses
formula in the research work. The chapters therefore contained 19 tables in all which
gave a detailed and quantified explanations of data gathered in the course of study.
In chapter five, the researcher gave a brief summary of the whole work done in this
research work, the findings, conclusion and recommendations. To this end, Njogu (2006)
states “summary should be a brief of all that was done in the study, a tie up of what was
done in the study”. This very chapter finally brought the entire study to an end while
making some explanations and giving recommendations on the way forward.
5.3 Conclusion
Based on the findings, it has been observed that most of the female Mass Communication
graduates would not want to practice journalism on graduation. This means that certain
perceived difficulties like discrimination, religious beliefs, cultural beliefs which female
63
or women journalists face makes them not to practice the profession after their course of
study.
From the analysis gathered in this projects, there is no doubt to believe that Female Mass
Communication Students have Negative Attitude towards Journalism as their Career.
Also the necessary findings of this study as seen in the two hypothesis tested, all received
statistical supports.
Despite the Negative attitude of female journalists towards journalism as a career, the
researcher noted that in a much as the female journalists have negative attitude towards
journalism, they can still do better in the field, if not better than their male counterparts.
But this can only happen if they are given the opportunity to practice what they have
studied without being discriminated against.
Supporting this, Fedler et al (2005) says that “female journalists should be proud of
themselves wherever they find themselves as they cannot be defeated by their male
counterparts or other females who read other profession”.
5.4 Recommendations
Having critically analyzed attitude of female Mass Communication students towards
Journalism as a Career, the researcher hereby made the following recommendations for
further study thus;
Our families, religions, cultures and the society should stop the discriminations
against female or women, this will help the society to see the female journalists
as important as their male counterparts. When this is done, the female journalists
will be encouraged to go into the field and face the challenges of the world with
their male counterparts.
64
Media houses should make it as a point of duty to employ more of the female
journalists just like they employ the male journalists most especially in the
investigative aspects.
Those media houses that have employed women, should not only employ them
as presenters, but also as sign them to the field as reporters so that they will see
and feel the fun of journalism. When this is don, their negative attitude will
automatically change to positive and this will encourage more female journalists
to seek for employment in the media houses as reporters and freelancers.
Men who are opportune to marry female journalists should encourage them to
practice their profession as this will broaden their horizon and also help the family
to be current on things happening in the world.
Salaries of working journalists should be increased so as to motivate and change
the negative attitude of female Mass Communication students towards journalism
as a career to positively.
Working female journalists should be seen as being equally faithful as their
counterparts in other fields and not as promiscuous as people see them.
Other working conditions such as good housing, less time in the office and respect
for women journalists should be looked into so as to encourage the upcoming
female journalists.
In-service training, seminal, workshop, lecturers, governmental supports should
be rendered to upcoming graduate and those in the field so as to make them have
positive thinking towards journalism as a career.
65
5.5 Suggestion for Further Studies
Further studies should be carried out on the attitude of Female Mass Communication
students towards journalism as a career. Studies should also be conducted on the
influence journalism has on female or women which make them to do other jobs after
their course of study.
66
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APPENDICES
Appendix I: The Letter to the Respondent
Dear respondent,
I am an undergraduate student pursuing an undergraduate Degree in Communication and
Media at Arizona State University. My area of study is The Impact of Social Media on
the Future of Print media In Tharaka Nithi County.
I hereby request you to fill in this questionnaire which will enable me as the researcher
to relevant information for the research.
The information you will provide will be treated with confidentiality and at no point will
it be disclosed to anyone unduly.
Your cooperation and assistance will be highly appreciated.
Yours Faithfully,
Kesse Jackson.
71
Appendix II: Questionnaire
SECTION A
Contained questions on the demography of the respondents
Instruction: Please tick [√] against the question(s) that correctly express your opinion.
1. What is your Gender?
(a) Male [ ] (b) female [ ]
2. What is your age bracket?
(a) 17 – 20 [ ]
(b) 20 – 22 [ ]
(c) 23 – 25 [ ]
(d) 26 – 28 [ ]
(e) 29 and above [ ]
3. What is your profession?
(a) Student [ ]
(b) Civil Servant [ ]
(c) Journalist [ ]
(d) Private Business [ ]
(e) Others [ ]
4. What is your marital status?
(a) Single [ ]
72
(b) Married [ ]
5. What field would you like to go into after your course of study?
(a) Journalism [ ]
(b) Civil Servant [ ]
(c) Business [ ]
(d) Others [ ]
SECTION B
6. Does the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from the profession?
(a) Yes [ ]
(b) No [ ]
7. To what extent do you agree that the hazard of journalism as a career scare women
away from the profession?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
8. How does women journalist perceived by the public?
(a) As women that are tough [ ]
(b) As women that have heart of men [ ]
73
(c) As crime hunters [ ]
(d) As Socialites [ ]
(e) None of the above [ ]
9. Women journalists are regarded by the people as good journalist doing the work
of men.
(a) Strongly agree
(b) Agree
(c) Undecided
(d) Strongly Disagree
(e) Disagree [ ]
10. Do you think that the following hazard of journalism scare women away from the
profession?
(a) Discrimination [ ]
(b) Cultural Belief [ ]
(c) Religious Belief [ ]
(d) All of the above [ ]
(e) None of the above [ ]
11. Is it true that female journalist find it difficult to get married because of the
profession?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
74
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
12. Do you agree that the fragile nature of women make them to do other less
hazardous jobs after their training?
(a) Strongly agree
(b) Agree
(c) Undecided
(d) Strongly Disagree
(e) Disagree [ ]
13. Women as mothers suppose to be engaged in less hazardous jobs
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
14. The societal belief that women are weaker than their male counterparts. Is why
they are considered not fit to engage in strenuous professions?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
(c) Undecided [ ]
75
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
15. Women journalists excel in their profession only as Newscasters and in
commercials and not in investigative aspect of the profession?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree
(c) Undecided
(d) Strongly Disagree
(e) Disagree
16. “What a man can do a women can do better” does not apply to women
journalists in United States because of socio-cultural nature of the country?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
17. Women journalist in most of the civilized Nations equal their male
counterparts in all aspects?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
76
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
18. Governmental support in terms of training and general empowerment can help
women to be attracted to journalism profession?
(a) Strongly agree [ ]
(b) Agree [ ]
(c) Undecided [ ]
(d) Strongly Disagree [ ]
(e) Disagree [ ]
19. In what ways do you think that women could be made to be attracted to journalism
profession?
(a) Lecture [ ]
(b) Seminal [ ]
(c) Workshop [ ]
(d) In-service training [ ]
(e) All of the above [ ]
77
APPENDIX III: WORKPLAN SCHEDULE
Week
Activity
1-3
4-7
8-11
12-15
16-18
Formulation
of the Project
Deriving
objective
Literature
review
Preparation of
questionnaire
Collection of
data
Analysis of
data
Drafting and
Editing the
project
Preparation of
final project
report
Submission of
research
project
78
APPENDIX IV: BUDGET
PARTUCULARS
AMOUNT (Kshs.)
Print-out costs
1000
Miscellaneous
600
Total
1600
