TRADITIONAL MEDIA VERSUS NEW MEDIA: THE FIGHTFORDOMINANCE AMONG THE YOUTHS IN OUR SOCIETYTODAY

The core objective of this study is to examine the extent to which traditional mediaandthe new media have remained dominant in the lives of the youths in our society andtofurther investigate not just which of these media have dominated the sphere of theyouths but also find out the reasons why this is so. The study was anchoredonusesand gratification theory and media dependency theory. Like the name implies, theyouths have woken up to the several opportunities presented to themthrough the mediaand as active participants of the media, they depend on it to explore these variousopportunities with their focus on which of the media world be more ef ectiveandef icient in their drive towards these said opportunities. The survey researchmethodwas adopted. To this end, 100 copies of the questionnaire were administeredtostudents in the University of Benin, Ekehuan campus. It was discovered in the studythat the new media has really dominated the world of the youths. Some youths statedthey used the new media for various reasons amongst which are entertainment, education, information, business and aven politics. The study therefore recommendsthat media practitioners, especially those with the youths as their target audienceshould re-strategize in their goal of reaching the youths. Contents that wouldinspirethe thinking faculty of the youths to produce the right results for both themandthesociety at large should be constantly made use of. Already, there is an integrationof traditional media to the new media, this collaboration should not be viewed as alossbut for the benefit of the greater good, knowing that these youths are the future of thesociety. In a society where the youths who are viewed as a menace in the societyarefully equipped with information and knowledge that revolutionary, it wouldinspirethem to be better and the society as well. The new media should be taken advantageof. If the new media among the youths is paid more attention, we would realize that most atrocities committed in the society will reduce. The new media has come to stay; theworld is changing, it’s time for us to change to.