Professional Development and Training Needs of Journalists in South East Nigeria

This study examines the professional development needs, current training access, and capacity gaps of journalists working in South East Nigeria, providing an evidence base for designing targeted journalism training interventions in the region. Professional development is essential for maintaining journalism quality in the face of rapid technological change, evolving ethical challenges, and expanding story complexity in economics, science, and law. South East Nigeria's journalism sector serves a large and economically significant population but has received limited attention in journalism training research. This study uses a survey design, collecting data from 180 journalists working across print, broadcast, and digital media in Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi States. Training needs are assessed across 15 specific skill areas including data journalism, investigative reporting, multimedia production, social media verification, legal knowledge, and health reporting. Current access to professional development opportunities, barriers to training participation, and preferred training formats are documented. Findings reveal that data journalism, investigative reporting, and multimedia production are the three highest-priority training needs identified by respondents, with fewer than 20 percent reporting any formal training in these areas in the past three years. Financial cost, geographic distance to training centres, and inability to take work time off are the primary training access barriers. Online training is the most preferred format, particularly since the COVID-19 period. The study concludes that a major professional development deficit exists among South East Nigeria journalists and recommends regional journalism training hubs combining in-person and online delivery with employer partnership funding models.

Keywords: journalism training, professional development, South East Nigeria, capacity building, journalism skills.