HYPOTHETICAL SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION MODEL AND ITS IMPORT IN CONTEMPORARY JOURNALISM PRACTICE

Abstract

This paper is an exploratory study presenting Edogor's (2024) conceptualisation of a hypothetical social media communication model and its significance in contemporary journalism.  Arguably, the influence of social media on journalism practice, particularly, and on every form of human communication generally has been phenomenal. Perhaps this is because social media's invention was a singular development that engendered tremendous changes in all facets of communication more than prior technologies. Thus, the discourse on social media cuts across languages, economy, religion, culture, technologies, communication, relationships, fashion, and socio-political trends that journalism centres on. Owing to the influence that social media usage exerts on journalism and communications, the researchers of this paper deemed it necessary to provide a bird’s-eye view of the interaction elements observed on the platforms. That is why the researchers have formulated and analysed a social media communication model offering the clues for better comprehension of communication processes on the sites for digital interactions. Basically, social media’s multidimensional influence on journalism prompted the conceptualisation of the model portraying the rudimentary alterations in the profession now.