MASS COMMUNICATION UNBUNDLING
THE GIVE AND TAKE APPROACH OF NUC
Mass Communication unbundling
Editorial
The unbundling of the hitherto Mass Communication Department in the Ivory Towers by the Nigerian Universities’ Commission (NUC) is no doubt the right thing at the right time. To unbound in a lay man’s parlance is to breakdown into segments. With this development, from the 2020 Academic year, Mass communication has the backing of the NUC to split into seven different courses or departments. These are:
- Journalism and mass media
- Public Relations
- Advertising
- Broadcasting
- Film and Multimedia Studies
- Development Communication Studies
- Information and Media Studies
To even think these seven courses were bundled into one head was a slap on professionalism. This was a scenario commonly termed as “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Apart from rare/exceptional cases, it is difficult for one to excel with this conglomeration of courses. Professors, Professionals and Practitioners (PPP) of Mass Communication in Nigeria have collectively done a good job through the presentation of the communication curricula to the NUC, which resulted into this unbundling (split). This should have come earlier than now. But like the saying goes, “it is better late than not.” The unbundling will give room for professionalism, create jobs and provide more admission vacancies in what will become the faculty, school or college of communication (as may be adopted by the various universities).
However good this unbundling may sound, there is of course the issue of man power and infrastructure the Universities have to contend with. It is evident that while the universities have improved in the area of human capacity overtime; the issue of infrastructural deficit still lingers. For this reason, many universities cannot oblige the seven split. Some might start with as low as two departments (instead of seven) and progress thence. Some universities may go ahead with the seven and ignore infrastructural or human capacity deficiencies.
One other big issue the universities will have to contend with is placement of the teaching staff. In a society driven by politics of sentiments, the wrong people may likely emerge as heads in the various courses to enable these friends, family, acquaintances or partners in crime through the influence of the Vice Chancellors or Senate. For instance if someone has capacity due to experience or by virtue of his postgraduate degrees in advertising, why make him the Head in the Department of Broadcasting? If one is better in the area of Journalism and Mass Media, it is better to place him where he belongs than preferring him in the Public Relations’ divide. There will be situations where someone will say: I do not want to belong in the same department as XY2; just take me elsewhere, after all we studied the same Mass Communication.
These are some of the inadequacies and politics likely to surface in exchange for priority and meritocracy. However, the universities should not downplay professionalism and incur the wrath of the NUC. Even as the “go ahead and unbundle” is granted, infrastructure and human capacity must come to mind. Every University should split according to its current human capacity and infrastructural strength.
For learners affected by this development, it is an opportunity for you to be professional in the right sense of the word. If one is interested in more than one of the departments, the window is open for another first degree or post graduate degrees depending on what one wants. There is also room for elective courses to enable one have a glimpse of the other divide.
It should be noted that the unbundling idea does not make Mass Communication a less professional course, so much as it a convenient platform to “divide and rule.” In any case, the universities must remember the “give and take” approach of the NUC. It is one thing granting the “rainbow splits,” but it is an entirely different thing to keep up to the accreditation requirements of the same NUC.
