Town Criers as Traditional Newsmen: Ikot Udota Resident's Perception of the Credibility of Information Disseminated by Town Criers

Abstract

This study sought to investigate Ikot Udota residents' perception of the credibility of information disseminated through town criers. Specifically, the study objectives were to: examine the extent to which Ikot Udota residents are exposed to information disseminated by local town criers; find out the perception of Ikot Udota residents of information disseminated by town criers; examine Ikot Udota residents' perception of the credibility of information disseminated by town criers; and find out the effectiveness of town criers in disseminating credible information to positively influence Ikot Udota residents' perception. Anchored on the Social Category Theory and Perception Theory, the study adopted a survey research design, administering questionnaires to 342 respondents selected through a combination of purposive and systematic random sampling techniques. Findings reveal that a significant proportion of Ikot Udota residents are exposed to town crier announcements to a very large extent (54%); hold a positive perception of town crier announcements (71%); perceive town criers as credible sources of information (65%); and believe that town crying ensures accuracy and maintains credibility (77%). Recommendations are that town criers in Ikot Udota should continue to leverage local dialects and cultural references; community leaders should support town criers with accurate and timely information; Ikot Udota residents should remain receptive to town crier announcements and provide feedback; and relevant stakeholders should collaborate with town criers to promote public health campaigns, community development initiatives, and social cohesion