International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming broadcast journalism worldwide by enhancing news gathering, content production, editing, audience engagement, and newsroom efficiency. However, the adoption and application of AI remain uneven across emerging economies due to infrastructural, financial, and technological constraints. In Nigeria, despite increasing scholarly attention to AI in journalism, there is a dearth of empirical studies examining its practical application within public broadcasting organisations, particularly at the state level. Against the backdrop of Nigeria's prolonged digital broadcasting migration, this study investigated the impact and challenges of Artificial Intelligence in newsroom production at Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation (EBBC), Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Objective: The study examined the extent to which Artificial Intelligence is utilised in newsroom production at EBBC, its perceived benefits, and the challenges associated with its adoption.
Method: The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study design. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with selected newsroom professionals at EBBC, including correspondents, editors, presenters, and technical personnel. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), particularly the constructs of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Results: The findings indicate that AI is already being utilised in EBBC's newsroom, particularly for content creation, script editing, information verification, studio presentation, and social media engagement. Participants reported that AI enhances speed, efficiency, productivity, and workflow, reflecting a high level of perceived usefulness. Nevertheless, the study identified several barriers to effective AI adoption, including limited access to AI technologies, inadequate staff training, high subscription costs, concerns about job displacement, and questions regarding the authenticity, contextual accuracy, and credibility of AI-generated content.
Conclusion: The study concludes that Artificial Intelligence has considerable potential to enhance broadcast journalism and support sustainable media development in emerging economies when deployed as a complementary tool that strengthens, rather than replaces, human professional judgment and editorial responsibility.
Unique Contribution: This study provides one of the earliest empirical investigations into the adoption and application of Artificial Intelligence within a state-owned public broadcasting organisation in Nigeria. By focusing on EBBC, it fills an important gap in the literature and extends the discourse on AI in broadcast journalism from the perspective of an emerging economy. Recommendation: The study recommends sustained capacity building for broadcast professionals, increased institutional investment in AI technologies, the development of newsroom ethical guidelines for AI use, and supportive government policies to promote the responsible, effective, and sustainable integration of Artificial Intelligence into public broadcasting.