The advent of the Internet in the late 1990s was a significant turning point for African journalism. Its impact has been profound, enabling convergence with traditional news media and expanding broadcast architecture to reach larger audiences. Moreover, social media has empowered indigenous language users with cultural liberty and immunity to external cultural influences. The convergence of legacy broadcasting channels with the Internet has benefited indigenous language broadcasting, particularly in non-metropolitan or colonial areas. This positive outcome has been made possible by the widespread availability and affordability of smartphones and cheap data, as various telecommunications companies across Africa fiercely compete to provide data-hungry African youth with the lowest-priced data. Smartphones have revolutionised media convergence by seamlessly integrating broadcast media, such as streaming websites like Netflix and static stations like YouTube; radio applications like TuneIn; print media like e-books; and applications by major, often traditional, printed newspapers. This study examines the use of the Hausa language on social media during the infodemic era. An infodemic is a rapid spread of accurate and inaccurate information about issues. The term, coined in 2003 by David Rothkopf, rose to prominence in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis thoroughly examines text-based interactions concerning the use of the Hausa language about misinformation and disinformation on various social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The investigation employed Kozinets' (1998) Netnographic approach, focusing on online community interactions.
Keywords: Media Convergence, Netnography, Hausa Language, Infodemic
Manuscript submitted to Journal of Communication and Media Studies | This publication was made possible (partly) by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The statements made and views expressed are solely the responsibility of the author.
