Assessment of Student Journalists’ Compliance with Ethical Journalism Standards in Selected Higher Institutions in Ogun State

Ethical journalism is central to media credibility, demanding accuracy, fairness, truthfulness, and independence. Anchored on the Social Responsibility Theory, this study examines the extent of compliance with ethical standards among student journalists in selected tertiary institutions in Ogun State, Nigeria. Student media serve as training grounds for emerging journalists, yet questions remain about how well ethical principles are internalized amidst pressures of sensationalism and digital immediacy. A quantitative survey design was adopted. Using the Taro Yamane formula, a sample of 285 respondents was drawn from a population of 1,816 Mass Communication students at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Babcock University, and Southwestern University through proportional and convenience sampling. Data were gathered with a validated questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression (SPSS v.23). Findings revealed significant positive relationships between ethical principles and compliance with journalism standards. Accuracy (β = .443, R² = .196, p < .001), fairness (β = .510, R² = .260, p < .001), and truthfulness (β = .529, R² = .280, p < .001) predicted compliance, while independence (β = .590, R² = .348, p < .001) emerged as the strongest determinant. The results show that student journalists demonstrate considerable adherence to ethical norms, with independence exerting the greatest influence. The study contributes to media ethics scholarship by offering insights into the ethical orientations of emerging journalists in a developing democracy. It recommends integrating structured ethics modules into journalism curricula, institutionalizing codes of practice in campus media, and fostering mentorship by professional journalists to reinforce responsible reporting.