Assessing the Effectiveness of Smartphone Use in Electronic Media News Coverage: A Case Study of ZANIS TV

The integration of smartphones into journalism, commonly referred to as mobile journalism (MoJo), has transformed news production globally by enabling journalists to gather, edit, and disseminate news content using a single portable device. In Zambia, while private media organizations have adopted mobile journalism more rapidly, public broadcasters such as Zambia News and Information Services Television (ZANIS TV) continue to face structural, infrastructural, and policy-related challenges that constrain effective adoption. This study assessed the effectiveness of smartphone use in news coverage at ZANIS TV in Lusaka, focusing on patterns of use, perceived benefits, challenges, and organizational support mechanisms.

A qualitative case study design was employed, complemented by descriptive quantitative analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, structured questionnaires, document review, and non-participant newsroom observation. The study was guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory to examine both individual-level perceptions and organizational-level adoption dynamics. Findings reveal that although smartphone ownership among journalists was high, professional use varied by task, with greater uptake in photography, audio recording, scriptwriting, and story submission than in mobile editing and live streaming. Smartphones significantly improved reporting speed, flexibility, and remote reporting capacity; however, their effectiveness was constrained by unstable internet connectivity, limited data access, inconsistent training, inadequate accessories, and the absence of clear institutional policies. The study concludes that smartphones have enhanced news production efficiency at ZANIS TV, but sustainable integration requires deliberate investment in infrastructure, structured capacity building, and clear editorial and policy frameworks.