THE ROLE OF NEWSPAPER REPORTAGE IN CREATING AWARENESS AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

THE ROLE OF NEWSPAPER REPORTAGE IN CREATING AWARENESS AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

(A STUDY OF DAILY TRUST NEWS PAPER)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to examine the role of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse. The study sought to provide valuable information on the extent to which the Newspaper (Daily Trust) has given prominence to drug abuse and suggest recommendations to curb the problem of drug abuse. The objectives of the study sought to assess contributions that have been put forward by Newspaper to stop drug and substance abuse, assess the nature of media coverage in terms of number of articles and point out weaknesses in the media coverage of the various factors associated with increase in drug abuse scourge. The research used content analysis and the data was analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively and it involved the use of tables and percentages aimed at condensing the data collected. In the study, it was found out that drug abuse has not been given prominence by the print media and this is because most of the articles published were short items and they appeared on the inside page of the newspapers. This means that only a few people read such items. Therefore, the researcher concluded that print media has not given drug abuse prominence. This calls for concerted efforts between key media stakeholders to conduct aggressive campaigns to sensitize the public on drug abuse and its effects. The government should come up with a comprehensive policy on drug abuse. The government should also ensure that teachers are trained on drug abuse so that they can give the students adequate and appropriate information on the same because media is not the only channel that can be used to curb drug abuse. More articles should be published in the newspapers and should be put in the headlines so that the public can know that drug abuse is a serious issue.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Newspapers play an important surveillance role in exposing all activities in society and bringing them to the attention of their patrons. In turn, public attention to these exposures and representations become the subject matter of public discussion and determination of issue salient within society. The press role in shaping society’s perception and opinion on societal issues is very significant and cannot be underestimated. This is reflected in the popular axiom in communication theory attributed to Bernard Cohen that, “The press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about” (Cohen, 1963:13). This implies that even though newspapers do not necessarily instruct people what to think of, they set the agenda for society regarding the events and issues that are discussed and these discussions serve as indicators for decision making. News is consumed from a variety of sources every day through newspapers, television, radio and the internet, among others. All news, no matter the source, has a constructed, newsworthy quality. (Reiner, Livingstone and Allen 2003).

Mass media have been a major agent of socialisation and tool for social change especially now that people depends on message from mass media. The potential power of the mass media helps solve social problems. Television, Radio and Print Advertising can entice people to buy a wide range of products and services. Newspaper messages and advertisement influence our ideas, values and behaviour.

Drug abuse according to Laver (2009, pp. 34) simply means the improper use of drugs to the degree that the consequences are defined as detrimental to the user and or the society. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2006) also defined drug abuse as a “state” of periodic or chronic intoxication, detrimental to the individual and to the society, produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic).

Drug abuse patterns include all aspect of drug usage by the youths ranging from how much, how often and what sort of drugs, where who, with, what circumstances and so on. The analysis of contemporary social problem has consistently proved more and more controversial because of the variables involve in their analysis, with the incidence of drug abuse, being of utmost concern to the abuser himself, his family, the government and the entire society in which he lives. This situation seems to have caused a lot of embarrassment to the government including most especially the damage done to the image of Nigerians abroad. It is obvious that custom officials in the United States of America and indeed the entire Nations of Europe subject the people of Nigeria traveling to their countries to a more thorough and embarrassing checks. This type of degrading and humiliating examination of Nigerians according to them is because they want to crack down on smugglers of which Nigerians are the chief suspects due to the hard drug trafficking posture exhibited by some greedy Nigerians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.1 billion people, representing a third of the world population above the age of 15 years, use tobacco principally in the form of the cigarettes. Of these smokers, 800 million of them males living in developing countries (WHO, 2004). The solution described above is true in developed countries that have been experimenting with such drugs for a long period. However, developing countries are not exempted from the dangers all countries, Nigeria inclusive, are vulnerable. It has been noted that Nigeria is one of the developing countries in Africa that has lately been experiencing rapid increase in production, distribution and consumption of multiple drugs of dependence (Acuda and Tambo, 1983; World Health Organization, 1995, Daily Nation, March 2, 2006).

The newspaper reportage play important role in shaping the knowledge of society particularly on social issues. The mass media and society are bedfellows; they are inter-related in so many ways. This inter-relation creates a significant interdependence between the two systems; that is the mass media on one hand depends on society for its production’s raw materials, whilst society on the other hand depends heavily on the press for its information needs. It is against this background that this project seeks to examine the role of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse, a study of Daily Trust Newspaper.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

Drug abuse in Nigeria in the contemporary time has become one issue that cast a gloomy shadow to the entire Nigerian society especially among University undergraduates. The height of drug trafficking in Nigeria was witnessed in 1985 under the military regime. During this period, it was mostly the University undergraduates that were caught and the first to be executed for drug offences under the “special tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Degree No. 20 of 1984. However, the abuse of drugs is not only limited to the University undergraduates as alien phenomenon is to distort its significance. The continuous abuse of these drugs has lead to a situation of drug addiction and the addict developing a bondage to the drug. The effects of drug abuse is detrimental not only to the individual but to the society as a whole. The mass media have done alot in educating the general public of the consequence of drug abuse among Nigeria, however more is left to be desired. Thus this research seek to examine the role of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse. therefore the study seek to know how well can newspaper reportage as a vehicle for information dissemination be relied upon to perform its role in the society, to join hand in the battle against drug abuse? How can the power of the mass media be used effectively to reduce high-risk drinking among people? To explore that question, this research begins by reviewing three types of mass media campaigns focused on drinking; information, social norms marketing and advocacy.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to examine the role of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse, a study of Daily Trust Newspaper.

The specific objectives of the study are as follows;

1. To examine the impact of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse among Nigerians.
2. To identify and evaluate strategies used to address drug abuse, their effectiveness and shortcomings.
3. To examine whether Daily Trust Newspaper educate and enlighten the general public on drug abuse.
4. To know if mass media awareness on drug abuse has reduced the unlawful use of drugs in society.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTION

          The following are the research questions of the study;

1. Does newspaper reportage have any impact in creating awareness against drug abuse among Nigerians?
2. What are the strategies used in addressing drug abuse in Nigeria?
3. Do Daily Trust Newspaper educate and enlighten the general public on the bad effect of drugs abuse?
4. How effective is the awareness created by newspaper reportage on drug abuse?

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY        

The results of the study should help in creating awareness in the society on the general effects of drug abuse on their health most especially the University undergraduates. It will make the youths to realize that excessive or even small intake of this item (drugs) has inhibitory effects on their brain.

The study will go a long way in reducing the numerous health problems encountered as a result of the misuse of drugs or the intake of hard drugs. The study will also help young researchers or writers to solve some problems of drug abuse, thereby ensuring good health of the University undergraduates or youths in general and social harmony in the society.

The research will benefit different people, especially youth. This study has important contribution to make in the education of the general society about drug abuse. This study will enable the society to see the danger in the excessive use of drugs in the society.

At the end of this research, the audience will know the effectiveness of the newspaper reportage in trying to eradicate the abuse of drugs among Nigerians. Finally, this study will help assess the impact of the mass media in creating awareness about drug abuse.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study has been limited to Daily Trust Newspaper a Nigerian National dailies. The research focuses on the impact of newspaper reportage in creating awareness against drug abuse.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

Newspaper: A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events.

Reportage: Reportage is the reporting of news and other events of general interest for newspapers, television, and radio.

Drug: Drug is a substance which may have medical intoxicating or enhancing performance or other effect in human body.

Drug Abuse: Drug abuse is the misuse of drugs by people in such a way that there is observable effects on the individual or the society at large.

Mass Media: These are means of communication to a larger audience. These are represented by radio, television, newspaper and magazine.

Media: It refers to various means of communication.

Creating Awareness: It means making it known to the public or popular.

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