NEWS COVERAGE IN DEMOCRATIC SETTING IN NIGERIA, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT

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NEWS COVERAGE IN DEMOCRATIC SETTING IN NIGERIA, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECT

ABSTRACT

The professionalism of media is crucial at all times especially during election periods to promote fair, safe and professional media election coverage. It is a truism that the media play an indispensable role in the proper functioning of a democracy. Discussion of the media’s functions usually focuses on their “watchdog” role: by unfettered scrutiny and discussion of the successes and failures of governments, the media can inform the public of how effectively its representatives have performed and help to hold them to account. This research is essentially on news coverage in democratic setting in Nigeria, challenges and prospect; the role and functions of the media during election while also taking a preview at some of the challenges that would confront the media in the execution of its duty. The researcher used both primary and secondary methods of data collection for this work. It also used many view to analyze the data in tabular form. In carrying out the research, the researcher made a lot of findings and based on the findings, recommendation on the best way to solve the outstanding problems of media coverage was suggested.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The development of Nigerian politics is interwoven with that of the press.  The early press, notably Townsend’s Iwe Irolin fun Awonoti Egba Yoruba, the Nigerian first newspaper was used as a political propaganda tool to fight the colonial administration in Lagos during the struggle for Independence.

Idowu (2001:55) reports that the newspaper was so effective that the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in England found it necessary to caution Townsend over his “excesses” in 1963.  He further comments that a year later, governor freeman complained to the home government that Iwe Irohim was “aggravating problems of foreign policy”.  This explains why the press is viewed as a very powerful weapon in the hands up both the government and the governed.  It is the seeming efficacy of the media that Onyisi (1996:125) writes that “As an institution, the press has been described variously”.  Some people see and perceive it as the “watch dog of the society”, some describes it as a “mirrow” through which society sees itself as it is.

In similar vein, others describe the press as “the unrecognized fourth arm of government”.  This later description of the press gave rise to the tag on the press all over the world as the “fourth estate of the realign”, thus being accorded the fourth position on the hierarchy of leadership in a democratic society.  The other arms of government being referred to include the executive, judiciary and legislature.

As the fourth estate of the realm, press enhances not only the smooth operation, performance and interactions between the various arms of government in the service of the people, but also prevents any operation of the people by these arms of government.

Similarly, the press in performing its “watch dog role”, Iwu (2007:33) posits that press the press is supposed to keep a watchful eye on what the government is doing and has the obligation on behalf of the public to criticize the government whenever it thinks that the government has not performed in the public interest.

This notwithstanding, the pen profession, like any other profession can also affect a society – negatively or positively.  On the positive side, the press (mass-media) appears to possess unequalled and unparallel capacities and capabilities to unveil, portray and reflect the society in which it operates.

On the negative aspect, Onyisi (1996:45) quoted from Kenneth Kaunda, a Former Zambian President explains “given appropriate conditions, the press can cause war or create peace.  It can promote development or create difficulties in ways of development”.

What the above statement by Kaunda simply means, is that it is counterproductive for any society to create conditions that would provide the press the opportunity of exhibiting its negative traits since the consequences are always far-reaching.

Onyisi cited form Mahatma Ghandi acknowledges this much when he said “the press is a great power but as an unchained torrent submerges the whole country side and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled pen serves but to destroy”.

Okunna (2001:75) supports the press for its roles in politics when she says the history of the press in many societies shows that journalists have always been in the forefront of the struggle for freedom.  The best journalists, that is, those who distinguish themselves and stand out among their peers are journalists who speak for the people/or grant people access to the media.

1.2     STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

This work sets out to determine news coverage in democratic setting in Nigeria particularly its patterns of reporting and analyzing political issues, crises and struggle since their pre-independence era.  For quite a long time now, as could be observed from the preceding studies, the press have proved to be a potent tool used in shaping, altering, perceptions and causing attitude change.  The press (radio, television, newspapers, and magazines) are used to lend credence, support, and authenticity to certain political issues, political office holders and parties yet, little or no effort has been made to find out the impact of continuous press participation in the nations politics.

Based on the above, the researcher therefore deems it expedient and purposeful to investigate news coverage in democratic setting in Nigeria.  A historical analysis of issues and patterns of news coverage.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objectives of the study is to find out whether or not the Nigerian press is selective in its report of similar political issues that affect the progress and functioning of the nation or not.

The study will also find out the circumstances and the reasons for the performances of the press especially in periods of political crisis.  This study will further strive to ascertain what was responsible for the dearth of investigative reporting during the period and the in updating of the payees of newspapers and magazines with personalities who hold and support similar views as the newspaper organizations they work for.

Similarly, this study will determine the implications of using the press for pure sectional, ethnic and religious biased coverage’s of events.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

For the purpose of carrying out this study effectively, the following research questions have been formulated to guide the study.

1. Do Nigerians think that the press was selective in its coverage of similar political issues in the country?
2. Does ownership and location of a media organisation affect its patterns of news coverage on politics, events, and political issues?
3. What implication does investigative reporting and a high preponderance of views/opinions in the press holds for the Nigerian press?
4. Is sectional, ethnic and religious bias glaringly observe in the pattern of news coverage and analysis of issue by the Nigeria press?

1.5     OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

At this point, it is necessary to define concepts under study both operationally and conceptionally.  To this effect, the following concepts have to be defined: press, politics, analysis, issues, pattern, coverage.

PRESS: Radio, Television, Periodicals – including newspapers, magazines, book, leaflets that are used in Nigeria for the dissemination and transmission to widely dispersed audience.In this study, press refers to the use of organs of mass-communication like radio, and television.

POLITICS: The art of science with guiding or influencing government policy, winning and holding control over a government. The struggle for power and dominance, sharing and allocating of the country’s resources.

ANALYSIS: An examination of issues, events, and topics that are complex so as to elucidate and make its meaning clear. In this study, it is the manner in which the media reports or packages political news to aid the struggle and quest for power and control of the nation.

ISSUES: These are important topics for discussion and argument. These refer to policy, options or programmes put in place by media organization for the over-all purpose of advancing the country and politics.

PATTERNS: This is a design or reliable and systematical style or packaging news coverage’s. Here, pattern is the way and manner the press/media organisation treats position and slant stories to favour a cause.

NEWS COVERAGE: Conceptually, this means gathering and presentation of happenings, events peoples and places on newspapers, magazines, radio and television.  Operationally, the actual style, language, positioning and slant given to a story in any of the various organs of mass-communication in Nigeria.

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