ABSTRACT
This
study is examined Nigerian newspaper coverage of coronavirus in Nigeria. Also
to know the prominence attached and how intensive the stories were written. The
objectives of this study were to examine the frequency of newspaper reportage
of coronavirus in Nigeria, to ascertain the prominence given to the issue of
coronavirus, in term of news placement by the selected newspapers, to examine
the space given to the issue of coronavirus by the selected newspapers. Content
analysis was used based on simple random sampling for newspaper coverage on
coronavirus in Nigeria by Daily Trust, The Punch, and The Nation newspapers for
the period of six months each, i.e.
between March and August, 2020 where a total of 270 editions were selected for
the month of March, May and July, 2020. The findings revealed that Nigerian
newspaper gave adequate coverage to coronavirus in Nigeria because the number
of stories used reporting the issues were high. It recommended that the media
should always continue to sensitize the general public on the negative effects
of not adhering to safety measures against coronavirus in Nigeria.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objectives of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Scope
of the Study
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Overview of Coronavirus
2.3 Coronavirus in Nigeria
2.4 An Overview of Newspaper
2.5 Health Information Dissemination
2.6
Health Information and Mass Media
2.7 The Need for Strategic Health
Communication in Nigeria
2.8 Mass Media and Coronavirus
2.9 Theoretical Framework
2.9.1 Agenda Setting Theory
2.9.2 Framing Theory
2.9.3
Relevance of the Theory to the Study
2.10 Empirical Review
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1
Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Population of Study
3.4
Sampling Procedure
3.5 Sample Size
3.6 Unit of Analysis
3.7
Method of Data Collection
3.8
Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Introduction
4.2
Data Presentation and Analysis base
on Research Questions
4.2 Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
REFERENCES
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
In
late December 2019, an outbreak of new coronavirus strain was
identified in China. By 2 February 2020, the World Health Organization reports,
14,557 cases of the strain had been confirmed worldwide, with 304 deaths in
China and one outside China (AfricaCheck, 2020).
Coronaviruses
(CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common
cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a
new strain that has not been previously identified in humans (World Health
Organization, 2019).
Coronaviruses
are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people. Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV
was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to
humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not
yet infected humans (WHO, 2019).
Nigeria
joined Algeria, Egypt and other countries in the African region for the case of
COVID-19 following the confirmation
of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Lagos
- Nigeria by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) on the 27th of February 2020,
as a result of return of an Italian citizen from Milan-Italy, there is an
emergency towards prevention, control and containment of the dreaded
coronavirus disease that was discovered to have emanated from Wuhan China
(NCDC, 2020).
According
to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (2020), the new coronavirus
(2019-nCoV) appears to cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms like cough,
fever and breathing difficulties. From current evidence about 98 persons out of
100 persons with the disease recover, and it appears that death is not a common
outcome, mostly in patients with underlying health issues. The FMOH (2020)
advised all Nigerians to take care of their health and maintain hand and
respiratory hygiene to protect selves and others, including their families.
The
media have the power to direct our attention towards certain issues; they can
do this by setting agenda through repetition of health crisis reports.
According to Cohen (1963), the media may not be successful in telling their
readers what to think, but are stunningly successful in telling their readers
what to think about. Considering the power of the media to give prominence on
an issue, the awareness of the people about things around them can be
reactivated by the media.
In
promoting the ethical value of health communication, The World Health
Organization (WHO) states that ‘information is a basic right and health for all
is a priority throughout the World. The combination of the two elements
‘health’ and ‘information’ from an ethical point of view is more than the
arithmetical sum of the two factors (Miranda et al, 2008). Mass media information on health-related issues may
induce changes in health services utilization, both through planned campaigns
and unplanned coverage. The current emphasis on consumerism in the delivery of
health care highlights the potentially important role of mass media in
increasing the public awareness of research findings and promoting the
utilization of effective and efficient health services (Grilli, Ramsay and
Minozzi, 2009).
Abone
(2013) also assert that the mass media are referred to as a key component of
global strategy for sustainable health issues. The media play vital role in
every society as they shape culture, influence politics, affect people’s
attitude, play important roles in health and business as well as affect the
daily lives of millions. This explains why Mustapha (2014), avers that without
the media, it would be impossible for health promoters and stakeholders to
disseminate information as well as monitor and coordinate the activities of the
various countries on health issues.
Dzeble (2006) noted
that the press has a responsibility of originating opinion on vital issues and
the provision of information to people to enable them make vital decisions that
affect their lives. Admittedly also, the way newspapers frame issues in their
coverage has a strong bearing on the kind of information they provide and how
the information is appreciated and understood by the general public.”
The press play
significant role in shaping society’s perception and opinion on societal
issues. They are one of the major avenues through which people depend on for
social, political and economic news. As Lipmann (2000), quoted by Eklu (2004)
rightly pointed out, “it is very difficult to know everything through direct
experience but we largely depend on pictures in our heads, which are conveyed
to us by the news media, to get information.
Paimre and
Harro-Loit (2011) also contend that events, social problems, people or facts
become significant only as a result of media coverage. It is for this reason
that newspapers, since their inception, have been regarded as the mirror of
society, reflecting the images of societal happenings. Indeed, much of our
knowledge on issues relating to politics, economics and society in general is
made possible through newspapers. Consequently, the ways in which newspapers
choose to cover social issues can have important ramifications, influencing how
individuals in society perceive those issues and their response to them.
Modern
society does not only depend upon mass communication, but the process itself
defines the nature of mass society where more citizens will depend on the media
for much of what they know. This is because (the coronavirus disease and other)
emerging health diseases can only be made known by the media. The media have a
big role to play in such conditions noted above. Since the media is relied on
for the reportage of accurate and trustable information on topical issues like
on health related matters, it is believed that the mass media has important
roles to play. In the event of a public health emergency or a natural disaster,
coverage of risk is influenced by the level of importance journalists give to
it. The importance of an event or occurrences is also a selling point for
newspapers. This is seen on the front pages of newspapers (Aliagan, 2014).
Basically,
one of the functions of the media is surveillance of the society by unearthing
potential and present dangers and pointing the way forward. This study,
therefore, is on content analysis of coronavirus coverage by Nigerian
newspapers.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
With
the speed at which the recently discovered coronavirus is spreading there is a
need for everyone to be at alert to avoid contacting the disease. Moreso, the
submission of the World Health Organization (WHO) that while the present type
of coronavirus was transmitted from cat, several known coronaviruses are
circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. This shows that
without proper awareness and care, especially keeping hygienic environment,
there could be outbreak of coronavirus in Nigeria just like the case of Lassa
Fever.
The
mass media is expected to be at the forefront of educating the masses that
personal hygiene, hands hygiene and personal protective equipment like nose
masks, eye goggles, face masks, hand gloves, etc. provides safety to all who
are disciplined and committed to such practices in a time like this. This is
because reporting cases of coranavirus is not enough but also emphasizing
personal hygiene and other safety measures in various reports should be media
business in such health emergency time like this.
However,
figures released on daily basis by the NCDC show that the coronavirus is fast
spreading among Nigerians. As a result of this, there appears a need to assess
how newspapers have played their roles in setting agenda on it by content
analyzing selected national newspapers.
1.3
Objectives of the Study
The
objectives of this study are:
1.
To
examine the frequency of newspaper reportage of coronavirus in Nigeria
2.
To
ascertain the prominence given to the issue of coronavirus, in term of news placement
by the selected newspapers
3.
To
examine the space given to the issue of coronavirus by the selected newspapers
1.4
Research Questions
1.
What
is the frequency of newspaper reportage of coronavirus in Nigeria?
2.
What
prominence is given to the issue of coronavirus, in term of news placement by the
selected newspapers?
3.
What
is the degree of space given to coronavirus in the selected newspapers?
1.5
Significance of the Study
The study would help to reveal the role of media in
educating Nigeria on how to curtail the spread of coronavirus. This is because
the media is expected to set agenda around such issue.
The
study also find significance in the sense that the results could serve as
reference material for researchers, civil society organizations, government and
other agencies in making policy decisions regarding outbreak of pandemic in
Nigeria.
1.6
Scope of the Study
This
study is on Nigerian newspaper coverage of coronavirus in Nigeria. This study
is limited to three national dailies (Daily Trust, The Nation and The Punch
newspapers).
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
Newspaper: This refers to any unbound periodical publication containing
items such as news, features, editorials, sports etc that operates in Nigeria.
The newspapers here are Daily
Trust, The Punch and The Nations newspapers.
Coverage: This referred to news reports in the newspapers, especially
those in The Punch
and The Nations newspapers on coronavirus.
Coronavirus: This
is a pandemic disease that causes mild to severe respiratory symptoms like
cough, fever and breathing difficulties. It can also lead to the death of a
patient.
Nature/kind
of Coverage: This has to do with the level and type of coverage The Punch
and The Nation gave to coronavirus.
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