Abstract
This
study delves into the newspaper coverage of the 2015 general election in
Nigeria, focusing on selected newspapers - The Punch and The Guardian.
Employing a content analysis research design, the study aims to achieve four
objectives: evaluating the credibility of newspaper reports, understanding the
role newspapers played in the election, assessing their contribution to its
success, and determining their effectiveness in sensitizing the masses. The
population of the study consists of all publications from both newspapers
between January 1st and March 31st, totaling 90 publications. However, due to
feasibility, 30 publications were sampled for analysis, selected through
purposive sampling.
Data
collection was facilitated through a coding sheet, encompassing variables such
as newspaper name, publication date, story types, sources, and more.
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was utilized for data
analysis, employing techniques like cross-tabulation and simple percentages.
The
findings indicate a significant focus on political stories, particularly on
exposing corrupt acts, crises within political parties, and candidate
defections. The newspapers played a crucial role in creating awareness and
mobilizing the electorate, evident from the emphasis on political
advertisements and coverage of electoral candidates. However, the study also
reveals a predominance of negative narratives, highlighting the challenges and
corruption prevalent in Nigerian politics.
Journalism
emerges as a potent tool for combating corruption, with media reports leading
to public outcry and legal actions against corrupt officials. The study underscores
the symbiotic relationship between journalists and anti-corruption bodies,
wherein media coverage reinforces the legitimacy of investigative efforts.
Furthermore,
the study aligns with recommendations emphasizing the need for newspapers to
prioritize informing the citizenry and promoting development alongside
political coverage. Print media, it suggests, holds significant potential for
mobilizing citizens, particularly women, towards political participation.
In
conclusion, the study affirms the influential role of print media in shaping
public perception and contributing to the success of democratic processes like
elections. It emphasizes the responsibility of journalists in representing the
nation accurately and promoting accountability among political actors.
Based on these findings, recommendations include
efforts to demystify media forms, enhance journalistic integrity, and
prioritize national interest in coverage. These measures are crucial for
fostering public trust in media institutions and ensuring their continued
effectiveness in promoting democratic values and curbing corruption.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
Background of the Study
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6
Significance of the Study
1.7 Scope of the Study
1.8 Limitations of the Study
1.9 Operational
Definition of Terms
REFERENCES
CHAPTER
TWO
LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1
Introduction
2.2 Theoretical Studies
2.2.1
Agenda Setting Theory
2.2.2
Normative Media Theory
2.2.3 Media
System Dependency Theory
2.3
Conceptual Studies
2.3.1 The Concept of Election and Balloting
2.3.2 Elements of Election
2.3.3 The Birth and Growth of the Nigerian Press
2.3.4 The Bad Reputation of Election Promises
2.3.5 How Elections Are Organized In Nigerian
2.3.6
How Elections Are Rigged In Nigeria
2.3.7 Problems of Election in Nigeria
2.3.8 The Role of Media in Election Campaign
2.3.9 Issues That Drives the 2015 Election
2.3.10 The Priority of 2015 Election And Why Is It
Important
2.4
Empirical Studies
REFERENCES
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0
Introduction
3.1 Research
Design
3.2
Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sampling Procedure
3.5 Source of
Data Collection
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection
3.7
Validity And Reliability Of The Study
3.8 Data
Analysis
REFERENCES
CHAPTER
FOUR
DATA
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION
4.0
Introduction
4.1
Data Analysis of Presentation
4.2 Discussion Of Findings
CHAPTER
FIVE
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusions
5.4 Recommendations
5.5
Areas For Further Studies
REFERENCES
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
“...Mass
media are often referred to as the fourth estate of realm because of the power
they wield and the oversight function they exercise. The print media as a major
player in democratic governance and development has been recognized since the
late 17th century, and remains a fundamental principle of modern-day democratic
theory and practice especially in educating, enlightening, mobilizing the
electorates before, during and after elections. The mass media especially
newspaper has reshaped the public opinion, but they are in turn influenced and
manipulated by different interest groups in society.”. Aderibigbe (2014: 21).
The
media promote democracy by among other things, educating voters, protecting
human rights, promoting tolerance among various social groups, and ensuring
that governments are transparent and accountable. Newspaper has been used to
support democracy and development. The newspapers, for example, have exposed
mismanagement in high office, resulting in the resignation or toppling of heads
of state and in the enactment of governance reforms
According to Jideofor, (2014:12),
“The 2015 presidential election in Nigeria, the fifth since 1999 when the
military handed over power to elected civilians, will be the first time that
the opposition will have a realistic chance of wresting power from the ruling
People’s Democratic Party (PDP). All things being equal, it will be a two-horse
race between the ruling PDP and the main opposition party, the All Progressive
Congress (APC)—the party formed in February 2013 from a merger of three
ethnically and regionally based political parties. Before the emergence of the
APC, opposition parties were mostly fragmented along regional and ethnic lines,
making it impossible for them to mount a credible challenge to the ruling PDP.”
In the same vein, Adibe, (2014:
11) posited that “The emergence of a viable opposition coincides with a period
of great tension between north and south, arising from the decision of
President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2011 elections, a decision that has
made many northerners feel cheated of their turn in producing the president and
that induced some violence. With President Jonathan, a southern Christian,
contesting again and very likely facing a northern Muslim candidate, the elections
will have implications not just for north-south relations but also for the
survival of the country’s democracy.”
Similarly, The Guardian, (2014),
revealed that with the number of internally displaced people from the Boko
Haram conflict estimated at about 650,000 as of August 2014, a mismanaged
election could trigger post-election violence that will exacerbate the refugee
crisis both internally and at the regional level. Corroborating this, Baiyewu,
(2015: 23) added “For instance, it has been estimated that the Boko Haram
conflict has led to more than 100,000 Nigerians seeking refuge in Niger’s Diffa
region since the beginning of 2014. It is also estimated that there are 44,000
Nigerian refugees in Cameroon and 2,700 in Chad. Ironically, the neighboring countries
where Nigerians are seeking refuge from the Boko Haram conflict are already
quite poor and have severe socioeconomic challenges of their own.”
Meanwhile, Jega has already been
accused of planning to rig the 2015 election when he suggested creating more
polling booths, most of which were to be put in the north (Nigerian Tribune
2014). According to Adibe, (2014: 22) “In all aspects of social life, the genesis
of a new decade triggers to an effort to summarize and characterize what
happened from the past years and to look forward to challenges – the genesis of
a new era. The press (newspaper) stands as link between old and
new. A regime that newly arrives into power can blame its predecessor for
some economic problem and it uses the press (newspaper) to compare its records
in funding popular services with past regime and reminds public the oppression
they felt from the oppositions when they were in power, and to also praise
government for the good work done when they were in power, all these tactics work
effectively when they use the press.”
In the same vein, Adoyi
et al (2015: 30) in their research work stated that “Nigeria political
independence in 1960 had raised hopes of many that the nation was being set
towards achieving a free and democratic society. In such a democratic society,
it is expected that the press such as newspaper in particular should be the
market place of political thought. The newspaper therefore, should exist mainly
to serve the information need of the citizenry in politics.” Apparently,
development should not be seized from being mentioned while discussing
politics.
According to Ejike, (2014: 21),
he says that development and politics are so intertwined that one cannot talk
about or deal with one with the other, especially in a developing country like
Nigeria. Having observed the above statement; it is rarely difficult to
distinguish between politics and development especially as it relates to
Nigeria politically. Newspaper could be seen as a more possible agent of social
and political mobilizing in the country than television especially in
mobilizing women towards participating in politics.
Basically in Nigeria, one cannot
but say all is not well considering the nature of the country in term of
population, ethnicity, religion, ideology, social, and economy, political and
international perspective. According to Anaeto and Anaeto (2010:34) as cited in
Adoyi et al (2015: 32) Africa countries are best with many challenges-social,
political, cultural and economical development and transformation. Meanwhile,
conflict is inevitable considering the nomenclature of Nigeria. Without mincing
words, Nigeria media have come a long way in discharging the basic ethical
standards. They don’t just; inform, educate and entertained as their traditional
functions required but also persuade entire citizens of the country to maintain
peace and live together as one entity irrespective of differences.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Past research works have
identified some of the major challenges facing the print media in Nigeria to
be: government control, censorship, advertisers influences, newspaper over
reliance on government and corporate sources in sourcing for news as they
actually provide veritable news sources whose authority and prestige help to
enhance the reporters’ account, the effect and role of negative responses to
media content and the role of ideology as a political control mechanism.
The incipient problem which has
so far beset the process of nation building and political development in
Nigeria of the print media is related to the fact that it is located in the
crisis of political participation. This affected the credibility of media
reports.
Another problem facing the print
media is that the awareness created by newspaper in political matters has not
been effective enough, owing to the conflicts of interest that exist between
the newspaper proprietors and the politicians. For instance, The Nation
Newspaper will not write any negative report on the activities of APC as it is
said that he who pays the piper calls the tune, and The Guardian also will not
write to portray Cecilia Ibru, the former Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer of Oceanic Bank in a bad manner.
Though, the newspaper has been
said to perform a watchdog role, according to Harold Laswell, as cited in Adoyi
et al (2015), yet the quality of coverage that newspaper carry out on political
matters are still affected by governmental influences, political influences,
ethical influences and censorship and this has in one way or the other affect
the political awareness created by the print media to rural dwellers. These
problems are what the researcher wish to tackle in this research work.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The foremost objective of this
study is to appraise newspaper coverage of 2015 general election. To achieve
this, this research work will also be build up on the following objectives:
1. To
examine how credible newspaper reports of 2015 general election was
2. To
examine the significant role Nigeria newspapers play in the 2015 general
election
3. To
examine the extent at which the print media contributed to the success of 2015
general election
4. To
ascertain the extent at which print media reports serve as a tool for
sensitizing the masses
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions to be
involved in this study include;
1. Does
the newspaper reports of 2015 general election credible?
2. Is
there any role the Nigeria newspapers play in the 2015 general election?
3. To
what extent did the print media contributed to the success of 2015 general
election?
4. To
what extent did the print media reports serve as a tool for sensitizing the
masses?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
H0: Newspaper reports of 2015 general election
was credible
H1:
Newspaper reports of 2015 general
election was not credible
H0:
Nigeria newspapers played no significant role in the 2015 general election
H2:
Nigeria newspapers played a significant role in the 2015 general election
H0:
The print media contributed to the success of 2015 general election.
H3:
The print media contributed to the success of 2015 general election.
H0:
The print media reports serve as a tool for sensitizing the masses.
H4:
The print media reports serve as a tool for sensitizing the masses.
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This
study will be a good reference work to political administrators in carrying out
their political activities. It will help
them to know the roles print media (newspaper) can play in creating awareness
in their political party ideologies and also educate them on the power the
press has over them during the period of election.
It will also help policy makers
and opinion leaders as it will show them that the (newspaper) is the link with
the international community for foreign policy and news which help them in
their policy making.
Students of Mass Communication
and Political Science will also find this work useful as it touches their line
of education. It will help them know
that print media (newspaper) is an inevitable tool in political activities and
coverage of political activities in Nigeria, it will help them see how the
government actors used the press as a great weapon in fighting for the
independence. It will help Mass Communicator to know that their field of study
requires objectivity and fair play not minding the circumstance surrounding the
individual at any particular moment. It
will also help the political scientists on how to build up good rappour with
the press and masses especially during the electoral process or period.
Furthermore, this study will be
a useful guide for federal and state government in planning future programmes
which relates to the print media and press as a whole. It will educates them on the right the print
media (newspaper) has in political matter so that when the print media reports
some of the governmental activities which is part of the study, they will not
fight and oppress the newspaper house by those drastic measures they inflict on
the media and their media person.
Also, it will enlighten the
government on how best to use the newspaper to disseminate their political
activities to the people and also look forward on the press for the reaction
and feedback of the people they are governing.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
As mentioned earlier, the
foremost objective of this study is to appraise newspaper coverage of 2015
general election, with focus on selected newspapers in Nigeria, but because the
entire newspaper in the country cannot be studied as a whole, the scope of this
study will be limited to The Punch and The Guardian Newspaper.
Also due to time, fund and other
logistics, the publications of these media organizations from January 1st
to March 31st will be the focus of this research work.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
A study of this magnitude cannot
be completed without hitches. There may a lot of limitations in the course of
the study, ranging from problem of finance, problem of time, insufficient
reference materials, difficulty in reaching the respondents and the likes of
others. But notwithstanding, the researcher will try to overcome the challenge
by way of abandoning other priorities and suspending most of the activities for
the completion of this work.
1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF
TERMS
Print Media: These are readable materials used in disseminating
information to the people, such as newspapers and magazines.
Impact: The powerful effect
that the press has on the Nigerian political structure.
Politics: The activities
involved in getting and using power in public life and being able to influence
decision that affect a society or country.
Role: The degree to which somebody/ something is involved in a
situation or an activity and the effect that they have on it.
Newspaper: This is a printed publication of loose folded sheets
containing news, advertisements, correspondence.
Mobilizing: To make people ready to pursue a particular cause.
Election: – is the process through which voters choose their
representatives and express their preferences for the way that they will be
governed.
Ballot: -Is a kind of voting method by which voters makes use of
ballot proper in marking the name of their choice of candidate, which is
dropped in a ballot box, that is counted manually.
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