The
role of mass media in the society includes surveillance, interpretation,
linkage, transmission of values and entertainment. (Dominick 2002) Apparently
in agreement, MU’azu (2002) explains that, “in its surveillance function, the
press play s the role of an observer, which is a necessary component for enforcing economic, political,
cultural and even moral stability” in the polity.
However, we live in world of strife, violence and wars.
Despite the untiring effort of individuals, groups, organizations and countries
all over the worlds to promote peaceful co-existence among men and women
our generation is still being threatened
by the ravage of terrorism, crime.
Indeed, the phenomenon of terrorism and crime today are something that are most
disturbing and calls for renewed counter terrorism and counter criminal
approaches.
Critically, the positive and negative effects of the many
massages the mass media send out about crime and terrorism on daily basis to
audience are not often given top priority. What seems to matter to mass media
practitioners under write or broadcast the latest happenings under the
philosophy that the people have the right to know what is happening within and
outside their environment. Looking at is stance of the media practitioners closely
one is provoked to ask these questions.
How are the mass media practitioners or gate keepers sure
that what the “global public” wants is given to it in terms of information
distribution? How are they sure that their audience like the way and manner
criminal and terrorism activities are enthroned on the media podium of
agenda-setting theory? How often do mass media practitioners applaud or
celebrate on daily basis promoters of universal meaningful developments,
especially in the less developed nations of the world?
Therefore,
emphasis in this research will be placed on the extent and nature of coverage
given by the print media (Newspaper and Magazine). Bittnery (2005, P.22) says
that “Newspapers are a major force in forming public opinion and affecting
nation and international efforts toward
economic progress and global understanding” He enthuse that “today, the
Newspaper industry has become the largest in the world”. Buttressing this
point, Aliagan (2006, P.44) states that “the Newspaper carries out several
vital functions in the society. These include storing and disseminating
information, contributing to social progress through sponsorship of community
aspiration, promoting culture, and educating people providing a forum for
cross-fertilization of knowledge and ideas, entertaining and unifying people
with common goals”
Every society has ways and means of condemning criminal
acts. Of course, the law and is a major tool used tools used to check criminal
activities but it is pertinent to know that the media also do that, although,
they act6 according to the dictates of the law. That is, in reporting a crime
story, the media have tips or rules of crime reporting formulated based on what
the law provides.
The following are some of the highlighted problem.
· Poor security engulfing the country generally has made
journalists coward
· Poor constitutional backup for journalists in covering
crime stories especially in court.
· No adequate training and seminar on crime for journalist.
· There is problem of inadequate information about various
crimes and its perpetrators. Government amnesty programs and other negotiations
with terrorists and militants serve as encouragement for criminal.
Given the critical importance of the media in Nigerian’s
development, a study of the magnitude is imperative to harness the roles the
newspaper and magazine could play in contributing to national development
through effective reporting coverage and education of the masses. The main
objective of this study is to investigate the “role of News watch Magazine and
Guardian newspaper in crime control in Nigeria”.
The specific objectives are;
1.
To determine the level
of coverage on crime issues by the Newspaper and Magazine.
2.
To identify the
prominence attached to crime issues in Nigeria vis-à-vis the placement of
their, stories in Nigeria newspapers and magazine.
3.
To determine the
frequency of coverage of crime issues in Nigeria by newspapers and magazines.
4.
To determine how the
newspapers and magazine portray and
present crime issues
In line with the objectives of the study, the following
research questions were posed:
1.
What is the level of
coverage of crime issues, by Nigeria newspapers and magazine?
2.
What is the level of
prominence attached to crime issues vis-a-vis the placement of their stories by
Nigeria newspapers and magazine?
3.
What is the frequency
of coverage of crime issues by newspapers and magazines?
4.
How are crime issues
presented in Nigeria newspapers and magazines?
This study is significant in several respects. It will
serve as a guide to the print media organizations, particularly the Newswatch
Magazine and Guardian Newspaper companies respectively in crime reporting and
crime related issues as well as adopt investigative and interpretative
approaches towards crime reportage, as this will help encourage advance public
and policy discussions on key issues in our criminal justice system in Nigeria
and ensure that crimes are given wider coverage in the law court during trials
of crime suspects.
Furthermore, the relevant of this work cannot be over
emphasized in that the research will help to study the evolution and the
society at large.
The study will benefit the print media by awaken them
their responsibility in cubing crime. While it will further serve as reference
point for students and other researchers who may wish to carry out similar
studies. Finally, it should be of great importance for policy formulation by
government and security experts.
This study is a single variable approach. Therefore, it
adopted the content analysis approach (i.e. a single variable research method).
This study was limited to only two print media: The Newswatch Magazine and
Guardian Newspaper; for reason of cost constraints and the need to obtain a
verifiable and result oriented research. This suggests that the study did not
focus on other forms of mass media such as radio, television, bill board etc.
More, issues of crime such as Murder, Kidnapping, Rape,
Armed Robbery, stealing Official corruption reported by the selected papers
also constituted the scope of the study.
The analysis of the magazine and newspaper contents
covered a six month period (Jan-June 2015). The analysis of these two selected
media contents considered both opinion and factual reporting of issues under
review. Thus the magazine and newspaper contents analyzed included straight
news, editorial comment, signed opinions, cartoons, letter-to-the-editor,
features, supplements and columns respectively.
1.
Stress from other
academic assignments is one of the limitations to the research work.
2.
Financial constraint.
3.
Duration for the
research work is relatively short.
4.
Uneasy access to
informative materials at the university of Nigeria Nsukka library.
The following terms are defined in accordance with their
specific usage in the study.
1.
Role: This is
synonymous to impact or function
2.
Newswatch Magazine and Guardian Newspaper: These are means
of information dissemination to a wider audience. Its known as the (print
media).
3.
Crime: all forms of
serious offence punishable by law, which usually involves violence.
4.
Control: It means minimizing, cubing, bring to the barest
minimum.
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