No abstract

No abstract

The media is important for the sustenance of democracy. While several studies have examined the role played by the Nigerian media during elections, none has examined issues discussed by the media during elections, in particular the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections. Therefore, the study undertook, through narrative research design, the coverage of the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections in Vanguard Nigeria and Daily Trust newspapers. Findings from the study reveal that Nigerian newspapers preached national unity, warned of economic depression and the need to diversify the economy, questioned the preparedness of the electoral commission to conduct elections, questioned the ability of the presidential aspirants to eradicate corruption, spoke out against pre-election violence and vote-buying, and spoke against the use of divisive rhetoric by politicians. The study recommends that media owners and professionals themselves should safeguard the profession from being a tool in the hands of divisive politicians.

This chapter investigates media reportage of human right abuses and sexual violence against internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. Using the social responsibility theory, it analyses how the media frames, prominence, slant and whether the Nigeria media employed investigative reports in its reportage of human rights abuses against IDPs. The chapter through a quantitative content analysis of 157 editions of two purposely selected newspapers (the Vanguard NG and the Daily Trust), found that the media failed to contextualise the stories in relation to its causes, solutions and in identifying perpetrators for justice to be served, similarly, the media took sides with victims of the violations. It also failed to accord the required prominence and necessary investigative touch to such stories. It is recommended that there should be frequent trainings for journalists so as to safeguard professionalism in the industry.

This chapter investigates media reportage of human right abuses and sexual violence against internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. Using the social responsibility theory, it analyses how the media frames, prominence, slant and whether the Nigeria media employed investigative reports in its reportage of human rights abuses against IDPs. The chapter through a quantitative content analysis of 157 editions of two purposely selected newspapers (the Vanguard NG and the Daily Trust), found that the media failed to contextualise the stories in relation to its causes, solutions and in identifying perpetrators for justice to be served, similarly, the media took sides with victims of the violations. It also failed to accord the required prominence and necessary investigative touch to such stories. It is recommended that there should be frequent trainings for journalists so as to safeguard professionalism in the industry.