PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN AKWA IBOM STATE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PUNCH AND PIONEER NEWSPAPER
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the study
Rural development project has been the issue of serious concern to the government and people of Nigeria. This because virtually all rural need development. Consequently government always in it budget plight of rural drivellers. Rural development has always preoccupied official serving politician. This is because the grass root could be conceived as important people for the effective demoralization process. As the watch dog of the society, the print media draws government attention rural issues mostly. What could be teamed to be development aspect of rural areas.
The media could be said to have also been seriously involved in the process of coverage of rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state. Newspaper have not been left out of the scene because of their nature interims of channel of communication, the newspaper have maintained very cordial relationship with both the government, the masses as regard rural development issues.
Starting from ancient time, the print media have proliferated popular all over the world. The have also remained popular channel of mass communication in spit of the phenomenal development of the electronic in the modern world. In their discussion of the advantage of the print media Merrill and lower stain (1999-4) state that. Innate advantage over radio and television There advantage occurs despite the overwhelming popularity of the electronic media and their ability to attack the mass audience the outstanding advantage of the media review ability.
It could be said the words written on a paper could be turned to a document to print has uniqueness of educating it reader by exposing them different concepts. Despite their vaunted objectivity and self- acclaimed commitment to fairness, it can be argued that the Nigerian mass media has over the years solely neglected the Nigeria mass media was continues to be despite some progress, strictly urban. The media reports and writers from the stand point of an urban drivellers word. The ills of the rural areas, difficulties of life there, their burning sense of governance are seldom seriously conveyed.
Arguably, most media house in the country to day believe the that since they are situated in the urban areas, their primary task is to satisfy their urban collogues, who after all are mostly those who attend to the media and of course adventure in the papers and magazine or buy up available time air time to slot in their commercials. Perhaps, they are right to adopt this stance of concentrating on the urban areas even if the journalist is socialist at heart. It is easy to see therefore that, most important structural point here concerns the way in which the news media has defined who they are specifically, who reports the news. Journalism in Nigeria has for long been under the control of urban minds and it can be maintained that most of our news room have not yet had reporters who can and are willing to bring the perspectives, values and moves needed to broaden coverage.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Reportage of rural development project in Akwa Ibom states has not really been focused by the press. In addition the press concentrates on urban development. Consequently, the research on rural development has not really been focused by print researchers. Having therefore discovered of rural development is so limited this study there intends to suggest measure which could enhance press coverage of rural development project in Akwa Ibom states.
1.3 Objectives of the study
The objectives of the study were to:
- Find out the quality of reportage given to certain specific media coverage of rural development project in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspapers.
- Determine the frequency of coverage given to some certain specific rural development project in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspaper.
- Determine the methods this newspaper used in gathering information on rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state.
- Find out the level of prominence given to coverage of rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspapers.
 1.4 Research questions
- What is the quality of reportage given to certain specific media coverage of rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspapers.
- What is the frequency of coverage given some certain specific rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspapers.
- What are the method newspapers used in gathering information on rural development projects in akwa ibom state.
- what is the level of prominence given to coverage of rural development projects in Akwa Ibom state by punch and pioneer newspaper.
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1.5 Significance of the study
         The study is about print media coverage of rural development projects in Akwa Ibom State with the newspapers. Therefore, the beneficiaries of the study are the state government and other researchers in prints media and development communicators.
1.6 Delimitation of the study
          The boundary of the study is the punch and the pioneer coverage of development projects between December 2014 and March 2015.
1.7 Limitation of the study
          The researcher was constraint by unavoidable factors which were: lack of time, look of finance lack of reference materials.
1.8 Definition of terms
     Print Media: The industry associated with the printing and distribution of news through newspapers.
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