NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF THE PUNCH AND VANGUARD NEWSPAPERS.

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ABSTRACT

The study newspaper Coverage of Environmental Health Issues is an Analysis that is meant to examine the seriousness accorded to environmental health issues by Vanguard and Punch newspapers. Among The study objectives are: to identify the extent of coverage of environmental health issues in the two Nigerian newspapers; to identify the level of prominence given to environmental health issues in the Punch and Vanguard newspapers. The study adopted Content Analysis method of research. A total of 314 editions were purposively sampled and a coding sheet was used to generate data. The study relied on Agenda-setting theory and media development theory. The findings of the study revealed that environmental health issues were given limited coverage by print media in Nigeria. Against this, it was recommended that newspapers related to environmental health issues should be established in order to give specialized report on that aspect. Nevertheless, the existing newspapers should endeavor to provide adequate reportage on environmental health.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

The Press has both special concerns and special responsibilities in relation to the environment. A number of environmental risks and hazards disproportionately affects most countries of the world, who have to find measures to addressing such environmental deterioration, through awareness to ensure the environment’s protection and sustainance. The Press thus, will be compelled to engage in various forms of action and disemination that will generate effective responses to environmental challenges.

The Nobel Prize winner and Harvard University Professor, Amartya Sen once said that “no substantial famine has ever occured in any independent and democractic country with a relatively free press” (Yousaf, 2013). The Press has a developmental role by raising awareness on environmental issues. Roles of the Press could range from informing the public about environmental health threats and safe practices to avoid them, to serving local communities by bringing attention to their needs and in times of disaster, providing information and act as sources of assistance to people displaced from their homes (Otinga, 2012). It therefore follows that the Press can be useful as an effective tool for raising awareness on environmental issues (Yousaf, 2013). It is becoming increasingly apparent that a wide range of global environmental problems such as global warming, depletion of energy resources, water resources and natural resources, and the loss of biodiversity- are rapidly worsening (Rong, 2009). The print, broadcast and electronic news media can be greatly harnessed in the education of the public on environmental matters (Saika, 2017). The New media, which involves the social media and internet platforms, is very popular amongst the youths, of whom are the future in the fight toward ensuring the protection of the environment. Specifically, Saikia (2017), posits that the electronic media and the print.