By
Ahmed Yushau
An M.A ( Master of Art) Development Communication Thesis , approved May, 2014
Department of Theatre and Performing Art , Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS AND THE COVERAGE OF DEVELOPMENT ISSUES: AN ANALYSIS OF THIS DAY AND DAILY TRUST NEWSPAPERS (JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 2011) By
Ahmed Yushau
An M.A ( Master of Art) Development Communication Thesis , approved May, 2014
Department of Theatre and Performing Art , Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
ABSTRACT
The study with the title: “Nigerian Newspapers and the Coverage of Development Issues: An analysis of Thisday and Daily Trust Newspapers (January to December, 2011) has an aim of encouraging an adequate participation in the process of social change through the use of the newspaper as a medium of communication, which can be used to actualise the desired development objectives. This study has adopted a simple content analysis as its methodology, combining it with other techniques of research such as the interview technique, simple random sampling procedure and comparative analysis. In the study, which analysed a total of 104 editions has revealed, among others that Thisday, recorded 5% (5.41%) of development coverage and non-development matters constituted 95% (94.58%) i.e 5,154 and Daily Trust has 476 appearances represented by 8%(7.71%) of development, while non-development issues recorded 5,690 represented by 92% (92.28%). The study recommended among others that development matters should be covered adequately.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Cover page ——————————————————————————————i
Title Page——————————————————————————————–ii Declaration —————————————————————————————–iii
Certification—————————————————————————————-iv
Dedication——————————————————————————————-v
Acknowledgement———————————————————————————vi
Abstract———————————————————————————————vii
Table of Content———————————————————————————-viii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background to the Study——————————————————————-1
1.1 Statement of the Research Problem——————————————————-8
1.2 Aim of the Study—————————————————————————–9
- 3 Objectives of the Study———————————————————————9
- 4 Significance of the Study——————————————————————10
- 5 Scope of the Study ————————————————————————-10
- Assumptions——————————————————————————–11
- Terminologies——————————————————————————-12
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
- Introduction———————————————————————————-14
- Development———————————————————————————14
- 3 Communication—————————————————————————–20
- 4 Development Communication————————————————————21
- 5 Development Journalism——————————————————————27
- Other Research Findings and Reports————————————————— 29
- The Agriculture, Education and Health Sectors in Nigeria—————————-38
- 8 Theoretical Framework——————————————————————–41
CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
- Introduction———————————————————————————-45
- Content Analysis—————————————————————————-46
- 3 Sampling ————————————————————————————46
- 4 Coding and Categorisation—————————————————————-49
- 5 Comparative Analysis———————————————————————50
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
- Introduction————————————————————————————52
- Analysis on Thisday————————————————————————-52
- 3 Thisday: Discussion on Research Assumptions —————————————–60
- 4 Interview Questions and Responses from Reporters———————————–60
- 5 Analysis on DailyTrust———————————————————————63
4.6 Daily Trust: Discussion on Research Assumptions————————————-69
- 7 Interview Questions and Responses from Reporters———————————–70
4.8 Comparative Analysis of Thisday and Daily Trust————————————–72
- 9 Analysis on the Units of Measurement—————————————————75
- 10 Findings————————————————————————————-76
CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- Summary ————————————————————————————–81
- Conclusion ————————————————————————————81
- 3 Recommendations —————————————————————————82
References————————————————————————————84
Appendices
Coding Sheets
Interview Questions
CHAPTER ONE
1:0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Prior to the introduction of modern means of communication, man has fashioned himself with the appropriate communication approach suitable for his development, that is the traditional means of communication. Through this approach, people in different rural settings were mobilized to participate in the affairs of their locality.
However, as the society became large and complex, traditional communication systems could not adequately take care of the communication needs of the people and therefore, the modern media was put in place to reach out to the relatively large, heterogeneous and anonymous audience simultaneously. That marked the era of the mass media.
It is worthy of mention that communication is an important social tool, without it, one could not have influenced the ideas, feelings or actions of others. Through written, verbal and non- verbal signs and symbols, man communicates his feelings and ideas to his fellows. Those who have cultivated the ability to communicate are better than those who cannot express themselves properly. For those who know how to communicate, learn to interact; can achieve leadership in the groups they involved.
It is also true that communication links the individual with himself, his environment and other men. The man of our time lives in a diversified media world, the profusion with which they are distributed and the assault of advertising, etc. There are few communities that still may be totally isolated and outside this communication circle. Through the media, man has become accustomed to receiving messages.
According to the Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, communication which is the process of transferring thoughts, ideas, facts, feelings, etc from one person to another is very important in human existence. Without it, life will be meaningless and human interaction would be impossible .The importance of communication cannot be overemphasized.
Sybil (1989) observed that communication serves as an instrument of social interaction. It helps us to understand ourselves, to keep in touch with other people, to understand situations. It is a means by which power is acquired, exercised and sustained. It is the medium through which relationships are established, extended and maintained. The Mass media has helped in creating social awareness and also provided people with an easy way of living life. The print media played an important part in the historical events such as, The Renaissance, The American War of Independence, The French Revolution and many more.
Earlier on the development of the newspaper came around 1600 A.D., but it took this form of mass media more than a century to influence the masses directly. The first printed newspaper was The Relation. Later, in the year 1690, Benjamin Harris printed the first colonial newspaper in Boston. There was an increase in the circulation of newspaper in the nineteenth century. Then came the first African-American paper titled Freedom’s Journal, published in the year 1827.
The 14th century Guttenberg’s invention of the printing press must have aided the revolution in the printing industry. This invention made it possible to transfer complex information, ideas and concepts from one individual to another, or to a group, faster than ever before due to amazing advances in technology in recent years. This breakthrough altered the way we perceive the universe and manner in which we communicate with one another. As early 1900, print media could be found in the form of newspapers. It provided all the necessary information about the world for the people at remote locations. Even today, newspapers remain an important global source of information.
The history of Print Journalism began in Nigeria with the installation of the printing press at Calabar by the Presbyterian Mission in 1846. As a result of this development, books, pamphlets, short essays and short stories that were produced had their contents focused primarily on religious matters and other cultural interests.
Although, this development did not last long and has often been left out in the chronicles of print development in Nigeria, other missionaries and religiously inclined business conscious men took a cue from the Calabar experience.
Subsequently, Rev. Henry Townsend, a missionary-journalist, established a printing press in Abeokuta in 1854.Five years afterwards i.e. in 1859, the “IWE IROHIN FUN A WONARA EGBA ATI YORUBA” was founded. The newspaper translated into English Language means “Newspaper in Yoruba for Egba and the Yoruba people”. It was published fortnightly but later became bilingual in 1860, when the English version was added to the Vernacular edition. “IweIrohin” published news about church activities, particularly, the establishment of new churches, the arrival and departure of missionaries and even the death of religious dignitaries and traditional rulers.
Its primary objective was to cultivate good and appreciable reading attitude among the people of the area and even beyond. As a result of this, the newspaper expanded its news coverage to cover non-religious events such as those about trade and commerce, exhibitions, sports, health, hygiene, moral educational and others. At last, the newspaper stopped publication in 1867.
It was responsible for the development of indigenous language in Nigeria and was able to carry the people alone. This has promoted cultural development among the yorubas. It was this realisation that prompted its resuscitation in year 2012 by the Nigerian Union of Journalists(NUJ) Ogun Chapter in collaboration with Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
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NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS AND THE COVERAGE OF DEVELOPMENT ISSUES: AN ANALYSIS OF THIS DAY AND DAILY TRUST NEWSPAPERS (JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 2011)
