Newspapers’ Framings of the Nigerian Democracy Towards 2023 Elections

52 PAGES (16573 WORDS) Mass Communication Thesis


ABSTRACT

Nigerians have a negative attitude towards elections, this negative attitude is characterized by fear, insecurity, lack of confidence, low turnout, violence and political thuggery. But how do voters acquire the information and knowledge necessary for them to use during elections? They would need guidance as to how to interpret what they know. Since the early twentieth century, this has been fulfilled through the medium of newspapers. Therefore, employing newspapers' texts will help offer background information and interpretation necessary to shape public opinion and attitudes. The sources of data used by this researcher were the primary and secondary sources. The primary source was concerned with the field research to gather manifest content of communication from the three newspaper publications: Daily Sun, The Punch and The Nation newspapers at the morgue of the Nigerian Tribune while the secondary source comprised the consultation of other literature related to the study and examining of existing records in the library and the Internet. . It is established that the newspapers used during this study period had a possible effect on people's views and opinions in which they discussed the continuing direction of events at that particular period. The readers turn to pages of newspapers for opinion, discussion, and interpretation of communication content covering those matters which are for the day. The prominence of the Ongoing trend frame collected by this research supports the discourse of the study. The conclusion is that the selected newspapers: Daily Sun, The Punch and The Nation have given much prominence to the upcoming election in their publications.

 

Key words: Negative attitude, Political thuggery, Newspapers’ texts, Public opinion, Newspaper publications.

Word count: 272


TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Pagei

Dedication                   ii 

Acknowledgment                                                                                                      iii 

Certification                                                                                                              iv                                                                                                             Table of Content                                                                                                v 

List of Tables                                                                                                   vii 

List of Figures                                                                                                                       viii 

Abstract                                                                                                                         ix

 

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 

1.1 Background to the study                                                                                                

1.2 Statement of the problem                                                                                                2

1.3 Objective of the study                                                                                                     3

1.4 Research Questions                                                                                                      4

1.5 Research Hypotheses                                                                                                     

1.6 Significance of the study                                                                                               4

1.7 Justification of the study                                                                                               5

1.8 Scope of the study                                                                                                  

1.9 Limitations of the study                                                                                                 5

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms                                                                            6

 

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 

2.1 Review of Relevant Literature                          

2.2 Theoretical Framework                                                                                               20

 

 

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY  

3.1 Data Sources                                                                                                               24

3.2 Research Design                                              24 

3.3 Measuring Instrument                            24 

3.4 Administration of Research Instrument                                      24    

3.5 Sampling Technique                                 24 

3.6 Study Population                                    25 

3.7 Sample Size                                                             25

3.8 Method of Data Analysis                                                        25                                                            

 

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

4.1 Data Analysis                      26

4.1.2 Frequency                     27

4.1.3 Un-accessed Editions of Newspapers                                                32

4.1.3.1 Unit of Analysis                     33

4.1.4 Frames                                                        34  

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 

5.1 Summary       61

 

CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

6.1 Conclusion                                                                                                       64

6.2 Recommendation        65 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1.2.1          27 

Table 4.1.2.2          28 

Table 4.1.2.3          29 

Table 4.1.2.4          30 

Table 4.1.2.5          31 

Table 4.1.3             32  

Table 4.1.3.1          33  

Table 4.1.4.1          36  

Table 4.1.4.2          38  

Table 4.1.4.3          41  

Table 4.1.4.4          43

Table 4.1.4.5          46 

Table 4.1.4.6          48

Table 4.1.4.7          50 

Table 4.1.4.8          53

Table 4.1.4.9          55

Table 4.1.4.10        58

LIST OF FIGURES

Fig 1.1                    37  

Fig 1.2                                           40  

Fig 1.3                                   42  

Fig 1.4          45 

Fig 1.5          47

Fig 1.6          49 

Fig 1.7          52 

Fig 1.8          54 

Fig 1.9                 57

Fig 1.10              59