The Effect Of Ownership On Political Campaign And Reporting In Nigeria, A Study Of Guardian Newspaper

The Effect Of Ownership On Political Campaign And Reporting In Nigeria, A Study Of Guardian Newspaper

Chapiter 1

Introduction, version one

This essay assesses political campaign coverage in the Nigerian press during the 2011 presidential election. The paper’s main objective is to evaluate the press’s contribution to Nigeria’s quest for political power.

There are claims that ownership has a significant impact on the part played by the Nigerian press in the fight for political liberation. The individual or group of people who assembles the financial and personnel resources required for the operation of a business company, such as a newspaper house, is referred to as an owner.

However, this impact is more pronounced when a government owns the newspaper, as that journal is expected to represent the attitude and viewpoints of its owner. If the publication is independently owned, its reporting will be impartial.

This study intends to examine how ownership of different media outlets influences how they report on the political campaign for the 2011 presidential election in light of this.

1.1 The Study’s Background

Media ownership, management, and sway are all linked. What is covered and what is not covered, as well as how coverage is provided, are all impacted by ownership interests. Ownership has an impact on the information readers receive and the content in print publications. The varied accounts of the same events are sometimes explained by ownership influence.

Mc Quail (2005, P. 292) advocates the following when discussing who owns and controls the media:

Owners of news organizations have a natural tendency to establish broad policies that their editorial staff will almost certainly follow. Additionally, there may be unofficial and covert pressure on certain problems that are important to owners (such as those that concern their business interests).

Media organizations should be unbiased and independent. But as is well known, ownership has an impact on how an organization runs. The owners’ tune is played by the media.

Ownership is a key element in the control of the media. Media managers frequently struggle to strike a balance between the interests of the media owner and the general public without disclosing the rules of professional ethics. The owner’s interests dominate what the media managers do or fail to do, regardless of whether the medium is public or private. An owner can hardly stand a management who works against his best interests.

Margaret, S. A., Joseph, A. T., and Solomon, G. A. (2009, P. 23). identified the following forms of media ownership:

Public Sector Ownership

Individual Ownership

Religious affiliation and political party ownership

The media company is owned and funded by the political party. The media act as that political party’s mouthpiece. Basically, the media’s job is to spread information about the party and solicit support for it. The financial operations and editorial content of such media are under the control of the political party.

It is a widely held opinion that a society’s development will almost always be slowed down in the absence of a robust press. The explanation is straightforward: the press’s role as society’s watchdog is to make sure that neither the government nor the governed ever shirk their obligations to one another.

The Nigerian press has proven to be among the most virulent in the world and has played a significant influence in the social, political, and cultural life of the country, which is another undeniable truth. The press has assumed its proper place as a determining element in the country’s ancient and modern political history as well as in the difficult process of nation building.

Having said that, it is crucial to remember that the press’s power greatly depends on its freedom of expression and degree of independence.

It is possible to attribute some media organizations’ success to this underlying cause. These organizations continue to have widespread support from the public, particularly the masses, who make up the vast majority of the population.

According to the ideology of the capitalist press, the press must:

without influence from the government, businesses, or other factions.

devoted to ensuring public access to information.

Dedicated to always seeking for the truth, presenting it accurately, and reporting it objectively (Aitschill, 1947, p. 74).

The social responsibility approach acknowledges that the press serves the political and economic system, informs the public, protects the individual, and offers enjoyable entertainment (Siebert et al., 1956, P. 44).

As a result, the press has discovered that three groups of people are using their power to pull it away from its own. This is to be expected given that these elites frequently possess the necessary tools to muffle the press’s voice, are prospectors for such media organizations, or hold positions of power that allow them to control the information the media provides to the general public.

The press’s tendency to embrace the prevailing political-economic ideology has been its downfall since it contradicts the core values of the press that may be found in a civilized society where the media are allowed to work freely.

The press has merely turned into a means of elite gratification rather than a self-reliant force for change. For the political elites, it is merely a more potent tool for advancing political course through the shenanigans of news manipulation and propaganda to further both public and private goals.

Therefore, depending on the political standing of this elite, who have the power to influence them, especially when the issue of ownership is involved, the press tends to adopt an establishment or opposition identity.

The maxim that “it is he who pays the piper that calls the tune” can be used to explain how media organizations function in this regard. As a result, rather than acting as a “watchdog,” the Nigerian press is more like a dog that is fed and trained by its owner and is expected to watch and work for that owner.

This examination demonstrates that the Nigerian press lacks the cultural identity that is characteristic of the press today, which functions within a system of culture. This is clearly the result of the proprietors of media organizations’ dominant political and economic culture. This approach undermines the press’s neutrality, which is the main focus of this study.

The political campaign of the 2011 presidential election, in which Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was declared the victor, will serve as the foundation of this study’s analysis for the sake of simplicity and ease.

1.2 Statement of the problem:

The media is undoubtedly a force for good in society and a driver of nation-building, but regrettably, owners of media organizations often exercise a great deal of control over, interfere with, and manipulate news content to further their own agendas, undermining objectivity by the rules of the media’s ethnic and cultural identity. Gerhard Wendler (1996, P. 44) asserts as follows:

Because it is the custodian of and accessory to knowledge, the press “occupies a strategic position in influencing the course of events in society. Whatever it decides to do with such may go a long way in helping to influence the direction in which the society moves.”

The press has a fundamental duty to serve as the steward of public significance, a watchdog over governmental actions, the voice of the people, and a vital facilitator of a country’s growth.

However, in order for the press to effectively carry out its role, its independence must be ensured, and it must be free from bias and distribution.

Although media organizations were created to serve the general public, it is now difficult to say with certainty whether they are truly free from the influence and status of their owners.

1.3 Research Problem

When it comes to problems, solutions, or individuals, the newspaper can draw attention to them in ways that may be advantageous to a well-liked candidate or even the rival candidate during an election. The newspaper may occasionally be used as a tool for persuasion and the mobilization of resources, knowledge, and labor. It is critical that this study seeks to provide a response to the following question while taking into account the role that newspapers play in the dissemination of information during elections and how they affect the standards and ideals by which issues are addressed.

How does the performance of media professionals depend on ownership influence?

Does a given media outlet’s policy dictate what it does?

Does a media owner’s interest affect the reporting style used by practitioners?

1.4 Objective Of The Study

Keeping in mind that media organizations have a responsibility to serve the public, but that the question of ownership jeopardizes this moral duty. But this work makes an effort to

determined how ownership affects reporting and political campaigns.

Political boldness is a sign of the press’s established level of independence.

Find out the press’s cultural identity and how it relates to the core tenets of philosophy.

Offer a remedy or solutions to maintain the media’s objectivity and fairness.

Through newspaper reporting that aligns with desired press performance as defined by its purpose and ethnicity, this study will also make an effort to assess the press’s performance.

Additionally, using the Guardian’s coverage of the 2011 presidential campaign as a case study, the work will analyze and contrast the role concept and role behavior of the press against the background of the political economic ideology of newspaper outfits.

1.5 Periodicity Of The Study

The Guardian newspaper’s position in the 2011 presidential elections is central to the study’s focus.

Guardian is used as a focus due of its ownership arrangement, circulation strength, accessibility, and variety of bravery on both domestic and foreign political topics.

1.6 The Study’s Significance

Given the aforementioned dominant tendencies of media organization owners and the subservient attitude of reporters and editors, who perform the majority of media roles, it is imperative to start this kind of work to further educate media professionals, especially journalists, on their specific roles and obligations to society.

It is intended that the study will encourage editors to affirm their position on issues impacting press freedom and matters affecting their day-to-day editorial role.

Additionally, it is meant to act as a reminder to media outfit owners that using the media as only propaganda organs is a form of media abuse.

1.7 Limitations of the study:

No reliable inquiry can be conducted without obstacles that could jeopardize its outcome. This study is not an exception.

Time management is one of the issues the researcher is facing.

It was difficult to combine classroom activities with going out into the field to gather materials for the research due to the short session length.

Materials are paired with the aforementioned issue. Due to the poor condition of the polytechnics library, the researcher had to hunt elsewhere for pertinent research materials, which made his already tough financial situation as a student even worse.

1.8 Operational Terms Definition

The terminologies used in the study are defined in the list below.

ELITE POWER

Refer to a select group of individuals, typically a cross section of the highly educated elites of the society’s ruling class, who, as a result of their influence or control over the newspaper due to their economic and political clout.

PERFORMANCE

the ability of the press to do its duties responsibly and impartially without violating professional ethics.

OWNERSHIP IMPACT

the control that a newspaper owner has over the editorial direction and overall content.

CONTENT

any restriction or limitation in the media.

MEDIA

The methods, tools, and processes for gathering, distributing, and influencing information, ideas, attitudes, and public opinion, such as a newspaper.

OBJECTIVITY

The capacity of a newspaper to impartially report an event as it happened.