An Analysis Of Media Ownership And The Credibility Of News Reporting In Nigeria

According to a document produced by the Office of Democracy and governance in the United States of America in 1999, access to information is essential to the health of democracy for at least two reasons: First, it ensures that citizens make responsible, informed choices rather than acting out of ignorance or misinformation. Second, information serves a ‘checking function’ by ensuring that elected representatives uphold  their oaths of office and carried out the wishes of those who elected them. In Africa, the perceived significance of the mass media in strengthening democracy on the continent led to the African Charter for Popular Participation in Development and Transformation, which was developed in Arusha, Tanzania in 1990.

1 Statement of the Problem

In Nigeria, most news covering are determined by the owners and gatekeepers of the organization. These owners are those in the  helm of affairs of the government, and like the ruling government, the gate keepers take orders from owners. Their rank and file includes the management of radio stations and the various news editors and news and program producers. The philosophy  of  any media operation in Nigeria depends on the government in place. The problem in this study is examine the impact of leadership decision on radio news coverage.

Secondly, how these decisions can serve publics interest. Thirdly, how to convince the government to interfere less in running the affairs of the station to their own interest instead of the publics interest.

The right news covering decision and programming can lead to success for the radio station. Whatever the practice in Radio Nigeria (FRCN) federal Radio corporation of Nigeria, the influence of leadership and gate keeping on programs are still present and if is not handled well, it may greatly impair the success of any program, so this is what the research is aimed at finding out.

It is hoped that answers arrived would help the researcher make some observation and policy proposals that would help re-address the present problems of radio newscoverage in FRCN, if ever.

1 Objectives of the Study

This research is up to achieve the following objectives:

To  find  out  the  influence  of  ownership  or  leadership  on  radio  news coverage of FRCN Enugu.

To find out whether radio news covered (coverage) is people’s interest orientedor owner’s interest oriented.

To ascertain the influence of gate keepers on radio news coverage.

To try to make suggestions in likely areas of recommendation and improvement.

1 Research Questions

The following questions if properly answered will achieve the aforementionedobjectives of the research.

⦁ To what extent do media influence news coverage?

⦁ To what extent is the pattern of news people interest oriented or owner’s interestoriented.

⦁ To what extent does the gate keeper influence radio news coverage? What are the suggested areas of recommendation and improvement?

1 Research Hypothesis

The hypothesis mentioned below will help the researcher carry out her researchmore efficiently and will give her more focus and an agenda.

Ho: Ownership or leadership does not have any influence on radio news:coverage.

H1: Ownership or leadership of a media house has influences on radio newscoverage.

Ho: The news coverage of FRCN Enugu is not owner’s interest oriented instead of people’s interest oriented.

H2: The news coverage of FRCN Enugu is owner’s interest oriented instead of people’s interest oriented.

1 Significance of the Study

The choice of FRCN as opposed to radio stations is because of its significance in Nigeria. Perhaps, as it has often been said to be the largest radio network in Africa, besides this, it has been a relying point for people (listeners) to hear at prime listening time. Much attention is paid to the news story on network period by Nigerians.

FRCN is believed to have surpassed any other radio station in terms of its wider reach. The ultimate significance of this study will lie with its final utility and its ability to influence the on-going policies on how, where and what news to coverfor Nigeria(ns).

1 Operational Definition of Terms
Influence: means the effect of the government’s ownership or leadership on FRCN news coverage Enugu.
Media: the media are tools of communication FRCN as a mass medium tries see how functions, whether it performs all the functions of a medium without intrusion of bias because of its owners or leaders.
Ownership: ownership means the legal right to possess something.

It is the ownership of a media house especially the ownership of the FRCN station Enugu that manipulates the performance, news coverage and other programs of FRCN.
News Coverage: this means sourcing for data, information (news) being covered. Also, to find out if the news covered is people’s oriented or government interest oriented.