An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria

An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 53 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.17929782 An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach Idi Department of Mass Communication Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria [email protected] Abstract This study analyzed how online news media covered 2015 presidential election in Nigeria. The aim is to establish the level of attention different parties received, portrayal of parties and direction of reports. Three online media (Sahara Reporters, Scannews and Premium Times) were purposively selected. The period of the study was 1st January to 27st March 2015. A total of hundred and twenty-three (323) items (news and feature articles) that touched on 2015 presidential election were generated through Google search and websites of the three media. One hundred and sixty nine (169) items were randomly selected as the sample size. Data were analyzed using frequencies and simple percentages. Findings revealed that PDP and APC received most attention from the media with PDP having the highest number of reports. Aside the two parties, all the remaining parties were mostly invincible in the reports published by the media during the period studied. It was also discovered that the media were more interested in conflict related matters than issues like voter’s education. Among other recommendations made, the researcher called on government communication regulatory bodies to organized special workshop for online journalists on issues of ethics and responsible practice while legal and technological strategies need to be design to curtail excesses of online journalists. Keywords: Online, media, coverage, attention, objectivity, interest, Portrayal, election Introduction The mass media are elemental in effective functioning of almost all spheres of the society especially the political sphere. Studies have confirmed that the media play significant role in the political process of any society (Curan 1991, McCombs & Shaw 1993, Akinfeleye (2004),McQuail, 2005, Okunna, 2009, Pate 2011, etc). Mass media are institutions that democracy cannot do without. Obot (2013, p. 176) concurs that, “a political system that lays claim to democracy without a virile mass media would certainly be a ‘malnourished’ and ‘still-birth’ political contraption”. That is why former United An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 54 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 State president Thomas Jefferson states that “if I had to choose between “a government without newspapers [mass media] or newspapers [mass media] without a government, I An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 55 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. This profound statement shows how important media are to the society especially to governance. The strategic position of the mass media in any political process cannot be over emphasis. McNair (2002) cited in Obot (2013) aptly captures this reality why he opines that, in democratic political systems, the mass media inform citizens of what is happening around them, educate the audience about political happenings, provide a platform for public political discourse, facilitating the formation of ‘public opinion’, and feeding that opinion back to the public from whence it came. He further states that the mass media give publicity to governmental and political institutions as well serve as channels for the advocacy of political viewpoints. This implies that in a democratic set up, the media’s major role is to inform enlightened, mobilized people and create platforms for public discourse. Obot (2013) succinctly explains that, the mass media provide a link between the political party/candidate and the electorates. Through coverage of electioneering campaigns and airing of political advertisements, the media help in influencing voters’ decision either in favor or against a given political party or candidate. Olukotun (2014) echoed a similar point that during elections, the media are the principal vehicles where voters receive information concerning political parties, the voting process, the electoral commission and the other issues germane to the exercise of their rights. Ende (2011) goes on to explain that, the strategic importance of the place of mass media during elections in particular manifest through their coverage and presentation of news, information, facts, figures, editorials and other analytical pieces about issues in order to raise political consciousness among the populace. This shows that, in an electioneering period, the mass media are strategic and expected to regulate the political atmosphere by bringing to fore all that the audience need to know and do in order to ensure peaceful and successful elections. Aghamelu (2008) adds that, the media’s role in an election extends to monitoring of the electoral process. To this extent, media’s emphasis should no longer be limited on when and how the leaders will be voted, rather go out to cover how the entire process fared. The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage, section two states the responsibility of media organizations thus: A media organization shall ensure accurate and impartial voter education on parties, candidates, registration, verification, voting centres, voting procedures, complaint procedures, etc as provided by relevant agencies…A media organization shall uphold the right of the people to free expression by providing opportunity for ordinary citizens to express their views during electoral processes… The Nigeria Media Code of Election further pin-points that “As the chief purveyor of information on the electoral processes, the media shall at all times embrace best professional practices by acting in accordance with the principles of social An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 56 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 responsibility”. Similarly, the Nigeria Electoral Act (Section 52(1) (b)) buttresses the role of electronic media in improving the transparency of the electoral process and useful tool in facilitating participation of various segments of the society in the political process (PLAC, 2012). However, Yaqub (2015) explains that, the role the mass media had played in 2015 general elections “In most cases was negative, condemnable, utterly and blatantly partisan as well as unpatriotic”. Thus, he argues that, the 2015 General Elections could easily be described as the most rancorous, in the history of Nigeria and most threatening to Nigeria’s territorial integrity, and the most empty of ideological content, rather full of personal abuses as well as the potentials for personal vendetta”. According to the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) cited in Aghamelu (2008), the Nigerian media have been victim of political manipulations from different powers such as government, proprietors and wealthy politicians to the detriment of public interest. NPC goes on to states that, Nigerians are witnesses to the fallen standard of journalistic profession and ethnic polarization of media houses and undue influence over the media and public information especially in the political arena. However, the emergence of social media and subsequently news sites has brought hope to masses especially on aspect of accessibility and openness. Since their inception, online news sites have rapidly grown in importance as platforms for political information dissemination. The sites are gaining popularity among citizens because they pass information freely without control of government, powerful politicians and advertisers as well as free of conventional professional bottlenecks like gate-keeping. The media are also popular because they do not only disseminate information but also provide readers opportunity to engage in debate or discussion; hence, online media sites stimulate citizen engagement in political life of their society (Shadrach, 2016). However, they have been heavily criticized for their recklessness, excessiveness and lack of professionalism (Oyenuga, 2015; Okunna & Omenugha, 2012). Wasswa (2013) asserts, online media platforms are common avenues, where unscrupulous politicians and supporters spread hate speech, propagate falsehood capable of inciting people to violence. In Nigeria, and in particular during the 2015 general elections, online media sites such as Sahara reporters, Scannews, Premium times, Naij.com among others together with conventional media have been actively involved in coverage of political discourse, providing perspectives and direction on political debates and framing issues for political decisions and mobilization (IPC& NPC, 2015). Considering the freedom that abound for online news publishers, the popularity of the media among Nigerians as well as their activeness in the 2015 general elections, it is relevant to examine online news media coverage of 2015 general elections in Nigeria. Statement of the problem Online news sites like Sahara Reporters, Scannews and Premium Times among others have become vibrant platforms of political communication in Nigeria (Ifukor An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 57 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 2010). The media’s ease of use, speed and wider reach have made them trendy and preferable channel of political news stories among citizens especially young adults since 2007 electioneering (Nkwachukwu, 2014). In spite of the vibrancy of online news media especially in election period, questions have emerged about the reliability of news and information through online news sites or sources bearing in mind that, publishers (citizen journalists) of news and information online are mostly amateurs and might be people with partisan, religious and ethnic interests. Thus, news report and information via online sites may be full of biases, may lack accuracy and reliability. Nwachukwu (2014) further states that during 2011 general elections in Nigeria, messages online were subjected to little or no verification thus, Ekine (2010) concludes that, online platforms were largely misused as vehicles for spreading false information, rumors and inflammatory messages that contributed to violence that marred the 2011 elections. In 2015 election, online news media were also at the vanguard of political coverage in the country. Hence, it becomes imperative to examine their actions during the election. Against this backdrop, this work looked at online news media coverage of 2015 general elections with a view to established the extent online news media report stories about the election, how they portrayed major political parties and direction of their reports. Research Objectives The general objective of this study is to analyzed online media coverage of 2015presidential election. The specific objectives as follows: (i) To examine the attention given to different parties by the online media during 2015 presidential election by the selected online media; (ii) To examine how the selected online media portrayed major political parties during the 2015 presidential election; (iii) To find out the direction of reports about 2015 presidential election as reported by the selected online media during the election. This study is very important in a time like this when the quest for political power is “do--or-die” affair in Nigeria and online journalism is fast growing while journalism ethics is fading. Thus, the work will contribute toward debate and subsequent formulation of laws and technologies to curtail excesses of online news media and or citizenjournalists. Thus, the work will lead to revisiting of the Nigeria Electoral Act in order to incorporate the place of online media in Nigeria electoral process. As such, the work will contribute toward responsible journalism beyond “off-line” (conventional journalism) practice. The work will also motivate communication regulatory bodies and stakeholders like Nigerian Union of Journalists to organized special programmes for online publishers in order to educate and stimulate them toward imbibing professional journalism ethics as well as social responsibility tenets in their daily posts especially regarding political issues. Similarly, this study will enable online media practitioners to re-assess their roles in bringing about political stability in the society. An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 58 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 In addition, outcome of the will add to existing literature in new media or computer mediated communication (CMC). Hence, subsequent researchers interested on similar phenomenon will find the work useful in their discussions. Literature Review Media and Election Coverage The role media play in coverage of election is indispensible. International Press Council and Nigeria Press Council examined media coverage of 2015 elections and concluded that, the media are the catalyst for successful election. Pate (2011) argues that the mass media have remained in the fore of the struggle to promote the rights of our people through a credible election process. They provide education for electorates regulates tension and provide platforms for candidates to meet the electorates. Oboh (2015) asserts that, the media’s coverage of election increase information about the choices on offer, stimulating interest in public involvement in the process. He further argues that the public relies on the media to provide adequate information on the electoral process that would enable the people to exercise their civic responsibility in the elections. The emphasis here is mostly on the conventional media like radio, television and the newspaper/magazine. Recent studies have shifted attention to the place of new media like social media and or online news sites in electioneering. Abubakar (2012) found that social media are at the forefront of election coverage. They give the electorates platform to engage in political discourse and help political parties to sell themselves to the electorates. Ende (2013) explained that, with the involvement of online media in the coverage of election, there exists significant improvement in terms of timeliness of reports, documentation of official routine information and access to information generally. What the above implies is that both the conventional media and the new media are central in the coverage of electoral process in Nigeria. As such, Oboh (2015) concludes that, the Nigerian journalists should endeavor to provide sufficient and balanced information on political aspirants and parties so that the public would make informed decision at the poll. Media portrayal of political parties and candidates The mass media remain the most important instruments through which political thinking of the masses is influence (Ojo, 2003). Sobowale in Daramola (2013) asserts that, “virtually all information published by the media is suspect. To him, “Choosing what events to cover on the lead, involves a lot of subjective decisions”. He further pointed out that even those news sources that provide information to reporters do not do so out of genuine desire to make information available to the public but with intention to create certain impression. Mass media provide perspectives, shape images of candidates and parties, and help highlight issues around which a campaign would develop. They define the unique atmosphere and areas of sensitivity with any particular campaign (Lang and Lang 1999 in Oyesomi & Oyero, 2012). They do this by deliberately distorting the information they An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 59 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 disseminate to their audience and by conscious exclusion of some vital information that are likely to lead the citizens into drawing a conclusion. Another way is by remaining simply quiet over some crucial issues where the population is thirsting for information or seek to divert the people’s attention from very important issue, by crowding the people’s mind with trivialities (Ojo, 2003, p. 829). During electioneering, the mass media in Nigeria serve as platforms of political advertisement where TV/radio jingles, large billboards, posters and newspapers have been used to framed and primed candidates in good light showing records of accomplishment and enticing promises all with the intension to win favor of the electorates. Such advertisement are paid or sponsored by the party or the candidate and mostly in media organization that are friendly to the party or the candidate. Similarly, the media in Nigeria are also employed by politicians to destroyed the image of their opponents through unfounded publications and documentaries. Good example is the the “Lion of Bourdillon” documentary ran by African Independent Television” against Bola Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari. Arogundade (2014) asserts that, hate speech or programmes could lead to violence and threaten the democratic fabric of a society. Hence, journalists are expected to make use of temperate language in reporting and refrain from pejorative comment. It also bacons on the media to reject any material that contains hateful or inciting words and messages. Over the years, online media sites have become virile platforms for different and cheap portrayals of parties and candidates, through the platforms, different party faithful attack one another using every kind of words. Ende and Dzukogi (2012) found that with the emergence of new media, large number of the online community found delight in passing derogatory statement on the bases of politics among others. Dominant Focus of the media during elections Every day the media face the task of what to report. This is because several issues are happening daily. This becomes more critical during electioneering. The traditional news values may serve as guide to selecting what to report, during elections, media need to be more careful and responsible in deciding what to report because their reports directly or indirectly shape publics’ attitude negatively or positively. Tehranian (1996) in Popoola (2015, p. 2) states that the media are naturally attracted to conflict. Popoola (2015) in his work, “A discourse on personality-induced conflicts in Nigeria’s politics: The media and their narratives” explains that the media in Nigeria have developed penchant for reporting conflict, a phenomenon that often contributes to tension and insecurity during elections. Nigeria Democratic Report (2015) in a study titled, “Final Report on Media Coverage of 2015 Elections: A monitoring Scorecard of Print and Online Media”, discovered that the 2015 general election, mass media gave more attention to conflict related issues against issues like voters education and serving as early warning system. No wonder, there was high tension during the 2015 presidential election, which made many people to travelled long distance to their villages for fear of the unknown. Another An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 60 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 study by International Press Council and Nigeria Press Council, titled, “The Monitoring Report of Media Coverage of 2015 Elections for January, 2015”; revealed that, the media have shown commendable concern for the conduct of peaceful polls. They had given adequate attention to early warning signals on possible outbreak of violence especially on conflict issues and in conflict-prone areas. However, they still published series of sensational headlines that are capable of igniting conflicts. This revelations show that, the focus of the media during election in Nigeria has dominantly been conflict. Conflict is a news determinant, Botes (1996) in Popoola (2015, p.2) aptly states that, “conflict is the bread and butter of journalism”. Umar (2002) also in Popoola (2015) argues that, several researches have shown that the greater the element of conflict in an event, the greater the probability that it would be reported and given prominence in the media. However, Osho in a forward for Popoola (2015) argues that, the media should be concerned and interested in promoting conflict resolution instead of fanning the embers of discord and social disharmony. Theoretical Framework This study is anchored on the social responsibility theory. Okunna, (1999), describes the social responsibility theory as a modern theory because it emerged in the twentieth century. The theory is an offshoot of the libertarian theory. The theory emerged due to the failure of free press as manifested in excess cases of defamation of character, invasion of privacy, sedition, sensationalism, distortions of information and other unethical practices among media practitioners. Thus, the social responsibility theory came to correct these wrongs without necessary denying the press their right. McQuail (2000), posits that, the theory talks about responsible press. According to him, independence of the media is attached with obligation. Schramm (2005) further explains that, “freedom carries concomitant obligations and the press which enjoys privileged position under democratic government is obliged to be responsible to the society”. The responsibilities attached to rights of the media are based on high professional standards of information, truth, accuracy, objectivity and balance. Based the theory, it is the responsibility of the media to give accurate and balance report of all events and ensure that their reports and activities in no way encourage conflict or raise tension. Hence, the theory implores media practitioners to conduct themselves under high ethical and moral standard. Summarily, the theory rests on notion- “free media acting responsible”. It is based on the above notion that this theory finds relevant to the present study. Online media has made information a cheap commodity hence, tens and hundreds of posts are publish within short time and without limit or gate-keeping, but in the midst of all this bombardment, it is important to re-echo that, the responsibility of journalists to the society has not change rather increases. Online media are expected to make deliberate and responsible efforts in ensuring peace, stability and proper function of the society via their posts especially on political issues like election. They should also hold that it is their An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 61 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 responsibility to serve as unbiased umpire of political “games” as well as facilitates constructive discourse that will lead to the development of the society. Methodology This study investigated how online media covered 2015 presidential election in Nigeria. Thus, content analysis research method was used. Wimmer and Dominick (2006) states, that, content analysis allows for an objective, systematic and qualitative description of communication content for measuring variables. This technique of research helps the researcher makes valid inferences base on context or purpose of the study from an existing data. Population of the Study All Online news sites circulating in Nigeria formed the population for this study. There are several news sites in Nigeria. Some of these sites are general interest sites as such cover politics and other matters while others are special interest sites covering specific area like politics, fashion, sport, health among others (Provide an idea by of number of online news sites in Nigeria. Although it might not be exact but a source to back the figure would suffice. Sample Size To realise the desired sample siz for the study. A total of 90 days (90) was chosen (1st January, 2015 to 27st March, 2015) and only reports on 2015 presidential elections published by the selected media within the said days were considered in this study. The total number of stories gathered harvested within the time was 323 from the selected online news sites. However, 169 reports were proportionately selected to form the sample site. All the reports were generated via websites of the selected media organizations (www.saharareporters.com, www.scannewsnigeria.com and www.premiumtimesng.com) and through Google keyword search. Sampling Technique The researcher adopted purposive sampling method in selecting the media and the period studied while the items studied were selected using simple random technique by pick lottery method in which all the generated items were given identification on cards. The card were later folded and shuffled before a pick until the required number of items needed were arrived at. Sahara Reporters, Scannews and Premium Times were selected because of their popularity among Nigerians, they predominantly focus on politics, and they have national reach and actively participation in the coverage of 2015 elections (Ifukor, 2010). The study time frame(1st January, 2015 to 27st March, 2015) was the high point of campaigns and preparation for the 2015 presidential, hence, it is presumed that, the engagement of the media, including online media in the coverage of the election was very high. Content Categories The content categories for a study are drawn from the specific objectives in order to effectively answer the research questions. Therefore, the categories in this study An Analysis of Online News Media Coverage of 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria Shadrach 68 | P a g e M C C | J U N E . 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 1 N o . 1 McQuail, D. (2000). Mass communication theory. London: Sage Publications. Nigeria Democratic Report (2015). Final report on media coverage of 2015 elections: A Monitory Scorecard of Print and Online media. Available at: http://www.ndr.org.ng/resources2/ Nwachukwu, F.G. (2013). “Value reconstruction, the media and political culture in Nigeria”. In Pate, U, Nwabueze, C, & Idiong N. (eds.). 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