Newspaper Framing of Health Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The of the press in communicating development messages cannot be over-emphasized. The way and these messages are ‘framed’ within the frame of of the readers are as as the communication of such .

This study focuses on Newspaper Framing of Health MDGs in Nigeria. It sought to determine the frequency of coverage, angle of Health MDGs framed, level of prominence given to Health MDGs as well as the challenges facing the reportage of Health MDGs stories.

Content analysis, survey, and textual analysis methods were used as the manifest content of communication of four randomly selected national newspapers (from January 2012 to December 2012). The results were analyzed with interview responses from Journalists who cover these events.

The findings reveal that Health MDGs stories recorded more frequency of coverage but low prominence in terms of placement.

Ownership influence and profit motive of newspaper institutions were among the challenges facing the reportage of Health MDGs in Nigeria.

The researcher recommends, among other things, that public interest should be a determining factor for prominence in newspaper reportage of any issue.

Also, Journalists should endeavour to frame news content towards promoting positive attitudes in the people towards government institutions in the country.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. i
Certification .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ii
Dedication .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iii
Acknowledgements .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. iv
Table of Contents.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. v
List of Tables . … .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. vii
Abstract .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. viii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5
1.3 Objectives of the Study .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6
1.4 Research Questions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6
1.5 Significance of the Study .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6
1.6 Scope of the Study .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7
1.7 Definition of Terms .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7
References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Focus of Review .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10
2.1 An Overview of Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria .. .. .. 10
2.2 The Nigerian Experience of the Millennium Development Goals .. .. 15
2.3 Communication and Health: A Panacea for Development .. .. .. 17
2.4 Strategic Communication for Millennium Development Goals .. .. .. 21
2.5 Theoretical Framework .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 27
References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32
3.2 Population of Study .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33
3.3 Sample Size .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33
3.4 Sampling Technique . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 34
3.5 Measuring Instrument .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35
3.6 Units of Analysis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 35
3.7 Content Categories .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36
38. Validity / Reliability .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 38
3.9 Inter-coder Reliability .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39
3.10 Method of Data Analysis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40
3.11 Limitation of Methodology .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40
References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION

4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 42
4.2 Textual Analysis of Quotes and Pull-Outs from Newspapers .. .. .. 49
4.3 Discussion on Findings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52
4.4 Summary of Findings …. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59
References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND  RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 61
5.2 Conclusion .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 61
5.3 Recommendations .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 62
Bibliography.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63
Appendix.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria is a nation. The country is also. Development is a participatory process of social change, which is intended to bring about both social and material improvement in society.

Most Nigerians tend to identify with their community and as such, most of their discussions are centered on community development. The desire for many Nigerians to attract development to their community remains paramount to indigenes. This can be clearly seen among Nigerians, most of who tend to identify themselves based on villages/tribes.

Development involves a greater number of people gaining control over their immediate environment, empowering people to be self-reliant, and creating the right environment for people to improve their living conditions.

The slow pace at which most nations in the world are developing has become a worrisome trend and this can be linked to various trends such as poor medical facilities, , etc.

Kayode & Adeniran (2012, p.1) gave credence to this claim as they stated that people experience extreme poverty with a substantial segment of the population living in deplorable conditions and lacking basic amenities. According to Soola, (2002):

A holistic view of development must conceive of development as people-centred, human capital-based, designed and packaged to promote the wellbeing of the beneficiaries of development.

It must recognize the need for people’s participation and self-reliance within the complex increasingly interdependent world of globalization.

Development must not only be quantitative and qualitative in a mutually beneficial and reinforcing manner but must also appreciate the endogenous and exogenous dimensions of (p.15).

In summary, Soola’s definition pointed out that development is like democracy – it must be of the people, by the people, and for the people.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Akinleye, L. (2002). Indigenous language system, communication and sustainable development. In E.O. Soola (Ed.) Communication for development purpose. Ibadan: Kraft Books.
Babbie (2007). The practice of social research. California: Wadsworth.
Baran, S. (2004) Introduction to mass communication: Media literacy and culture. New York, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Dele, A. (2005). A nation’s wealth. Lagos: Tilley Publishers.
Fair, C. & Wodak, R. (1997) Critical discourse analysis. In Van Dijk. T. A. (Ed.) Discourse as Social Interaction. London: Sage Publisher.
Fatusi, A, & Jimoh, A. (2006). The roles of behaviour change communication and mass media in aids in Nigeria: A nation on the threshold. Cambridge: Harvard Centre for Population and Development Studies.
Folarin, B. (1998). Theories of mass media. Ibadan: Stirling: Horden Nig. Ltd.
Graves, L. (2007). Independent media’s vital role in development. Washington, D.C: Centre for International Media Assistance.
Jimoh, A. (2007). The roles of behaviour change communication and mass media in Aids in Nigeria: A Nation on the Threshold. Enugu: New Generation Books.