Newspapers’ reports favour Buhari’

Newspapers’ reports favour Buhari’

12:53 am


Rasheed Bisiriyu
Newspapers’ coverage reports have been discovered to be favourable to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in its first 100 days in office.
The report was the outcome of a research exercise embarked on by the postgraduate students of Mass Communication Department, University of Lagos.

The exercise, coordinated by Dr. Adepoju Tejumaye, focused on 300 copies of three national newspapers, covering May 30 to September 6, 2015.
Of the three newspapers’ content analysed, a total of 1,585 editorial items were identified as focusing on the administration’s activities within the period.
A total of 750 items, representing 47.31 per cent, were discovered to be positive; while 464 items, representing 29.2 per cent, and 371 items, representing 23.4 per cent, were discovered to be indifferent and not favourable, respectively, to the administration in its first 100 days.
Of the three newspapers analysed, The Nation has the highest number of favourable reports and lowest number of unfavourable reports. Out of the 540 editorial items analysed in the newspaper, 370 items, representing 68.5 per cent, were discovered to be favourable to Buhari’s administration.
On the other hand, 129 items, representing 24 per cent, and 41 items, representing 7.5 per cent, were discovered to be indifferent and non- favourable to the administration, respectively.
For The Guardian, a total of 271 editorial items were identified within the period covered, with 139 items, representing 51.29 per cent, being favourable to the Buhari’s administration.
However, 75 items, representing 28 per cent, and 57 other items, representing 21 per cent, were deemed respectively indifferent and not favourable to the administration.
However, Nigerian Pilot which has the highest number of content analysed items at 774, also polled the highest number of not favourable stories to the administration within the period.
Indeed, a total of 273 items, representing 35.3 per cent, were discovered as being unfavourable to the administration.