Draft:Media Bias in Nigeria

Main article: Media bias

The media has played a pivotal role in the construction and continuous reinforcement of democratic regimes, exerting a significant influence on the formation and evolution of democratic institutions and practices throughout the African continent. In a democratic context, the mass media is referred to as the fourth columnist, a term that perfectly captures the significance of the media in influencing public opinion in any given society. Nigerian mass media consists of print media like newspapers and magazines as well as electronic media like television, radio, and audio recordings, which appeal to both the senses of sound and image. The term "media bias" appears to have three main definitions: distortion bias, which refers to news that purports to be false or distorted; content bias, which is news that favours one side of a political dispute over treating the other equally; and decision-making bias, which sometimes refers to the attitudes and motivations of the journalists who are purportedly producing the skewed content. Media bias has always been a source of contention in Nigeria, raising questions about the objectivity and veracity of news reporting.

Historical Context The origins of mass media in Nigeria can be traced back to the efforts of Christian missionaries to evangelize, educate, and uplift the local population in their new colonies. The first newspaper, Iwe Irohin Fun Awon Ara Egba ati Yoruba, was established in December 1859 by Rev. Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society. Although presented as a means to introduce the indigenous people to Christianity and criticize the slave trade, a closer look reveals that Townsend used the newspaper as a tool for political disinformation and manoeuvring for dominance in Egbaland. This laid the foundation for subsequent media outlets and newspapers. These publications often reflected the interests of the educated elite and newspapers owners who used them as a platform to express their opinions on current events, and the interests and concerns of the general public were only made public when they coincided with those of the government or powerful section of the population.

After the amalgamation in 1914 and in the years that followed, the main newspaper proprietors and journalists were also leaders of the two main political organisations, the Nigeria Youth Movement (N.Y.M.) and the Nigeria National Democratic Party (N.N.D.P.). During the election campaign, the newspapers sided with these parties, turning into their organs.

Following the 1960 independence, Nnamdi Azikiwe and his peers continued the 19th-century pioneers' tradition of utilising their journals as a platform for political messaging as well as a business endeavour. It might be argued that Azikiwe’s use of the Pilot newspaper in his political campaigns against his competitors and subsequently in his slanging dispute with the Daily service newspaper signalled the formal beginning of yet another significant component of the second phase of Nigerian journalism and media bias.

These trends persist and are evident in the establishment of media outlets in present-day Nigeria, which often serve the interests of either the political elite or a particular ethnic group. As a result, news reports may be biased towards these interests and can influence citizens' perceptions.

Types of Media Bias in Nigeria


 * Partisan Bias: Media sources in Nigeria exhibit partiality towards specific political parties or individuals, vocally endorsing one while simultaneously disparaging or downplaying the significance of others. This prejudice may have an impact on how news articles are presented, the sources and viewpoints that are used, as well as the coverage's general tone and viewpoint. For instance, Chief M.K.O. Abiola founded the Concord Newspaper primarily to oppose Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Unity Party of Nigeria, the latter's political organisation. But Chief Abiola chose to quit the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) owing to internal dissatisfaction, and the newspaper's editorial focus changed to reflect this decision.


 * Ethnic Bias: Nigeria is home to several ethnic groups, and occasionally this variety is reflected in the skewed media coverage. Some media sources provide less attention to or little coverage of other ethnic groups in favour of news articles that support the interests of particular ethnic communities. In 2001 Late Chief Bola Ige a head of the ministry of mines and power, was charged with transferring funds from the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) into a commercial bank without authorization and at an interest rate lower than the legally required amount. A public uproar ensued over who had profited financially from the transaction. The claim made by the mainstream media that there was no need to look into this further was because the person in question is a member of the south-west demographic that predominates in Nigerian media.


 * Sensationalism: Nigerian media outlets frequently sacrifice objective reporting and factual accuracy in favour of dramatic or attention-grabbing headlines and stories that catch readers' or viewers' attention. This resulted in the facts being twisted and the nature of the events being misrepresented in an effort to increase interest and participation.


 * Confirmation Bias: Some media outlets and journalists exhibit a bias towards reporting and selecting content that supports their preconceived notions or storylines, while downplaying or disregarding material that challenges their positions. This kind of media coverage possibly affect public views and comprehension of these topics by contributing to a distorted or one-sided depiction of events or situations.

Impact of Media Bias Media bias can significantly impact various aspects of society and public discourse. Some potential impacts of media bias in Nigeria include...


 * Shaping Public Perception: Media bias can shape the way the citizens in Nigeria perceives and understands information by presenting it in a specific way or manner. Media outlets have the power to choose which stories to cover and which to ignore and this selection process introduce bias as certain topic or perspectives maybe prioritized over other. For example, the case of TIV/Fulani Herdsman coverage in Nigeria.


 * Affecting Political Process: The mass media has had a substantial impact on the political environment in Nigeria, influencing public perceptions of politics, the level of public engagement in political affairs, attitudes towards various political parties or ideologies, and the general political atmosphere.


 * Polarizing Public discourse: Media bias have worsened political polarization through reinforcing existing divides between different political factions and ethnic groups in Nigeria. It has weakened the sense of unity, cooperation and effective governance in Nigeria.