AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF MEDIA REPORTAGE ON FARMERS-HERDERS CRISIS IN USSA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, TARABA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined audience perception of media reportage on farmers-herders crisis in Ussa Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. A virtual snowball sampling technique was adopted to select 100 respondents for this research. Data was collected using an online survey questionnaire administered through Google form and was analysed using descriptive statistics (likert scale, means and standard deviation). Results showed that that the audience received most of the information about farmers and herders crisis on radio (M = 3.86) and television (M = 3.70). Even though the way mass media reported on farmers and herders’ crisis (M = 3.64) and the role they played (M = 3.45) were perceived by the respondents to have reduced farmers and herders crisis to a fair extent; they however, have not contributed much in de-escalating the crisis and as such are blamed for the continuous rise of crisis in the study area. The crisis between farmers and herders was also perceived by the respondents to sometimes have a serious negative implication on national security (M = 4.42). It was therefore, recommended that the media should double their efforts through constant reporting of correct events in relation to farmers-herders crises in order to curtail its escalation and prevent reoccurrences. The media should also play a role in de-escalating disputes by covering conflict-related news topics with more impartiality and fairness.