Content Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Education Issues in Nigeria

Abstract

By using content analysis, the study examined selected newspapers in Nigeria with a view to gaining insight into newspaper coverage of education issues and to underscore the crucial role of the print media in the construction of reality dwelling on thematic content of education issues. Two newspapers, the Punch and the Nations were selected from the 2012 sampling frame. Consequently, 240 issues were content analyzed covering January-April; publications of the Punch and the Nation and a total of 536 stories were recorded as education stories. The agenda setting theory, the development communication theory and the social responsibility theory were adopted to anchor the study. The findings revealed that the understudied newspapers had a robust thematic content on education issue. It is equally revealed that the selected newspapers had weekly publication on education issue. However, the various themes covered especially critical issues bothering on standard upgrade, curricular monitoring, teachers’ welfare, staff strike and students’ unrest were not passionately and critically examined. Perhaps, those issues are not part of media agenda or they are not business or advertorial driven. The implication of these findings is that there is a need for interaction between the media and the education sector. The symbiotic relationship will indeed foster virile development communication. The finding is indeed an eye opener to communication scholars who will now appreciate the need for a synergy between media professional and education stakeholders for societal emancipation. Keywords: Symbiotic, media content, egalitarian, development communication