An Investigation of Public Perception on the Role of Mass Media in Reportage of the Hate Speech Bill in Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The major objective of this study is to investigate public perception on the role of mass media in reportage of the hate speech bill in Nigeria
- To determine how Nigerians perceive newspaper reportage on hate speech bill.
- To determine the effects of lack of coverage by newspapers on the hate speech bill.
- To investigate the role of the mass media particularly newspapers in reporting on the hate speech bill.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Mass media in Nigeria
To begin with, which communication channels are referred to as the mass media? These are channels of information dissemination simultaneously to a large, heterogeneous, anonymous and scattered audience. They primarily include newspapers, magazines books (print media) radio, television, the internet (electronic media), bill boards and posters (outdoor media). These media constitute the basic channels of communication in any society. However, the basic focus of this discourse is on the print (newspapers and magazines), broadcast media (radio and television) and to some extent, the internet. The mass media here basically refer to the press, a word which originally connotes the print media but is today used to refer to both the print and broadcast media. The mass media are crucial in nation building. Governments can hardly survive without effective use of the mass media. The press are so powerful in a society that Edmund Burke, an 18th century politician first described them as the “Fourth Estate” of the realm, referring to the three major powers in Medieval times in European society which are the Lords (or Nobles), the Clergy, and the Commons (McQuail, 2000; www.wisegeek.com). Burke described the press sitting in the gallery in the parliament as the most powerful of all estates when compared with the other three estates in the British realm. Today, the press are still called the fourth estate of the realm, the other estates being the executive, legislature and the judiciary. Mass media landscape in Nigeria shows tremendous improvement from the emergence of Reverend Henry Townsend’s Iwe Irohin in 1859, through the independence era till date. With the emergence of media outfits virtually by the day in Nigeria what the nation boasts of today are mass media of high reckoning, both government and privately owned outfits. Such television stations as the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), African Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television among others, are beginning to have a truly global audience, having embarked on satellite broadcast operations. Radio stations such as Radio Nigeria, Ray Power FM, and the numerous state and privately owned outfits provide interesting news and current affairs programmes that impact on the society in one way or the other. Numerous dailies such as The Guardian, Punch, Daily Sun, Thisday, Vanguard, The Nation and Daily Independent, among others, have become dominant communication channels in Nigeria, providing diverse hard and soft news that keep the society informed.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, we described the research procedure for this study. A research methodology is a research process adopted or employed to systematically and scientifically present the results of a study to the research audience viz. a vis, the study beneficiaries.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research designs are perceived to be an overall strategy adopted by the researcher whereby different components of the study are integrated in a logical manner to effectively address a research problem. In this study, the researcher employed the survey research design. This is due to the nature of the study whereby the opinion and views of people are sampled. According to Singleton & Straits, (2009), Survey research can use quantitative research strategies (e.g., using questionnaires with numerically rated items), qualitative research strategies (e.g., using open-ended questions), or both strategies (i.e., mixed methods). As it is often used to describe and explore human behaviour, surveys are therefore frequently used in social and psychological research.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
According to Udoyen (2019), a study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitutes of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description.
This study was carried to examine an investigate of public perception on the role of mass media in reportage of the hate speech bill in Nigeria. Selected resident in Abuja forms the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the analysis of data derived through the questionnaire and key informant interview administered on the respondents in the study area. The analysis and interpretation were derived from the findings of the study. The data analysis depicts the simple frequency and percentage of the respondents as well as interpretation of the information gathered. A total of eighty (80) questionnaires were administered to respondents of which only seventy-seven (77) were returned and validated. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questionnaire. For this study a total of 77 was validated for the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain an investigation of public perception on the role of mass media in reportage of the hate speech bill in Nigeria. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of an investigation of public perception on the role of mass media in reportage of the hate speech bill in Nigeria
Summary
This study was on an investigation of public perception on the role of mass media in reportage of the hate speech bill in Nigeria. Three objectives were raised which included: To determine how Nigerians perceive newspaper reportage on hate speech bill, to determine the effects of lack of coverage by newspapers on the hate speech bill and to investigate the role of the mass media particularly newspapers in reporting on the hate speech bill. A total of 77 responses were received and validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents were drawn from selected residents in Abuja. Hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square statistical tool (SPSS).
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study, it is apt to conclude that social media platforms play a central role in the perpetuation of hate speeches through social media users. These social media platforms which range from Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Whatsapp, have a great deal of influence in ridiculing the character of both individuals and the government.
Recommendation
Thus, the researchers recommend that the users of social media must bear in mind the implications of involvement in the perpetuation of hate speech and its accompanying repercussions. Mores so, there is freedom of speech, but it does not allow for the infringement of individual or organisational rights and as such, any statement aimed at character assassination and ridicule of varying magnitudes should be avoided by social media users. More so, there is need for social media literacy and sensitisation of the social media users on the use of social media
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