CRIMES IN NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS:
A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE GUARDIAN AND DAILY TIMES.
CHAPTER ONE
- Introduction and Background 1
- Statement of research problem 5
- Purpose of study 8
- Importance of study 8
- Hypothesis 10
- Scope and limitations 11
- Definition of terms (conceptual definitions – – -) 12
- Definition of terms (Operational definitions — -) 14
CHAPTER TWO
- Review of literature 16
- Summary of literature Review 40
CHAPTER THREE
- Methodology 43
- Population and sample
- Measuring instrument 44
- Definition or description of categories 44
CHAPTER FOUR
- Presentation of Data 49
- Data analysis and interpretation 58
- Discussion 65
CHAPTER FIVE
- Summary and conclusion 69
- Bibliography 72
Appendix A 76
Appendix B 83
Appendix C 88
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
“One promise for the suppression of
criminal activities is to recognize
that lack of awareness and concern
by the public is crimes greatest ally
The efforts of any branch of society
Directed towards controlling criminal
Activities will be largely unsuccessful
Unless the public is made aware of
Criminal methodology and the
Magnitude of crimes. Publicity and
Honest exposure of illegal activities
Is one of the surest ways to dry
Up sources of revenue for an
Organization engaged in criminal
Activities”.
The above statement by Denny F. Face and Jimmie C. Styles underscores the need for the Nigerian mass media to intensity efforts in crime reporting.
Crimes, whether against persons, habitations, property, morality and decency, public peace, against justice and authority or against public safety, are serious offences which are not only punishable by law but can also seriously hinder the development of a society. In this case, crime diverts efforts of the offenders n a negative path towards development.
Crime seems to be accentuated in the society by lack of patience of each new generation to pass through the rigorious and arduous process which their parents have passed to attain greatness. Other sociological and psychological or even hereditary problems often erupt contribute to crime. For instance, a child who is brought up in t he ghetto with not much facilities of learning, or without a good up bringing and who grows up exposed to aggression as a way of life will most likely grow up into an aggressive adult. Because no individuals lives in isolation of his/her environment, a child born in a disorderly society where crime is on the increase will not directed, live to reflect in his/her styles into. The worry is what are the chances of such an individuals brought up in such a condition ever becoming a good citizen.
There are a number of advantages which readers of newspapers and the society at large are bund to enjoy if crimes as they occur in society are adequately reported and given the desired prominence in the pages of newspapers.
Firstly, the citizens are alerted about the mode of operation of the criminals in order to safeguard themselves from the menace of the criminals.
Secondly, the citizen are educated on the techniques of a crimes. This is important because a large number of Nigerians do not know the law, let alone what constitutes a crime. Unfortunately, ignorance of the law is no excuse and the same weight of punishment faces the informed and uninformed citizenry. But in the Nigerian situation crime stories tend not to be given due prominence in the pages of the newspapers. The assumption may be that other classes of stories have edged out such crime stories. There is however, an unexpressed by manifested psychological feelings of Nigerians, towards crimes. The society itself treats criminals with contempt perhaps the preference given to non-crimes stories by the media arises from the thinking of the practitioners to spot-light issues that will generate larger reader interest.
It is quite clear to us that in our society, deviations from agreed social norms and mores are regarded with distain. Even the ex-convicts are not fully rehabilitated and accepted. Even when crimes are reported in Nigerian newspapers emphasis may or may not be placed on probing the motives of such a crime, stress seems to be attached more to the out come or punishment that accompanies such crimes.
It is a truism that an intention to commit a crimes to one of the essential ingredients of a crime.
The motives for a crime should be ascertained by reporters in order to provide clues that will help in reforming the criminal. It is import ant also to ally the fear that reporting a crime by our mass media may result in lawless ness and in crease in waves. This study also recognizes that an increase in crime waves may hinder the economic, political and social advancement of the society.
STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM
A more pertinent question is:
- Does the coverage of crime by the newspapers guide the possible causes of crimes?
- How do Nigerian newspapers view crimes?
- Do they state possible remedies to these crimes?
- Does the editorial process of editing and rewriting influence or affect the reporting of crime stories?
- Does the personality of the criminals affect the reporting of crimes.
These and others are the numerous kinds of study, so that a complete answer and resolution of all these questions or factors could lead to a more complete and realistic approach to the presentation and stoppage of crimes.
Some of the causes why crimes are reported the way they are presently or why some crimes stories do not get reported is as follows
- The Journalist is an individual who has his or her own biases and in the reporting of a crime, he first of all decides if the cirme is newsworthy using his own sense of value judgment and other parameters for judging news value like prominence, proximity, consequence, human interest etc. Even when he decides that such a story is of significance, he also has to decide from which angle to approach it what issues to include or exclude in the news story.
After having reported the crimes, the story still has to pass through a lot of processes before it gets published. At every stage of the process, the story has a high probability of either being included or eliminated in the days reports. Even when accepted, it stands the possibility of changing it’s form at any stage of the process through either being edited (inclusion or exclusion of some facts) or through being totally rewritten.
Some of the considerations at this stage could be who were involved in the crime story. We cannot escape from the fact that newspaper publishing is a business which has to survive and certain times when the business interest of the paper is involved, the story some times does not get reported. Also, when some eminent person alities are involved, the story gets omitted completely, re-adjusted so as not hurt them or the names of the individuals involved are completely omitted. The legal involvement s of the story is also another primary consideration in the way and manner the story is reported. The story may be true in every materials aspect, but either as a result of timidity or fear of litigations, the story may get muddled-up or not adequately reported.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The nonchalant attitude of some media organization in the country to crime reporting is a neglect of the important role which the press is expected to play in the society. The purpose of this study therefore is to determine the degree of importance mass media organization in Nigeria attach to crime reporting.
Another purpose of this study is to highlight the need for proper and frequent reports of criminal events in the country. This is very important as the stud aims to set out good guidelines for crime reporters in the reporting of crime news.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
Conklin (1970-375) stated that:
“fear of crime in a community not only
effects the mental well-being of residents
from the area, but it may also lead to
isolation of strangers and new residents
from those who have lived in the community
for longer periods of time. Feelings of not
being safe in the area may lead to
a deterioration of social solidarity in the
community for residents may stay in door
rather than walking on the streets and
interact with neighbors”
the above statement underscores the importance of the study. There is need for adequate investigation and interpretation of criminal news events as or occur, therefore this study will in addition focus on the necessity of regular reporting of the mode of operations of criminals. We are doing this on the grounds that no good government can told it’s hands or pay up service to the activities of heartless criminals. This is the role which the press in their social responsibility functions are excepted to play. The inadequacy of such reports and their lack of objectivity in our print a major concern.
Obviously crime news stories most of the time are not given the prominence relative to other news stories carried by Nigerian newspapers. This neglects a lots of advantages to be gained by reporting criminals activities regularly and objectivity. This study will perhaps help to draw attention to this lapse.
HYPOTHESIS
- Only a relatively small percentage of crime stories appear on the front and back pages of most Nigerians newspapers.
- Nigerians newspapers tend not to emphasize the probable motives or causes of reported crimes.
- Newspapers do not devote enough space to public enlightenment of what constitutes a crime.
- Crimes stories are less likely to form be lead stories in the front or back pages of most newspapers.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions guided this study.
- What are the effects of reporting crimes in Nigerians newspapers?
- Does the coverage of crimes by the newspapers guide the possible causes of crimes?
- Does the editorial process of editing and rewriting influence or affect the reporting of crime stories?
- How do Nigerians newspapers view crimes?
- Does the personality of the criminals affect the reporting of crimes?
- State possible remedies to these crimes?.
SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
As is usual with a study of this nature, time is always a constraint, in addition to lack of study. These limitations have made this research to be limited to study of two national newspapers among the many newspapers in circulation in the country. This is with the thinking that the findings from this study will give an insight into the coverage of crimes stories by other Nigerians newspapers.
DEFINITION OF TERMS-CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION
Coverage- The Webster Reference dictionary of the English language defines coverage as a covering, or provision of something as a covering, or provision for something by agreement of contact, what which is so covered. Communication, t he send and receiving areas of radio or TV station, the number of readers in an area served by a publication, the writing, publishing or broadcasting of news”.
Crime- “ crime is defined to mean and offence for which there is serve punishment by foolish or wrong act, not necessary an offence against the laws”.
Newspaper – A medium of communication usually published daily or weekly, by which information and current affairs, opinions and entertainment features are circulated among the people.
Coverage of crime :- May be defined to mean the publication of news stories concerning one or more crimes as defined above.
Criminal Acts – Criminals acts will be defined to mean a deliberate intention aimed at committing a crime as defined earlier.
Such crime and criminals acts as defined above include:
- Murder
- Robbery
- Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Riot
- Defamation
- Dry trafficking
- Arson
- Burglary
- Counterfeiting
- Kidnapping
- Homicide
- Manslaughter
- Conspiracy
- Food and Drug Acts
OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Crime – Excludes all civil offences but will include
All other offences against the state or a
Person no matter it’s classifications
Newspaper: The researchers wish to define newspaper to mean “The Guardian” and the Daily times”.
Coverage: The amount, types or nature of stories
Pertaining to crime reported within a
Particular period of time in the news
Paper under study.
THEORITICAL FRAME WORK
- Introduction
1.1 Background of the study
- Statement of the problem
- The purpose of the study
- Significance of the study
- Scope and limitation
- Research questions
- Definition of terms
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