MEDIA COVERAGE OF NIGERIA’S 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS: ANALYSES OF GUARDIAN,VANGUARD AND SUN
Keywords:
Media coverage, Election Campaigns, Nigerian Newspapers, Agenda Setting, FramingAbstract
This study examined the content characteristics of newspaper coverage of the 2023 presidential election campaigns in Nigeria. Anchored on Agenda-Setting and Framing theories, it adopted a quantitative content analysis design. Three national newspapers—The Guardian, Vanguard, and The Sun—were selected through simple random sampling from a population of 25 dailies published between 2022 and 2023. Using the composite week sampling technique, 105 editions were drawn from a population of 453 editions. Data were collated using content categories including story frequency, prominence, tone, and media frames. The study revealed variations in story count, depth, and space devoted to parties across newspapers. Coverage was largely neutral, with positive stories trailing and negative coverage representing the smallest proportion. Competence and credibility frames dominated candidate portrayal. Individual candidates were emphasized more than parties, showing personalization. Chi-square analysis revealed significant associations between media frames and tonal direction. The study concludes that Nigerian newspapers performed a critical agenda-setting and framing function during the 2023 election campaigns. It recommends strengthening issue-based coverage to enhance democratic deliberation and electoral accountability.
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