Impact of the of Nigeria and Foreign News Agencies on the News and Information Flow of the Nigerian Press

By GODWIN EHIAREKHIAN OBOH

Abstract The federal government, on May 10, 1976, set up the News Agency of Nigeria to redress the lopsided nature of the global news flow in the interest of Nigeria, promote national unity and lend support to government programmes and activities. The agency was, however, expected to achieve these objectives by complementing the role of the Nigerian media. This study examined all the issues published in the month of May 2004 by The Guardian, Punch, This Day and Vanguard to determine the number of news stories NAN supplied to these papers. The findings revealed that of the 271 news agencies' stories used by the papers, NAN only supplied 20. An evaluation of these findings with chi-square disclosed that NAN had no significant impact on the Nigerian press.

Introduction diplomats and publishing houses". News agency journalism, otherwise But Havas later expecded his scope of known as wire services, came into coverage beyond the French territory existence as a strategy to substitute for by employing Julius Paul and the inability of most newspaper houses Benard Wolff to translate news items to cope with the financial involvement from French into English and German of having to employ sufficient languages respectively. Havas' news correspondents to cover events in areas bureau later evolved into the revitalized remote from their operational Agence France Presse (AFP) in 1944 environments. Nevertheless, history and Reuters' news outfit became a recorded that news agency journalism cooperative trust, owned by the British began through the efforts of a young Press, Australia and New Zealand. Frenchman and one-time banker, (Kruglak, 1975: 1-8) Charles Louis Havas. But the (AP), According to Alan (1974:212), the biggest wire service world over, was ".. Havas designed a means of sourcing established in the United States news from remote sources for his through the cooperative efforts of subscribers, which were mainly newspaper houses. Similarly, in 1958, businessmen, financial institutions, the United Press International (UP!), the first private owned news agency,

Internationul Journal ofCommunication No.3 April 2005 I/'.JPACT OF NAN AND FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES 208 was founded in the United States, and foreign issues for the Nigerian while the Soviet Union government mass media. (NAN, 1989) established TASS (news agency) to promote and sustain socialist Purposes of NAN ideologies in the region. Although the • To sell and distribute news to initial objective for the establishment of media houses these transnational news agencies was • To complement their coverage of to increase the reception for the news and information coverage of global events being distribution disseminated by the international .• To compensate for the inability media systems, subsequent of some of the Nigerian media communication researches, however, houses to hire correspondents disclosed that the existence of an in order to adequately cover imbalance in the global news flow was both national and international consequent upon the activities of beats foreign wire services. It was upon this • To make Nigerians' voices/views premise that the Mac Bride heard; but equally important, to Commission was set up by UNESCO, serve as an attentive source of basically to investigate the external/foreign news for the communication problems of the Third Nigerian media World countries. MacBride (1980:260) • To facilitate the unity of the in his recommendations advised that, various regional blocs in Nigeria "the promotion of news agencies should as well as to help to promote be integrated within the tradition, the policies and programmes of culture, development objective and the the Federal Government of social political system of each country." Nigeria It was in response to this advice • To counter and redress the that the Union of Africa News Agency global information imbalance in was established in 1963 in ; the favour of Nigeria. in 1976; the Pan African News Agency in on Statement of the Problem Mav 25. 1983; and Ghana News NAN was set up to complement the Agencv in 1957. But either owing to activities of the Nigerian mass media as logistic problems or indecision, the well as to redress the imbalance in the federal government of Nigeria did not global news flow, which was said to immediately see the need for a national have been created by the five dominant news agency. But following the foreign wire services (AP, AFP, UPI, unfriendly foreign media reports on the TASS and REUTERS). Unfortunately, activities of the federal government recent observations bv some Nigerians during the Nigeria civil war, between revealed that most newspaper houses 1967 and 1970, coupled with the still prefer to use news stories sourced fragile national unity left behind by the by foreign news agencies, thereby war. the federal government decided to dominating the pages of the Nigerian establish the News Agency of Nigeria to newspapers with foreign news that solve those information problems. might not necessarily be relevant to Among other things, NANwas expected our immediate information needs as a to promote our national unity, redress developing nation. the perceived imbalance in the global news flow and source news on local

An Interdisciptinary Journut ofConununication Suulie» 209 GODIYIN E. OBOH

Objectives and Significance of Participant Media Theory in the Third the Study World nations. This research examined the degree of significance of the news stories sourced Operational Definitions by NAN with those sourced by foreign Press: The concept was used news agencies for the same newspaper. interchangeably with The study also assessed the preference newspapers In this NANgave to local, national and foreign study. events in its coverage. Obviously, the Local Events: These were events that findings of this research will help us to occurred in Nigeria know if NAN is "living" in fulfilment of ou tside the Federal its stated objectives. Capital Territory, state Null Hypothesis capitals as well as local HO: There is no significant difference government between NAN stories used by the headquarters. Nigerian newspapers National Events: These were events that from those of the foreign news occurred within the agencies used by the same papers. Federal Capital Territory, state capitals and all the local Theoretical Framework government Denis McQuail's (1983) Democratic- headquarters in Nigeria. Participation Media Theory offers a Foreign Events: These were events that useful explanation on the importance took place outside of news agency journalism in media Nigeria. practice, particularly in Third World countries. McQuail completely Review of Literature disagrees with the extreme The idea of news agency is a very commercialization of the private media simple and obvious one. It is natural as well as the bureaucratization of the that a number of individuals or public media system. The theory organizations need some kind of proposes that the existing bureaucracy, information on a regular basis and it coupled with the commercial and makes sense to gather such professional hegemony in media information cooperatively. Indeed, this practice, be broken down to allow easy was what led to the formation of media access to everyone (Folann, Reuters, Associated Press and all other 2002:23-24). major well-known wire services of the The idea of news agency world (Rampaal, 1995:36). journalism tends to suit the suggested The studv conducted by Agba answer to the problem of undue (2002:258) revea.'ls that "the news flow restrictions to media institutions in the imbalance is traceable to the Third World countries. Basically, wire monopolistic grip, which the five services complement media activities transnational news agencies and grant access to people who do not Reuters, UPI, AP, AFP in the West and possess newsworthy personality, like the former Soviet Union's TASS -- have rural dwellers, to contribute to media on mass communication sourcing debate on topical national issues. The globally." It was upon this discovery relevance of wire services to media that most Third World countnes operation is credence to the usefulne~s established wire services, if for nothing and application of the Democratic else, to use them to counter the

lnternutionul Journut ofCommunicution No. .1 Apri! l005 IMPACT OF NAN AND FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES 210 unfriendly foreign media reports on the rural dwellers and lending su pport to Third World and to increase the government policies and programmes. coverage on the events of developing Mgbemena (1989·.169} lends his countries, being reported by the support to this view. He said, "The international media systems. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is According to Maida (1996: 162), " the expected to boost the coverage of establishment of national news Nigerian affairs which the global media agencies in the developing world has system neglect, and to assist in been largely inspired by the perceived addressing the imbalance in the need for a "free and balanced flow" of present international order". information in the global context." This becomes necessary, Research Design because the news on the technological The research design for this study is breakthroughs of the industrialized content analysis. The rationale for nations of the world are constantly choosing this research design is being disseminated by the foreign press because it is the most appropriate while Africa and other less developed technique to evaluate and analyse the continents only secure the attention of contributions of news agencies in the foreign me'dia on the occurrence of printed form as contained on the pages a crisis-related event like earthquake, of the Nigerian newspapers. The year coup and out-break of epidemic. 2004 was chosen for this study to be Okigbo (1990:339) agrees that, " There able to relate the findings of this is perhaps a more serious qualitative research to the current happenings in imbalance, which manifests itself in the Nigerian newspaper houses, and the preminence unfavourable third the month of May 2004 was randomly world news "command in the coverage selected from the months between of' the international news system". It January and June 2004. was for this reason that Opubor (1978) concluded that the present pattern of Sample international news flow, which favour Since it was not possible to study all the advanced nations has brought a the Nigerian dailies, four newspapers charge of media imperialism against were picked and studied on behalf of the industrialized world, the Nigerian newspapers. The papers But, ironically, the MacBride were The Guardian, Purich, This Day Commission, the international body and Vanguard newspapers. The choice established by UNESCO to study the of these papers was purposive , based communication problems of the Third on their national dispositions and World countries, discovered the coverage of national issues and events, unexpected: most African news and all the issues of these four papers agencies do rely exclusively on the published in May 2004 were content services of foreign news agencies, even analysed in order to determine the while dealing with issues that occurred inputs of wire services into the editorial in their immediate environment (Mac content of the newspapers. Bride, 1980:156-159). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is, however, not expected to promote the uni- Data Analysis directional global news flow, but rather The data analysis for this paper was to facilitate the process of our national based on the 271 news items sourced development and stability, bridging the by both the NAN and other foreign information gap between 'the urban and news agencies for the four newspapers An Interdisciplimtry Journal ofComnumicotion Studic» 211 CJ'ODW/i" e. OB OH in the month of May 2004. Based on HO: There is no significant difference the above data (271 news items), the between NAN stories used by the hypothesis for this research was tested, Nigerian newspapers from those of the using Chi-square and the Goodness of foreign news agencies used by the fit test to ensure concrete validation same paper and credibility of this research Table 1 indicates the number of news findings. items supplied by NANand other news agencies to The Guardian, Punch, This Null Hypothesis Day and Vanguard in May 2004.

TABLE 1 OBSERVED FREQUENCIES OF NEWS AGENCIES' STORIES IN MAY 2004 Newspaper NAN AFP AP REUTERS TASS OTHER FOREIGN TOTAL AGENCIES Guardian 15 21 9 12 1 0 58 Punch 0 23 0 0 0 4 27 This Day 0 70 22 14 0 17 123 Vanguard 5 37 0 5 0 16 63 Total 20 151 31 31 1 37 27l Note: To get the expected news frequency of each of the news agency stories. the following formula was used. Expected frequency Row total x Column total Grand Total

TABLE 2 EXPECTED FREQUENCIES OF AGENCIES' STORIES Newspaper NAN AFP AP REUTERS TASS OTHER FOREIGN TOTAL AGENCIES Guardian 4.28 32.32 6.63 6.63 0.21 7.92 58.00 Punch l.99 15.04 3.09 3.09 0.10 3.69 27.00 This Day 9.08 68.54 14.07 14.07 0.45 16.79 123.00 Vanguard 4.65 35.10 7.21 7.21 0.23 8.60 63.00 Total 20.00 151.00 31.00 31.00 1.00 37.00 271.00

The observed and expected frequencies were analysed in Table 3, using Chi-square. The r· 1 orrnula IS: X;' = '~.()-!It. L E TABLE 3 FINDINGS ON THE OBSERVED & EXPECTED FREQUENCIES Newspaper NAN AFP AP REUTERS TASS OTHERS' TOTAL

Guardian 26.85 3.96 0.84 4.34 2.89 7.92 46.80 Punch 1.99 4.21 3.09 3.09 0.10 0.03 12.50 This Day 9.08 0.03 4.47 0.00 0.45 0.00 14.03 Vanguard 0.03 0.10 7.21 0.68 0.23 636 14.61 (l) =87.94

The "Goodness of fit test" has to be carried out'to determine if the X2 value revealed that there is signihcant difference in the frequencies in the above tables Error margin = .05 level of significance Degree of freedom = (r-1) (c-I), where r = row and c = column (4-1) (6-1) 3 x 5 15 tntrrnutionutLournut of Communicotion No.3 .·Ipril J(J(JS IMPACT OF NA;V AND FOREIG:V iVEWS AGENCIES 212

Decision Rule and programmes that are of pu blic Accept HO if the Xl value < than the significance. critical value. Reject HO if the X2 value Nevertheless, NAN was not is > than the critical value. expected to achieve these objectives on its own but to complement media Findings activities as well as provide useful The calculated X" value (87.94) is information on relevant local and higher than the critical value of 25. foreign issues to government and non- Therefore, the Null hypothesis is government institutions, and that rejected, which means that there is a would consequently bring this nation significant difference between NAN into the class of the industrialized stories used bv the Nigerian countries of the world. newspapers from those of other foreign But in order to ensure that NAN wire services used by the same paper. operates effectively', its structure and operations were organized into five zonal headquarters: , Bauchi, Analysis of Findings Enugu, Kaduna and Ibadan, with 38 The data presented in Table 1 reveals district offices strategically located all that 271 news items were sourced for over the country. By this model, NAN the Nigerian press in May 2004 by NAN was expected to be able to arrest the and other foreign wire services. Of this information distance between the figure, NAN provided 20 stories (7%); urban and rural dwellers in Nigeria AFP su ppJied 151 stories, which and thereby enhance the quality of represented (56%) of the entire news pu blic opinion on national matters. On items supplied by NAN and other wire the international scene, NAN services; AP provided 31 (11%); Reuters international bureaus were created and supplied 31 news items, representing located in , New York, Hararc. 1 1'1." and other foreign news agencies , Washington, New and joint lx supplied 37 news items, . But due to the financial representing ] 4~/n of the entire' news embarrassment that NAN suffered at items supplied. These data clearly the wake of the nation's economic revealed that NAN has no significant crises, the agency was corn pelled to impact on the news and information reduce its foreign office-s to three, flow of the Nigerian newspapers. which were: London, \e\\ York and Johannesburg. But it is important to Summary / Conclusion refresh our minds that the purpose of The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)was NAN's external bureaus was to ensure established bv the Federal Government that the views of Nigeria and Nigerians. of Nigeria through Decree ]9 of 1976. on global topical issues like the trial of The agency was set up basically to Saddarn Hussein, are accommodated redress the lopsided nature of the in the daily reports of the international global news flow in favour of Nigeria media systems. and to mcrease the coverage and Unfortunately, the findings of reception for Nigeria-related issues this studv disclosed that the current be-ing reported by the transnational efforts being made bv the NAN towards media institut ions. While within accentuating the news and information Nigeria, NAN was expected to promote flow of the Nigerian press is of no our national unity and stability as well significant value. in comparison with as lend support to government policies the effects of foreign wire services on our local media institutions. This is an An lmerdisciplinary Journal ofCommunication Sflltiil!.f 213 GOD "'1/V E. OB OH ironv. Nevertheless. it will be hasty to media content and give conclude that NAN has outlived its prominence to developmental relevance. Rather, those anti- Issues instead of filling the developmental forces that have made pages of the Nigerian NAN mature in age and experience newspapers with foreign news without .productive evidence to show that are of little value to our for it. should be investigated and national interest. removed from the agency. • NAN should be revitalized to meet the information needs of Recommendations the Nigerian press since the • Studies should be carried out to success of any newspaper 1J) know why most Nigerian this new millennium IS ;.) newspapers do not make use of consequence upon its ability 10 NANstories despite the fact that supply adequate and relevant most newspaper houses have information. which its readers NAN electronic receiving set in need to succeed in their socio- their news rooms. economic and political • NAN should be sending its aspirations. correspondents to cover events in the rural areas where their services are most needed, instead of sharing insufficient beats with media reporters in the urban areas. This . will enhance the quality of public opinion on national issues and enable the government to get a feedback on the effects of its References policies on the living standard of the rural dwellers. It is Agba, P. C. (2002) "Iruernutiona: believed that President Communication: Principles. Olusegun Obasanjo would Concept and Issues" in Okunna. C. S. [ed.i. Tearhil1{J ?vllis~ probably not have seen the Communicalion: A Mult» need to proscribe the Nigeria Dimensional ApjJ/'Ooch, En ugu. New Labour Congress (NLC) for Generation Books. resisting further attempts by government to increase Alan, W. (1971), Moss Communicutiou: A petroleum products. if Obasanjo World View, Mavfield Publishing had the means of assessing the Company views of majority of Nigerians (ruralists) on the economic Folarin, B. (2002). Theories or Moss Cornrnu.ltlca.liulI: An Introductory pains created by previous Text, Abeokuta. Link increases. Pu blications. • The management of NANshould work in collaboration with the Kruglak, T (19751. "Role and Evolu lion of Nigerian Press Council and the the Press Agencies in Socialist National Broadcasting Countries" Commission towards educating International Journal for our media practitioners on the Communication Studies, Volume 21, No. I. p, 1-8 need to indigenise Nigerian lntcrnutional Jouruut or ('Oll/lIIll11i('(II;(1/I No. 3 April JOfl,5 I,t/PACT OF .vAN AND FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES 214

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