Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 Open Access Journal, Available Online Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 A Publication of the Department of Mass Communication, College of Business and Social Scienes (CBSS), Covenant University. Editor-in-Chief: Oladokun Omojola, PhD (Associate Professor) [email protected] Managing Editor: Edwin O. Agbaike [email protected] Website: http//Journal.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/cjoc Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 © 2017, Covenant University Journals All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any meams, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. It is a condition of publication in this journal that manuscripts have not been published or submitted for publication and will not be submitted or published elsewhere. Upon the acceptance of articles to be published in this journal,the author(s) are required to transfer copyright of the article to the publisher. ISSN - Print Version 2354 – 354X - E-Version: 2354 – 3515 Published by Covenant University Journals, Covenant University, Canaanland, Km 10, Idiroko Road, P.M.B. 1023, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria Printed by Covenant University Press ii Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 Articles Newspaper Framing of Incumbent President and Challenger in Nigeria‟s 2015 Presidential Election Michael O. Ukonu, & Ijeoma D. Ajaero 1 Awareness and Perception of Media Campaign on E-waste effects among Residents of Ado Odo-Ota, Nigeria Charity Ben-Enukora, Nelson Okorie (Ph.D), Toluwalope Oresanya & Thelma Ekanem 18 Exploring the Awareness-Perception Profile of Operation Green Lagos Campaign in Lagos, Nigeria Oludare E. Ogunyombo & Dele Odunlami 33 Media Coverage and Framing of Cultural Practices that Target Nigerian Women Innocent Ihechu, Chukwuemeka Okugo, Faith Amah & Christian Afulike 55 Mass Communication Education in Nigeria: Current Status, Challenges and Way Forward Ayodele, J. Oyewole & Damilola S. Olisa 76 iii Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 An Open Access Journal, Available Online Newspaper Framing of Incumbent President and Challenger in Nigeria’s 2015 Presidential Election Michael O. Ukonu, Ph.D & Ijeoma D. Ajaero Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka [email protected] Abstract: As elections draw near, citizens look up to the media for information about contestants. This study examines the coverage, by four dominant newspapers, of an incumbent President and his challenger in the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria, to determine how the news was constructed and the framing patterns in their reports. Using the continuous week formula, 28 editions spread over four months were studied. Results show that there were 110 articles on the 2015 election that captured a total of 245 frames. The history frame was dominant, followed by national security and corruption. The findings also show that the 2015 presidential elections were adequately reported by the media but contents focused more on the candidates than on issues. This study recommends that the issues raised by contestants in their manifestos could be appropriated by the media to expand their discussion on matters affecting the citizens rather than the personality of the contestants. Keywords: Media, Framing, presidential election, incumbent president, challenger. 1 Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 Introduction coming poll which many see as a Elections are conducted every four tight race between the two top years in Nigeria and 2015 was an contenders namely President election year. Though there were 14 Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples‟ candidates vying to become Democratic Party (PDP) and president in that year, only two - General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) incumbent President Goodluck of the All Progressive Congress Jonathan (of the Peoples Democratic (APC).” The two candidates, Party, PDP) and former Head of according to Samuel (2016) were State Muhammadu Buhari (of the commonly depicted in a variety of All Progressive Congress, APC) - stereotypical terms, with Buhari appeared popular. being seen as northerner, militarist, The 2015 presidential election was ostensibly ascetic, jihadist; while one of the fiercests owing to the Jonathan was presented as a socio-political situation which had southerner, civilian, indolent, and ebbed dangerously. Security religiously moderate. situation in the country had been Buhari was a four-time opposition complicated by the Boko Haram candidate who contested in 2003 and insurgency. Youth unemployment, 2007 under the All Nigerian rivalry of the country‟s north and the People‟s Party (ANPP). In 2011, he south over power-sharing, menace contested under the platform of the of Fulani herdsmen, fragile party Congress for Progressive Change alliances, shortage of electricity (CPC) against Jonathan, who won were just a few of the tension- and in 2015, he became the causing factors. Nigerians needed presidential candidate for the All change desperately and the 2015 Progressive Congress (APC) and presidential elections provided the emerged the winner. Jonathan opportunity to bring in a new regime became the acting President in 2010 that could turn things around. following the demise of the Ezea (2015, para. 5) asserts that President, Umaru Musa Yar‟adua. “since 1999, Nigerians have not He then contested in 2011 and won. witnessed a presidential poll These two candidates were popular [whose] prelude has generated much and given much coverage by the controversy, hate campaigns, tense media. The mass media influence atmosphere, intrigues, scheming, the public opinion by canalizing blackmail, mudslinging, allegations, attention toward the topics and divisiveness, bad blood, threats, themes that they consider important. inflammatory and unguarded The approaches mass media use utterances, propaganda like the forth regarding these themes can induce 2 Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 specific effecte in their evaluation The media can influence the public by the public (Carstea, 2012, p. 97). opinion and perception of a The media and political parties share candidate with the way they frame a symbiotic relationship. The former and construct news reports. Framing generate income from electioneering is a central process by which advertisements while the latter need political actors and government publicity to get their message across. officials exercise political influence This arrangement is a critical over each other and over the public component of the discourse on (Oksanen, 2011, p. 481). Ideally, media commercialism (Omojola & framing research examines the Morah, 2014). construction of news stories, how Sambe (2015, p.119) asserts that these stories articulate frames, and “Governments around the world, how audience members interpret knowing the power of the media ... these frames (Carragee & Roefa, tend to hold unto it or fear the level 2004, p. 215). of freedom allowed because of the This study investigates the frames power of the media toward public used in the coverage of opinion and mass mobilization.” Mohammadu Buhari and Goodluck Media and politics are inseparable in Jonathan by four dominant Nigerian any democratic culture and newspapers. It specifically identifies environment” (Ekeanyanwu, 2015, the frames, especially the p. 198). In media contents, frames preponderant ones that formed the exist or are created which affect basis for discussion in the build-up election fortunes and influence to the election. political destinies. It is against this Objectives of the Study backdrop that this study sought to 1. To determine the frequency of investigate the frames used in coverage of the APC and PDP reporting PDP and APC Presidential candidates in the selected candidates during the 2015 newspapers. presidential election in Nigeria. 2. To ascertain the frames Statement of the Problem employed by the press in their As elections draw near, citizens are reportage of the two candidates. faced with many choices to make 3. To identify the dominant frames regarding candidates. Since it is in the coverage that dominated quite impossible for them to interact public discourse in the build-up personally with these aspirants, they to the 2015 presidential election. look up to the media for information Significance of the Study about them. Many reports have been written about the 2015 presidential election 3 Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC) Vol. 4 No. 2, Dec, 2017 in Nigeria but only very few are specifically Kenya, the authors visible in the area of framing concluded that “the media and patterns. This is a contribution to ethnicity are readily blamed in help increase the knowledge of conflicts” (p. 216). Olayode (2015) students, reporters and readers about supports the assertion and stresses media framing and its usage. that from the presidential through Literature Review gubernatorial, national and state Rather than reporting the facts of a assemblies elections, aspirants are story, the media have been accused largely chosen on the basis of ethno- of inserting their personal biases or regional identities. He adds that opinions in news content (O‟gara, “political