Ibrahim Jimoh

This paper is aimed at showcasing how elections since 2003, have contributed much revenue to Daily Trust and Punch newspapers respectively that partly helped them withered the difficulty of survival in a country where newspaper death seems frequent. The study relies on Nichols McChesney's (2009) strand of Marxian political economy theory as framework for explanation to the findings of the study. Relying on content analysis of accounting documents of both newspapers, qualitative and quantitative survey methods, data were gathered through the instruments of IDI schedule and a readership questionnaire. The paper found that circulation figures, hard copy sales, and most importantly, advertising revenue went up during the year preceding general elections and the general elections year since 2002. It was therefore concluded that electioneering may have contributed to the survival of Daily Trust and Punch newspapers respectively. Newspaper organisations should therefore, ensure that democracy is jealously guarded from Military takeover as it was in the past for there to be a conducive and profitable atmosphere to operate.

This paper looks at the political economy of newspapers in Nigeria with examples from the North, The Democrat, and South, The Comet, of Nigeria with a view to determining the political cum economic factors that contributed to the collapse of both newspapers in spite of the enthusiasm that heralded their establishments. The study relies on Nichols and McChesney's (2009) strand of Marxian political economy theory as framework for explanation of the findings of the study. Relying on quantitative and qualitative survey methods, data were gathered through the instruments of IDI schedule and a questionnaire administered on key informants and available staff of both papers respectively. The paper found and concluded that editorial independence, political affiliation which led to advertising and other forms of financial support were the major factors contributory to the collapse of The Comet and The Democrat newspapers. Newspaper organisations should therefore, ensure that they maintain editorial independence as this will impact on public confidence and copy sales which will in turn attract advertisers.

This paper attempts to understand whether the internet is a threat or whether it aids the survival of newspapers with specific focus on Daily Trust and Punch newspapers. Existing literature show that there are a lot of benefits to be derived from the adoption of online resources by newspapers some of which include increase in readers and as a channel of passing messages to a wide range of people, far and near. It also argues that the internet could also be a threat to newspapers survival, sometimes contributing to incessant collapse of newspapers. However, findings from a mixture of quantitative and qualitative study using the questionnaire and IDI in respect of the two newspapers show that the internet has been an aid to the survival of Daily Trust and Punch newspapers and not a threat, as supported by Nichols and McChesney (2009) and Fidler’s mediamorphosis theory. Accordingly, it is therefore concluded that though the internet could aid the survival of newspapers with respect to winning online readers, it is not a threat to the survival of newspapers in Nigeria.
Key Words: New Media, Newspapers, Survival and Collapse, Daily Trust, Punch, Media-
morphosis, Nigeria

This study was aimed at finding out the perception of women in advertisements by Lagos and Kano States’ audience with a view to knowing whether there are cultural difference in the way they view such portrayal. Following from the standpoint theory and evidences from literature review, it was hypothesized that differences in culture will impact on the way Lagos and Kano audiences view the portrayal of women in advertisements. Relying on the quantitative survey method, data were gathered through the instruments of the questionnaire from a sample of 800 respondents selected through the multi-stage sampling technique. In the end, it was found that there was no difference in perception between Lagos and Kano States’ as respondents from both States perceived portrayal of women in advertisements negatively for being offensive. It was therefore recommended, amongst others, that advertisers should be socially responsible by striking a balance between profit and societal interests for societal good

Keywords: Advertising, Women portrayal, Perception, Culture

The paper seeks to find out the manifestations of racism in the Nigerian press with a view to know how they are involved in racial discrimination of the different regions in the country. In doing this, the paper relied on framing/content analysis for data collection and grounded in the theoretical explanations from Antonio Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. It was found that just as the mass media in Europe, America strengthen the age-long stereotypes of black and other forms of racism in their climes, the Nigerian press are also doing same. Different stereotypical racial frames are used to represent the north and south regions of the country by newspapers from both regions as evident in the case of Daily Trust and The Sun respectively, in their treatment of the Ese Oruru/Yunusa issue and the IPOB agitation. This is done for hegemonic interests and for satisfying ownership regional interests which both newspapers seem to serve in both cases under consideration.

Key Terms: Racism, Press, Nigeria, Framing, Hegemony, Daily Trust, The Sun

Abstract
The paper is an empirical analysis of the framing of the bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta by the Niger Delta Avengers with a view to knowing how two national newspapers, Daily Trust and Vanguard covered it. With content analysis and the framing theory as data gathering method and theoretical framework of analysis respectively, the paper found that both papers framed the Niger Delta Avengers as ‘militants’ and ‘freedom fighters’. And the bombings of oil facilities by the group was given few ‘condemnation’ frames by both newspapers. It was therefore recommended that the Nigerian press should rise up to their social responsibility duties by condemning the act of violence by whatever group and for whatever purpose in that no nation can develop in an atmosphere of violence.
Key words: Framing, Bombing of Oil facilities, Niger Delta Avengers, Conflict, Daily Trust,
        Vanguard

This study was designed to know the African traditional forms of communication in marriage among the Jukuns of Taraba State as little is known in this area of knowledge. That is, among the studies seen so far, none has worked directly on African traditional forms of communication in marriage among a given people. Relying on the symbolic interactionism theory, the study adopted the qualitative approach of survey and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Using the interview and FGD guides, data were gathered from a sample of seventy-two (72) Jukun men and women between the ages of 18 and above were purposively sampled based on their knowledge, versatility and willingness on the subject matter. Form the analyses of the data, it was found among others that the whole range of activities therein involves social event between families and by extension communities; the social event also involves continuous social communications; the Jukun language is the tool (symbol) used to initiate and negotiate the marital processes or procedures. Also, the traditional forms of communication in marriage among the Jukuns do not give room for dissolution of the union.
Key words: African traditional communication, Marriage, Jukun, Symbolic interactionism