Reuters featured an article on Nigerian media and it’s battle with the military and Government over its reporting of the Boko Haram crisis. Whilst the article talked about the threat to freedom of the press it left no stone unturned in rebuking our press for their often criticised irresponsible journalism. Check out this excerpt from the article.
Taking stock of newspapers in Africa’s biggest economy is a dizzying exercise: there are at least a dozen major national dailies running to 40 pages each and scores of regional titles.
The big dailies are clearly influenced by their counterparts in Britain, which ruled Nigeria before independence in 1960. The Sun even publishes photos of “page three girls”, albeit fully clothed, unlike the topless models in its British namesake.
But big circulations and flashy headlines fail to mask the sometimes low standards of an industry which, much like the country itself, is mired in corruption and political influence.
Slipshod reporting helps to fuel misinformation about the insurrection in the north, especially since the bulk of the big newspapers, and their reporters, are based in the mainly Christian south.
Follow the link below to get the article.
https://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0FP0LQ20140720?irpc=932