Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria

This study investigated the extent to which the print media, and particularly the newspapers, faced the challenge of informing, educating and championing the rights of the people in rural development and environmental education in 2006. It analyzed five leading national newspapers for a period of tw...

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Main Author: G E Ifenkwe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Agricultural Extension Society of Nigeria 2014-12-01
Series:Journal of Agricultural Extension
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.aesonnigeria.org/ajm/index.php/jae/article/view/165
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author G E Ifenkwe
author_facet G E Ifenkwe
author_sort G E Ifenkwe
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated the extent to which the print media, and particularly the newspapers, faced the challenge of informing, educating and championing the rights of the people in rural development and environmental education in 2006. It analyzed five leading national newspapers for a period of twelve months to ascertain their level of coverage and reportage of environmental and rural development information and specialty events. Rural development news coverage was highest (31.48%) in the fourth quarter, and least in the third quarter (17.79%) of the year. Sixty nine percent of rural development information/news appeared as features, while others were presented as editorials (13.04%), advertorials (9.27%) and pictorials (8.38%). The Sun newspapers (23.65%) could easily pass as the best print medium in reporting environmental and rural development news, followed by The Punch (22.5%) and The Champion (21.3%) newspapers. The Sun newspapers also exhibited consistent leadership in promoting activities in the health and population / family planning sub-sectors, while The Champion disseminated more information on rural infrastructures and environmental matters. Viewed from the perspective of editor’s enhanced academic background, the rising educational profile of members of the public and the synergy between environment, health and rural development, newspapers need to improve on their advocacy role in order to enhance their credibility as promoters of issues of public interest.
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spelling doaj.art-734052bb41aa4f66b7ce60378f4dfcbb2022-12-22T03:00:39ZengAgricultural Extension Society of NigeriaJournal of Agricultural Extension1119-944X2408-68512014-12-01122Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in NigeriaG E IfenkweThis study investigated the extent to which the print media, and particularly the newspapers, faced the challenge of informing, educating and championing the rights of the people in rural development and environmental education in 2006. It analyzed five leading national newspapers for a period of twelve months to ascertain their level of coverage and reportage of environmental and rural development information and specialty events. Rural development news coverage was highest (31.48%) in the fourth quarter, and least in the third quarter (17.79%) of the year. Sixty nine percent of rural development information/news appeared as features, while others were presented as editorials (13.04%), advertorials (9.27%) and pictorials (8.38%). The Sun newspapers (23.65%) could easily pass as the best print medium in reporting environmental and rural development news, followed by The Punch (22.5%) and The Champion (21.3%) newspapers. The Sun newspapers also exhibited consistent leadership in promoting activities in the health and population / family planning sub-sectors, while The Champion disseminated more information on rural infrastructures and environmental matters. Viewed from the perspective of editor’s enhanced academic background, the rising educational profile of members of the public and the synergy between environment, health and rural development, newspapers need to improve on their advocacy role in order to enhance their credibility as promoters of issues of public interest.https://www.aesonnigeria.org/ajm/index.php/jae/article/view/165Print mediaContent analysisAdvocacy journalismRural developmentEnvironmental management
spellingShingle G E Ifenkwe
Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
Journal of Agricultural Extension
Print media
Content analysis
Advocacy journalism
Rural development
Environmental management
title Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
title_full Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
title_fullStr Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
title_short Assessment of Newspaper Advocacy for Rural Development and Environmental Education in Nigeria
title_sort assessment of newspaper advocacy for rural development and environmental education in nigeria
topic Print media
Content analysis
Advocacy journalism
Rural development
Environmental management
url https://www.aesonnigeria.org/ajm/index.php/jae/article/view/165
work_keys_str_mv AT geifenkwe assessmentofnewspaperadvocacyforruraldevelopmentandenvironmentaleducationinnigeria