Abstract

This paper reviews the message content of selected adverts used during the 2015 Presidential election campaigns with a view to identifying the extent to which negative content was employed. Traditionally, political parties hold rallies and engage in public speeches across major geo- political zones prior to elections. Campaign messages are now disseminated via the broadcast and print media along with online engagements from Twitter to Facebook. Using the Functional theory of Campaign discourse as the background, the study examined 20 purposively selected print ads from 4 (four) major Nigerian Newspapers. Using content and descriptive analysis, the researcher looked at the headline, body copy, illustration, call to action and sponsor of the selected advert. Findings show that many of the print ads were direct criticisms and verbal attacks on the character and judgement of the contestants. Messages bothered on direct name calling and attack on personality and character of one’s opponents. Many of the adverts did not have identified sponsors and in some instances sponsors simply called themselves Concerned Citizens or similar appellations. Many of the messages by- passed APCON’s gate-keeping and received cooperation from media houses who ran adverts that were not vetted by APCON. The paper recommends stricter penalties against offensive and inciting political advertisements.

Abstract

Abstract

The proliferation of the new media has brought about new ways of carrying out various activities in the society, hence, the technology’s determination of how society operates. At the centre of this technological revolution is the issue of how the public access journalistic major product- News. This study was conducted to ascertain the readership of online news among Kogi state residents and its influence on the patronage of traditional newspapers. The objectives of the study among others were to ascertain the extent of readership of online news, the basic factors that determine acceptance and usage of online news, the influence of online news patronage on traditional newspapers and the challenges facing the adoption of online news. The survey method was adopted for the study while questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection. The Australian calculator was used to determine sample size for the study with multistage sample as the sampling technique. Data were analysed via descriptive statistics using the SPSS version 23. The unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the technological determinism theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. Findings revealed that Kogi residents make use of online news; further findings showed that the performance expectancy variable of the UTAUT model is the major factor that determines acceptance and usage of online news. It was further revealed that online news has a negative influence on the patronage of traditional newspapers, however, it is a complement not a total replacement. It was also discovered that low electric power supply and poor network were the major challenges confronting the use adoption of online news by the public. It was thus, concluded among others that despite the fact that Kogi residents make use of online news, there are some challenges that need to be tackled to enhance proper adoption. From the conclusion, it was recommended among others that the government should fix the infrastructural deficit prevalent in our society.