Framing of the 2019 Nigerian Presidential Election in Alaroye Newspaper - Research

Abstract

The media plays a pivotal role in electoral conflict or violence with how it gives prominence to salient issues, frequent reportage, agenda setting, priming, framing events, and preference for particular editorial formats and slants. This study focused on the framing of the 2019 presidential election in Nigeria in Alaroye, an indigenous language newspaper in Nigeria. This study is anchored by the framing theory, and a content analysis of the newspaper's publications in the seven months preceding the polls (July 2018-January 2019). Data was collected on headlines types, frame types, news sources, editorial formats, issues and media functions covered. The findings show that the sensational/screamingand coherent headlines are preferred, thematic frames are preferred to episodic frames, most of the contents were gathered by correspondents, and most of the issues covered were intra-party strife and political conflicts. Alaroye was neutral in its portrayal of politicians, while the media function used most is the information function. This study recommends that policies be put in place for relevant agencies to train indigenous language journalists on election coverage.