Vol. 8 No. 1 (2025)

Open Access

Articles

Article ID: 696

Communicating COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the media: Insight from Nigerian newspapers

by Joshua Aghogho Erubami, Kasiari Jessica Egbon, Vera Chinyere Olu

Insight - News Media, Vol.8, No.1, 2025; 108 Views, 64 PDF Downloads

Many people rely on newspapers for their health information needs, making this mass medium a critical tool for disseminating and receiving information during public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates how COVID-19 vaccination programs were reported by leading Nigerian newspapers to ascertain the prominence and sources of COVID-19 vaccination newspaper articles and the principal discursive resources deployed in the coverage of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria. The study adopted the purposive sampling technique to select 168 newspaper editions drawn from a population of 4380 issues published by four leading Nigerian dailies ( Vanguard, The Guardian, The Punch and Nigerian Tribune ) from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2023. The study utilizes quantitative content analysis to ascertain the contributions of the four national tabloids towards the management of COVID-19 health emergencies. Findings show that COVID-19 vaccines-related discourse were prominently covered by the newspapers and the domestic sourcing pattern was utilized in curating information contained in newspaper articles on COVI-19 vaccination. Furthermore, vaccine acceptance/uptake, public perception, and vaccine hesitancy were the dominant discursive resources deployed by the newspapers in the coverage of the issue. Hence, the study recommends the continuous engagement of national newspapers in the management of future public health emergencies.

Open Access

Articles

Article ID: 634

Audience perceptions of explicit content in Nigerian movies: A study of shanty town

by Olatunde Owenme Teniola, Eric Msughter Aondover, Perpetua Ogechi Aondover, Omolara Oluwabusayo Akin-Odukoya

Insight - News Media, Vol.8, No.1, 2025; 64 Views, 25 PDF Downloads

This study examines audience perceptions of explicit content in Nigerian movies in Shanty Town. The objectives of this study are to examine the knowledge of audiences on explicit content showcased in Shanty Town, to ascertain the attitude of audiences towards explicit content portrayed in Shanty Town, and to find out the perception of audiences on explicit content showcased in Shanty Town. The Cultivation theory was employed in the study to ascertain how television may influence the majority of individuals in society and create the cultural mainstream. The study employed the survey research method. 399 respondents were selected from the population using Taro Yamane’s formula. Data was collected using a questionnaire as a research instrument. The results showed that many of the respondents had knowledge of the explicit content showcased in Shanty Town; they had a positive attitude towards the explicit content showcased in Shanty Town, and they also agreed that the explicit content was necessary in the plot and theme of Shanty Town. The study concluded that most of the Nigerian audience does not have a negative perception about explicit content showcased in Nigerian movies, especially when the explicit content is relevant to the movie. Nigerian filmmakers are adopting foreign ideas to gratify the interests of audiences at large. A lot of movies are now available for entertainment, and they can now be viewed by audiences whether on television or on their phones. The study recommends that there should be advocacy for the establishment of industry-wide guidelines or a self-regulatory body that sets standards for explicit content in Nigerian movies.

Open Access

Articles

Article ID: 684

Media and corruption in Nepal

by Harsh Mahaseth, Apekshya Pandey

Insight - News Media, Vol.8, No.1, 2025; 62 Views, 19 PDF Downloads

The role of the media is critical in promoting good governance and controlling corruption. The media raises public awareness by investigating incidents of corruption and reporting them to the public through various channels. The effectiveness of the media depends on factors such as access to information, press freedom, media plurality, and a professional and ethical cadre of investigative journalists. This paper explores the role of media in curbing corruption, focusing on the Nepalese context. It also suggests additional roles and functions that media houses can adopt to strengthen their efforts in combating corruption.

Open Access

Articles

Article ID: 695

Greening the broadcast media: Insights from public and private television stations in Nigeria

by Osakue Stevenson Omoera, Emeke Precious Nwaoboli

Insight - News Media, Vol.8, No.1, 2025; 45 Views, 18 PDF Downloads

The issue of safety is critical in the sustenance of any entity or organization, including broadcast establishments. Both technical and creative personnel are constantly using machines or electric power-driven devices in electronic media stations in Nigeria and elsewhere. The engineers, broadcasters and other professionals in television stations are continually exposed to radiation from the equipment they use in the broadcast of messages but the impact of such exposure has hardly been considered in the Nigerian media ecosystem. Anchored in the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (DIT) by Everett Rogers, the researchers used both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to examine the issue using the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Benin City as public broadcast media and Independent Television (ITV), Benin City as the private television outfit. The study showed that most television managers do not give critical attention to craft care collaboration (3Cs) in their media houses. This is likely because of the low level of awareness of the dangers or hazards associated with working in such a broadcast environment. It was found that there are variations in safety practices among broadcast media workers in Nigeria, with some departments prioritizing safety while others do not give it much attention. The challenges identified include inadequate resources and equipment, time pressures leading to shortcuts in safety measures, and a general lack of safety culture in the industry. To address the variations in safety practices and overcome the challenges identified, it is recommended, among other things, that both public and private television stations in Nigeria prioritize personnel safety as a core aspect of their operations. This can be achieved by providing adequate resources and equipment, establishing a safety culture and addressing time pressures.

Open Access

Articles

Article ID: 734

Mapping fake news and misinformation in media: A two-decade bibliometric review of emerging trends

by Vijesh Vijayan, Temin Thomas, Princy D. Nellanat

Insight - News Media, Vol.8, No.1, 2025; 0 Views, 0 PDF Downloads

The rapid proliferation of fake news and misinformation poses significant challenges to media trust, public decision-making, and societal cohesion in the digital age. This study employs a bibliometric analysis to systematically map the scholarly landscape surrounding fake news and misinformation across media platforms, focusing on social media’s pivotal role in shaping public perception and trust. Utilizing data from the Scopus database, the study analyzes 560 documents published between 2005 and 2025, uncovering trends in annual scientific production, leading sources, author contributions, and geographical distribution. Key bibliometric indicators, including keyword co-occurrence networks and collaboration patterns, are visualized using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to highlight emerging themes and interdisciplinary intersections. Findings reveal a sharp increase in research output after 2016, driven by global events such as the U.S. presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring misinformation’s societal impact. Geographical analysis highlights dominant contributions from the United States and Spain, alongside emerging research hubs like Brazil. The analysis further identifies key institutions, such as the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the University of Vienna, leading the global effort to address misinformation. Despite notable advancements, critical gaps remain in exploring misinformation within non-Western contexts and non-English academic literature. This study underscores the need for inclusive, interdisciplinary research to address misinformation’s global implications, ranging from public health crises to electoral integrity. Mapping the academic discourse offers actionable insights into the dynamics of misinformation and supports strategies to foster a more informed and resilient society. The findings hold profound relevance for policymakers, researchers, and media professionals, emphasizing the urgency of combating misinformation to safeguard democratic values and societal trust in the digital era.