Media codes and problems of application: Assessment of newspapers’ compliance with The Nigeria Media Code of Election Coverage in the 2019 Presidential Elections.

Abstract: Journalists are obliged by media codes to be fair, honest and truthful. Media codes of ethics are designed to guide journalists in making morally sound decisions. However, the codes often have compliance issues. This study was carried out to investigate the level of newspapers’ compliance with The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage in the 2019 Presidential Elections. The study assessed how newspapers granted equal access, published balanced news stories and quoted all sources in their own words rather than as interpreted by others. The research was anchored on the ethical theory of contractualism. It adopted quantitative content analysis as the research method. The content of five Nigerian newspapers, Vanguard, The Nation, The Punch, Daily Sun and Daily Trust, were analysed. The results indicated low compliance with the code, especially regarding granting equal access to candidates and avoiding bias. However, there was a high level of compliance with the code in quoting news sources and writing balanced reports. The study concluded that Nigerian newspapers demonstrated a high sense of social responsibility by granting access to both candidates and citing sources in their own words during the 2019 Presidential Elections, but work needs to be done to be fair to all candidates. It was recommended, among other things, that before elections, adequate orientation should be given to editors and reporters on the tenets of The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage and the benefits of adhering to it during election coverage.

Keywords: Media Codes, Ethics, Professionalism, Newspapers, Elections

Published: June 2024

Issue: Vol 1 (3) 2024: PLASU JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES