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Depth, Direction, and Salience in the Reportage of the #EndBadGovernance Protests: A Comparative Analysis of Select Nigerian Newspapers

Ngegwe, Franca Mamma, Christopher Justice Njoku PhD, O C Nyekwere PhD

Abstract

This study examined the newspaper coverage of the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, focusing on The Punch, Vanguard, and The Nation newspapers between June and August 2024. It specifically investigated the depth of reportage, directional focus, salience, and framing techniques employed by the selected newspapers. Anchored on the Agenda Setting Theory and Social Responsibility Theory, the study adopted a content analysis research design. A total of 117 editions of the three national dailies were sampled, and relevant news items were systematically coded and analyzed using frequency counts and simple percentages. Findings revealed that Punch provided the most in-depth coverage, characterized by a higher frequency of stories, longer article length, greater source diversity, and richer analytical depth compared to Vanguard and The Nation. The newspapers exhibited distinct directional

Keywords

Depthdirectionsaliencenewspapernewspaper coverage and reportage

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