NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the extent of newspaper coverage of Kidnapping in Nigeria. Content Analysis method was adopted to carefully collect data from the select newspapers stories published from September to December, 2022. A total of 71 editions of the "Guardian" and "Vanguard" newspapers were collated and analyzed. The objectives of the study were to examine the frequency; prominence, format and genre of the stories on kidnapping in the select newspapers so as to measure the extent the print media report kidnapping cases in Nigeria. Findings revealed that the two newspapers under study were fair enough in their coverage of stories on kidnapping. Straight news format took a major lead of the coverage. Findings also revealed that enough prominence were not given to the issue and that the select newspapers dwelt so much on attacks of kidnapping, neglecting security measures and government responses; only few of them were reported in the newspapers. However, the researcher recommended that, Media organisation especially newspapers should work closely with government in order to get detailed and credible information and that the print media should live up their role as the watchdog of the society by engaging in ethical reporting in terms of investigative and interpretative journalism.