Abstract

The emigration of health professionals, often termed "brain drain," poses significant challenges to Nigeria’s health sector, exacerbating its already precarious state. The media, as a powerful agent of change, has the potential to drive public discourse and influence policy on this issue. This study critically analyses the coverage of health professionals’ emigration by The Guardian and Daily Trust newspapers between January and June 2023. Using content analysis, it examines patterns, framing, and prominence of reports to assess the extent to which the media fulfills its social responsibility in addressing this crisis. A total of 167 editions of The Guardian and 169 editions of Daily Trust were analysed, representing publications available from the study period. The findings reveal that while Daily Trust consistently reported on the issue in each edition, both newspapers demonstrated varying levels of prominence, with stories appearing on front pages and inside pages. Framing analysis showed a predominant focus on the "brain drain" narrative, emphasizing negative consequences such as the loss of skilled professionals and deterioration of the healthcare system. This narrow framing, while aligned with the social responsibility theory of the press, neglected alternative perspectives, such as the potential benefits of emigration, including remittances, skill-sharing, and international collaboration. The study concludes that the framing and prominence of coverage by The Guardian and Daily Trust reflect an incomplete narrative that could hinder public understanding and policy discourse.

Key Words: Health Communication; Health Professional; Framing; Content Analysis; Social Responsibility; Emigration

About the Authors

*Theresa Ogaga Okagbare is a graduate student in the Department of Mass Communication, College of Social Sciences, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria. Her research interests include health communication, media and gender, and new media.

**John Ahire Sambe, Ph.D., is a Professor of Mass Communication at Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria. His research interests are in media coverage, digital journalism, and media ethics. His works explore Nigeria’s media landscape, including journalism’s role in national security, gender awareness, and copyright issues.

***Nathan Oguche Emmanuel, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria. His career encompasses journalism, media practice, strategic communication, and knowledge management and he specializes in journalism, media studies, and disruptive technologies.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 17, No. 1, April 2025, pp. 66-77.

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Okagbare, T. O., Sambe, J. A. & Emmanuel, N. O. (2025). Analysis of the coverage of Nigerian health professionals’ emigration in two Nigerian newspapers. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 17 (1): 66-77.

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