Abstract

This study investigated the coverage of terrorism in Nigerian newspapers with particular reference to the October 1^st 2010 bomb blasts in Abuja. The study was designed as a content analysis with all daily newspapers published in Nigeria between Friday September 17 and Friday October 15, 2010. A total of 80 editions were selected from four national dailies of Daily Champion, New Nigerian, The Guardian and The Punch using the systematic sampling procedure. Findings revealed that the newspapers did not focus their attention on terrorism-related issues in the two weeks preceding the incident they however gave substantial coverage to the issues in the two weeks following the bomb blasts. Similarly, it was found that the newspapers were sensational in framing issues related to the incident. It was also found that ownership did not influence objectivity in the newspapers' coverage of the incident. The study concluded that the newspapers, in their coverage of terrorism reasonably complied with the social responsibility theory by keeping the people informed after incident occurred.

Key Words: Nigeria Newspapers; Terrorism; Terrorist Acts, Story Framing, Jubilee Day, Bomb Blasts, Ownership Influence

^JCMRJournal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 7, No. 2, October 2015, 93 – 108 

©Delmas Communications Ltd.

About the authors

*Prof. Onuora Nwuneli, Ph.D. is a Professor of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

**Benedette Olimma is a Postgraduate student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

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