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CHAPTER ONE

1.0        INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The newspaper has been a part our daily life for several centuries. They have been a way for the public to be informed of important events that are occurring around the world. Newspapers have undergone dramatic changes over the course of history as some of earliest newspapers date back to Ancient Rome where important announcements were carved in stone tablets and placed in highly populated areas where citizens could be informed of the announcements.

Newspapers provide up-to-date information on local, state/provincial, national and world issues. They are among the most widely read periodicals that are available and accessible to the vast majority of people of all ages and walks of life in any community and every category of readers can find some important, current and interesting information in newspapers.

Ola and Ojo (2006:7) says that “newspapers are important because they carry current information and they keep the readers informed of events and happenings within and outside their immediate environment. They are useful for education, recreation, entertainment and relaxation.”

News is written as a way of disseminating information to a large group of people. Reporters and editors are usually conscious of the language they use in news reportage to attract popular readership; it may be general or special interest and may be published daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly or quarterly.

In corroborating the research importance of newspapers, Rusbridger (2002:8) puts it philosophically, saying that “newspapers have a double life. On the one hand they date more quickly than milk and stale more quickly than bread, on the other hand they provide a fascinating dipstick into history”.

No matter how much we may try to ignore it, human communication always take place in a context, through a medium and among individuals and groups who are situated historically, politically, economically and socially. Politically, media constitute the backbone of democracy because they supply political information that voters base their decision on. On political context, media also ensure plurality and transparency in which a plural media environment makes to good governance, and the functioning of markets.

Mass media (press) have direct as well as effect on political learning. A high level of exposure to political information in the media not only leads to a higher level of political knowledge but it may also encourage discussion of political issues with friends and family members. So this study will examine readers’ reaction to pioneer newspaper political news coverage.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

         Everywhere, newspapers inform the public of important affairs but they do more than that. They provide information on which many readers form opinions. Our daily newspaper reading according to Dieter offen håůsser of the German commission for UNESCO, affects our attitudes, our conduct and even our fundamental valves. (Awake 2005).

         Notwithstanding the effect of the newspaper on our lives, its readers almost always react differently to its content partly due to their perception or predisposition. Both government and private newspaper seem to give priority to the interest of their sources.

The pioneer newspaper which is naturally the government owned pose present pictured of homogeneity with very little evidence of investigative, critical or even middle original journalistic activity without publishing the public opinion has brought barrier to effective communication.

         With these in mind, the researcher set out to categorically examine how the readers’ of the pioneer newspaper react to its political news coverage.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

         The specific objectives of the study are:

1. To determines the frequency of pioneer newspaper readership.
2. To know their subject of interest when reading pioneer newspaper.
3. To find out the benefits of reading political issues on pioneer newspaper.
4. To examine the readers’ reaction to pioneer newspaper on political news coverage

1.4    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

         The following research question guided by the project topic includes:

1. How often do the people read pioneer newspaper?
2. What is their subject interest when reading pioneer newspaper?
3. What are the benefits of reading political issues on pioneer newspaper?
4. What are the readers’ reactions to pioneer newspaper on political news coverage?

1.5    SCOPE OF THE STUDY

         For the purpose of this study, the researcher intends to cover the reaction of the youths in Ikot Ekpene Urban on political report by pioneer Newspaper, Age range at 25-40.

1.6    SIGNIFICANE OF THE STUDY

         This study will be of aid to give a new spirit of hope for Pioneer Newspaper which will spur them at providing objectivity report on political issues such as fairness, completeness and accuracy. It can also benefit researcher who wish to study the readers’ reaction to pioneer newspaper political news coverage. It helps the organization to shape the contents of their publication in order to hold the interest of the readers and it will also contribute to the promotion of education (academic).

1.7    LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

         For every successful research work, there must be a challenges faced. Some of the respondents refused to fill the questionnaire; some collected it without returning them while some returned the questionnaire without filling it, and so the researcher persuaded them to change their mind ad at the end some of the completed questionnaire forms were returned by the respondents.

1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS

         For the purpose of this study, it is important to define the keywords used in this work.

NEWS COVERAGE: This refers to the extent or degree to which something is observed, analyzed and reported in print or broadcast.

NEWSPAPER: This is a set of large printed sheet of paper containing news, article, and advertisement etc.

PIONEER NEWSPAPER: It is government owned publication, to report news event to the audience.

POLITICAL NEWS: Is a report about government activities and what is happening in the political arena.

REACTION: It is something done, felt or thought in response to a situation or event.

READERS’: Those who read books, newspaper and at the end give a critique of it.