Audience Assessment Of Ait And Nta’s Reportage Of The Boko Haram Crisis

1.2 Statement of the Research Problem Over the years, insecurity resulting from various violent activities of militia groups and ethno-religious unrests has threatened and continues to thwart the craze for socio-economic and political growth of societies the world over. Boko Haram insurgence has indeed worsened matters in the Nigerian socio-economic, religious and political landscape. The sect, through well cordinated attacks and bombings, with Improved Explosive Devices (IEDs) has brought to question the dexterity of the country’s intelligence community in this regard. 

This is, perhaps, the worst in the annals of the nation’s security history since the end of the civil war in 1967. In the search for global peace, the mass media, being very crucial in promoting development, consequent upon peace, have continued to use their various communication strategies like news reporting not only to avert violence and strife, but to douse tension when the chips are down. 

Most times, those aggrieved are provided with alternative platforms in the media to air their grievances instead of taking to arms. Studies (Onyebuchi, 2010; Ngene, 2010 and Noble 2011) have shown that through adequate, balance and objective reportage, people who hitherto would have taken to arms to express their displeasure are informed, enlightened and most importantly convinced to seek the option of dialogue or legal redress. However, how the mass media, especially the broadcast media which are caught between sensationalizing stories to boost patronage and objectively informing the people have played this role, has become a subject of interest. 9 No doubt, the media have the power to resolve crises, but on the other extreme, the media can also escalate same. With the present onslaught of the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria, evaluating the place of the media has become necessary to researchers, including peace and conflict resolution experts. 

There have been accusations and counter accusations on how the media, particularly the broadcast media are reporting the crisis. Some argue that government-owned broadcast stations have not fared well in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. They contend that government stations have been very economical with facts on the crisis. They further alleged that only the views of government officials on the crisis are given undue prominence in their reports. On the other, other school of thought contend that the privately-owned broadcast stations are the stations escalating the crisis by way of sensationalising their reports on the crisis. These corps of scholars further argued that the privately-owned broadcast stations have been breeding the crisis through their reports. 

This has indeed subjected media reportage of the Boko Haram crisis to the debate table. AIT and NTA are arguably the largest privately and government owned television stations in Nigeria. Therefore, taking a cursory look at media coverage of the insurgent activities of the Boko Haram sect in this largely orchestrated ethno-religious crisis in the north have continued to agitate the study interest of the researcher. The media, no doubt, have a key responsibility of accurately reporting crises situations like the current Boko Haram crisis. It is therefore, incumbent on the media-content consumers to assess media performance in this regard. A thorough x-ray of audience assessment, within the purview of AIT and NTA’s reportage of the Boko Haram crisis prompted this research. 

1.3 Objectives of the Study Objectives are as helpful in research as they are in most areas of life. According to Etim, (2004, p.19), “research objectives give the researcher a beautiful sense of target and direction”. The broad goal of the research was to evaluate audience assessment of AIT and NTA.s reportage of the Boko Haram crisis in some northern states of Nigeria. However, the research was geared towards the achievement of these specific objectives. 10 

(1) To identify the formats adopted by AIT and NTA in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. 

(2) To ascertain the comparative differences between AIT and NTA in their reportage of the Boko Haram crisis. 

(3) To identify the factors responsible for the comparative differences in the reports given to the Boko Haram crisis by AIT and NTA. 

(4) To ascertain which of the broadcast stations (AIT or NTA) is playing the surveillance function of the media more than the other in the reportage of the Boko Haram crisis. 

(5) To find out the broadcast station (AIT or NTA) that has so far displayed high level of accuracy, truth and fairness in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. 

(6) To ascertain which of the two broadcast stations (AIT or NTA) is helping to resolve the Boko Haram crisis through its reports? 

1.4 Research Questions In scientific inquiry, research questions give order and direction to a study. Hence, Etim, (p.19), averred that “research questions should indeed be an expansion of the research problem.” In line with the objectives of this study, the following research questions were raised; (1) What are the formats of the reports given to the Boko Haram crisis by AIT and NTA? (2) What are the comparative differences in the reports given to the Boko Haram crisis by AIT and NTA? (3) What are the factors accounted for the comparative differences in the reports given to the Boko Haram crisis by AIT and NTA? (4) Which of the AIT and NTA has so far played the surveillance function of the media more than the other in reporting the Boko Haram crisis? (5) Which of the two broadcast stations has displayed high level of accuracy, truth and fairness in reporting the Boko Haram crisis? 11 (6) Which of the two broadcast stations (AIT and NTA) has helped in resolving the Boko Haram crisis through its reportage? 

1.5 Research Hypotheses From the research questions, the following hypotheses were framed: Hypothesis One Hi: Audience choice of the broadcast station that has displayed high level of accuracy and fairness in reporting the Boko Haram crisis was influenced by the way both stations reported the crisis. Ho: Audience choice of the broadcast station that has displayed high level of accuracy and fairness in reporting the Boko Haram crisis was not influenced by the way both stations reported the crisis. Hypothesis Two Hi: The level of security alerts/warnings given by AIT and NTA influenced audience perception of how both stations have so far played the surveillance function in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. Ho: The level of security alerts/warnings given by AIT and NTA did not influence audience perception of how both stations played the surveillance function in reporting the Boko Haram crisis Hypothesis Three Hi: The nature of AIT and NTA’s reports on the Boko Haram crisis influenced audience choice of the broadcast station that is helping to resolve crisis. Ho: The nature of AIT and NTA’s reports on the Boko Haram crisis did not influence audience choice of the broadcast station that is helping to resolve the crisis. 

1.6 Significance of the Study 12 The need to significantly contribute to knowledge in this area inspired the researcher to embark on this study. Thus, this study shall be building block for other similar studies in this area of knowledge. The findings of this study will serve as a reference document for broadcast media practitioners (especially television) on how best to cover terrorism and other ethno-religious crisis of this nature in Nigeria, with a view to building a peaceful, religiously tolerant, prosperious and egalitarian society. The intelligent community (Police, SSS, Military etc) will equally find the outcome of this study very useful, since it will promote the need to build a common bridge between the media and intelligent communities, which will ultimately fast-track the resolution of the Boko Haram question. Also, institutions of higher learning (universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, etc) shall find this work very helpful in the teaching and learning of conflicts and media studies. 

1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study The study focused on Audience Assessment of AIT and NTA’s Reportage of the Boko Haran crisis. The residents of Kano, Kaduna and Niger States formed the scope of this study. Here, the adult males and females were used as respondents. The researcher encountered a number of factors that constituted limitations of this study. These factors include the insecurity of the states, largely because of the Boko Haram attacks, illiteracy of some residents, lack of fund, and time constraint. The availability, accessibility as well as the readiness to grant the researcher’s request for interview was a hurdle that posed a serious challenge to this study. 

1.8 Definition of Terms For the purpose of clarity, key words or concepts as used in this study were defined operationally. 13 Audience: These are all the male and female adults living in Kano Kaduna and Niger States of Northern Nigeria who actually watch AIT and NTA’s reports of the Boko Haram attacks. Assessment: This connotes the views/opinions of the audience on how AIT and NTA have so far fared in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. AIT: This means African Independence Television. It is a privately owned television station that reports the Boko Haram crisis to the audience. It is the very first, largest and most vibrant privately-owned television station in Nigeria. NTA: An acronym for Nigerian Television Authority. This television station, which also reports the Boko Haram crisis, is owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria. Boko Haram: This is a faceless Islamic group operating in Northern Nigeria that has continuously rained terror on the country. This group which figuratively means, “Western education is sin”, believes in Sharia Law and jihad. The group is officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Summa Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad. Surveillance: The function of AIT and NTA to inform/warn/alert the audience of impending dangers, especially, that of Boko Haram insurgent activities and attacks. Crisis: This means the ill-activities of Boko Haram sect in northern Nigeria that have posed a serious security threat to the Nigerian nation, as well as straining religious nerves between Muslims and Christians. Formats of Reports: This means the various forms AIT and NTA adopt in reporting the Boko Haram crisis. These forms are straight news report, documentary, commercial, discussion and other phone-in programmes. 14