PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE IN NIGERIA A STUDY OF THE NATIONS, DAILY SUN, AND THE DAILY TRUST NEWSPAPERS

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PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE IN NIGERIA A STUDY OF THE NATIONS, DAILY SUN, AND THE DAILY TRUST NEWSPAPERS

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the print media coverage of the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease which has ravaged parts of West Africa: Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and particularly Nigeria; to this end, content analysis was conducted using three Nigerian’s newspapers; The Nation, Daily Sun and the Daily Trust newspapers. Although the disease found its way into Nigeria through the Late Patrick Sawyer, Nigerian authorities quickly arrested the situation, for which they are getting well deserved commendations across the globe. The study derives its theoretical relevance from the agenda setting and development media theory which says that even though the media may not succeed in telling people what to think, they are stunningly successful in telling people what to think about. On the other hand the development theory assumes that the media must accept and carry out positive development tasks in line with national established policy and as reliable tools that can be used to champion social, economic, political, educational and cultural development. Information and perspectives were obtained from books, newspapers and journals. Interestingly, the research found a high success rate of communication efforts as it concerns the Ebola scourge. The paper recommends among others that the print media should give more coverage of other health issues since there are other silent killers which have attracted global attention like HIV-AIDS, Cancer, influenzas etc, The government should provide an enabling environment for media to perform and the immortalization of Late Dr. Stella Adadevoh for her sacrifice while ensuring that the war against Ebola is sustained through a further enhancement of public enlightenment.

KEYWORDS: Media, Coverage, Ebola virus disease,

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ………………………………………………………………………………….  i

Certification Page       …………………………………………………………………….   ii

Dedication       ……………………………………………………………………………    iii

Acknowledgements    …………………………………………………………………..      iv

Table of Contents….…………………………………………………………………..        v

List of Tables  ………………………………………………………………………..           viii

Abstract ……..…………………………………………………………………………        ix

 

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

  • Background of the Study…………………………………………………………… 1
  • Statement of the Problem………… ………………………………………………. 5
  • Objectives of the Study……………………………………………………………. 7
  • Research Questions…………………………………………………………………. 7
  • Significance of the Study …………………………………………………………. 7
  • Scope of the Study ………………………………………………………………… 8
  • Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………………       8

References …………………………………………………………………………      10

 

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Focus of Review   …………………………………………………………………..      11

2.1.1 The Ebola virus disease: Conceptual Clarifications ……………………………….    11

2.1.2 Recent 2014 outbreak in West Africa………………………………………………   14

2.1.3 Nigeria’s Experience with Ebola virus …………….……………………………………             18

2.1.4 Ebola virus disease: Effects and Implications ………………………………………. 20

2.1.5 Government Response to Ebola virus disease in Nigeria…………………………..    24

2.1.6 Media coverage of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria ………………………………….  32

2.1.7 Empirical review of Health issues ……………………………………………………36

2.2 Theoretical framework     ………………………………………………………….       40

2.2.1 Agenda-Setting Theory …………………………………………………………..      40

2.2.2 Development Media Theory ………………………………………………………     43

References ………………………………………………………………………………     47

 

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODLOGY

3.1 Research Design   ………………………………………………………………….       50

3.2 Population of the Study …………………………………………………………..         50

3.3 Sample Size          ………………………………………………………………..          51

3.4 Sampling Techniques        …………………………………………………………        51

3.5 Measuring Instrument for Data Collection ……………………………………….         52

3.6 Techniques for Data Analysis……………………………………………………           52

3.7 Coding Method     …………………………………………………………………..      53

3.8 Inter Coder Reliability      …………………………………………………………….   55

3.9 Reliability/Validity           ………………………………………………………….       55

3.10 Data Collection Procedure          …………………………………………………..      57

References      …………………………………………………………………………..      58

 

 

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Description of the Sample……………………………………………………………    59

4.2 Discussion and Interpretation of Result ………………………………………………  67

4.2.1 Research Question One ……………………………………………………………

 

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary   ………………………………………………………………………….       70

5.2 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………       71

5.3 Recommendations………………………………………………………………….       72

References …………………………………………………………………………       74

      APPENDIX

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  • Background of the Study

In March 2014, the World Health Organization was notified of an outbreak of a communicable disease that had occurred before in 1979 and has reoccurred in 2014. Following the notification, WHO declared the epidemic to be an international public health emergency WHO (2014). Of all the human afflictions ever experienced, the greatest toll has been exacted by the deadly Ebola outbreak, BBC news (2014). The entire West African sub-region had been on alert following the outbreak of what has come to be known as the largest Ebola epidemic in history.

The sojourn of ebola virus disease in Nigeria was accompanied by misinformation and fear of death that led to bizarre practices by the people in a hope of preventing the disease. The Nigerian news media reported the first case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria on Thursday 25 July 2014. It was brought into the country by a Liberian American who flew from Liberia to Lagos on July 20, 2014. The man Patrick Sawyer became violently ill upon arriving at the airport and died five days later. People stopped shaking hands as a means of greeting in public gatherings involving large crowds such as Church conventions, revivals etc. The format for taking the Holy Communion in churches equally changed. People stopped sharing personal items such as towels, toothbrushes, cups, cutlery and hankies. Healthcare providers became reluctant or altogether stopped attending to patients with symptoms of fever and other suspected Ebola-like signs and symptoms. Some persons were going about permanently wearing hand gloves and face masks and they have stopped permanently anything that could possibly serve as a mode of transmission for the deadly virus. Hand washing with soap and water and the use of hand sanitizer became the rule and everyone went about carrying one. Some intimate activities seems to have reduced, the tendency to indulge in intimate conduct like hugging, kissing or sexual intercourse reduced significantly on the argument that the Ebola virus could be spread through bodily fluids including semen and sweats, saliva and other secretions.

In addition to the above effect of the crises, the killing and consumption of suya, bush meat and other suspect delicacies reduced drastically and virtually stopped in some countries. Transportation of corpses across international borders required clearance by the FMOH, while carrying of corpses across state borders was restricted. Also, burial of corpses anywhere in the country required a mandatory death certificate. The date of resumption of schools from the long holidays was shifted twice, while a Nigerian football team was barred from participating in an international competition that took place in China WHO (2014). It was reported by Sun newspaper, in its September 13, 2014 edition that an ugly message was sent across instructing people to bath and drink salt water as preventive measures of EVD. It was reported that a lot of people died as a result of too much salt intake in their body system and the same goes to the report of the use of bitter kola as an antidote. There were several Ebola cure claims ranging from consumption of bitter kola to ewedu and salt water. Nigeria’s request for the experimental Ebola drug ZMapp was turned down by the United States, also Nano Silver that was sent to the country from the United States was refused and dropped by the Lagos state government who declared its resolve not to use any drug other than the American ZMAPP, for fears that Nano silver maybe a curse not a cure. Daily trust (2014).

The media have the power to direct our attention towards certain issues; they can do this by setting agenda through repetition of health crisis reports. According to Cohen (1963), the media may not be successful in telling their readers what to think, but are stunningly successful in telling their readers what to think about. Considering the power of the media to give prominence on an issue, the awareness of the people about things around them can be reactivated by the media.

The media’s role in the Ebola virus crisis has not been exactly unique at the first notice of Ebola virus in 1979. Most of the media long ignored the growth of the epidemic, seeing it as a problem involving only other African countries. However, the 2014 ebola virus’ attack on West Africa this year has been the worst ever recorded.  News about the disease lately gained prominence globally when the media recorded alarming death rates. The news spread very quickly and was accompanied by rumors and disinformation, much of which created panic and struck fear in people (Sophia, 2014). Doctors responding to the situation tag it as “catastrophic” and “deteriorating daily”. The picture of the Ebola virus disease was captured by the Nation newspaper editorial of August 14, 2014 thus:

With Ebola, the whole general health system is collapsing. People are not going to hospitals or clinics because they are frightened; there is little or no medical or nursing staff available. In some affected countries like Liberia some hospitals have been entirely taken over by Ebola patients.

According to the World Health Organization analysis of the crises, aside from the human cost, the outbreak has severally eroded the economies of the affected countries. The arrival of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) threatens the country’s health sector progress. An already low-capacity healthcare system has been over-extended and unable to meet basic Ebola and non-Ebola medical needs; restrictions on movement have hindered trade and caused price increases that cannot be matched by the average Nigerian who now lacks access to basic services such as food and water.

The emergence of ebola in Nigeria has drawn the attention of almost all the sectors in Nigeria to it. Although it received minimum attention or ignorance by the media at the onset but the 2014 outbreak in Nigeria made the media to draw the attention of the people to the critical issue at hand almost all the papers reported on the ebola virus disease. Most newspapers carried it as a headline, front page stories, inside and back page stories with graphics accompanying the stories and it appeared as many times as possible in the print media.. This shows the level of prominence and frequency given to the issue and most ebola news stories were not paid for. The issue is all about life and as such it has the element of news value which is of human interest. Another silent reason that gave the Ebola virus prominence was that it was what the people needed to hear and know about. For this reason every print media will write to attract the target audience and to as well make sales.

The news media competed among themselves on who carries the latest and current information on Ebola virus disease. As of July, August and September reports on ebola in Nigeria, the print media recorded eight (8) deaths including that of the index patient Patrick Sawyer (Mohammed Abubakar and Adamu Abuah 2014). Among the casualties in Nigeria was Ameyo Adedeyoh a medical doctor who handled the index patient. In a media report on the nature of the virus, several newspapers tried to report on the deadly nature of this disease by using  various style of writing and pictograph. Clearly, media representations of health issues influence health beliefs, health behaviors, healthcare practices, and policy-making Seale (2002, 24).

Modern society does not only depend upon mass communication, but the process itself defines the nature of mass society where more citizens will depend on the media for much of what they know. This statement is based on the fact that the ebola virus disease and other emerging health diseases can only be made known by the media. The media have a big role to play in

such conditions noted above. Since the media is relied on for the reportage of accurate and trustable information on topical issues like on health related matters, it is believed that the mass media has important roles to play. In the event of a public health emergency or a natural disaster, coverage of risk is influenced by the level of importance journalists give to it. The importance of an event or occurrences is also a selling point for newspapers. This is seen on the front pages of newspapers Aliagan (2014).

The bad news brought out the best in the media, both locally and internationally. They quickly rose up to their social responsibility of being the fourth estate of the realm. In this process, they discharged creditably and rapidly, their functions of surveillance of the society by unearthing potential and present dangers and pointing the way forward. This study therefore, seeks to examine the print coverage of Ebola virus disease in Nigerian with focus on The Nation, Daily Sun and Daily Trust newspapers

  • Statement of the Problem

The media’s role in the fight against Ebola virus disease cannot be over emphasized, as the media have the power to direct our attention towards health issues, they can do this by setting agenda and this makes the use of communication very vital in the struggle to create awareness in eradicating the ebola virus.  Freimuth (1984), states that many people rely on the media for their health-related information. Policy makers also obtain necessary information from the media to back –up their actions, since they know that communication rule the world and without communication the world is a dead zone. In a few words, the weighty issues of the 21st century would be impossible to communicate without the mass media.

The media’s role in the Ebola virus crisis has not been exactly clear at the first notice of Ebola virus in 1979. Most of the media long ignored the growth of the epidemic, seeing it as a problem involving only other African countries, In March after the death of sawyer, only a few newspapers paid much attention; the expanding coverage of the virus in foreign media was largely dismissed by the rest of the Nigerian media. At most, coverage consisted of brief items and articles in medical journals or speeches at medical conferences Nation’s report August 12. But in July 2014 there finally came a brief flurry of media attention in the Daily Trust, Daily Sun and the Nation. In April and May cover stories on ebola virus disease, there were scary stories on EVD. What we see then was sensationalism, the media frightening the public about ebola, media accusing government of inaction and the media trying to blow the ebola out of proportion. There is a clear picture of lack of understanding of the media in crisis report particularly on the ebola. Ibekwe, Charles& Sohia (2014, Sun August 10).

With the growing concern on the spread of Ebola virus and the need for more awareness and educative campaign in Nigeria, the role of the mass media especially the newspaper to give more in-depth and detailed account of information about ebola should be assessed to serve as basis for increase public knowledge on the ebola virus. In all these, the mass media, local and international have played, and continue to play, important roles in drawing attention to the crisis and being part of the solution. Indeed, the media have appraised efforts at tackling the problem giving credit to countries and Institutions that have been proactive and efficient in handling the problem. Herein lies the rationale of the study. It is on this basis that this study seeks to examine the extent of coverage given to the 2014 ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria by the print media.

  • Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the extent of coverage given to 2014 ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria by the print media with the aim of highlighting the roles of communication in containing the ebola scourge.

This study principally seeks:

  1. To find out the frequency of media coverage of ebola virus disease
  2. To determine the format used in the publications
  3. To ascertain the level of prominence given to ebola virus disease publications.
  4. To identify extent of the interpretative nature of the publications.
    • Research Questions

This study will be guided by the following research questions

  1. How often did the media carry publication on ebola virus disease?
  2. In what format did the publications appear?
  3. What was the level of prominence given to ebola virus disease?
  4. How interpretative were these publications?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study would provide relevant data that would guide health groups, agencies, government and the media in formulating health education policies. The study also hopes to underscore the very importance of the media towards health education, awareness and advocacy.

Regrettably, the Nigerian elite and public know little or nothing on ebola virus disease; for this reason, this piece of work will assist in enlightening the public on EVD. Also it will help to present the ability and effectiveness of media in setting agenda for the people/ society in some issues that needs immediate attention. This study to a large extent establishes the fundamental objectives of the media, the gap noticed in journalism and the need for the media to assist in the campaign against emerging health issues through education and information.

Academically this study will also serve as empirical data for future researchers who may wish to carry out a further investigation on the coverage of Ebola virus and other health issues in Nigeria.

1.6   Scope of the Study

The study seeks to investigate print media coverage of ebola virus disease in Nigeria. Since the newspapers in Nigeria are too many to be studied at once, this study will be limited to four months editions of three selected newspapers. The newspapers to be investigated will be DailySun, the Nation and Daily Trust. The considerations for the selection of these newspapers were based on: frequency of publications, national coverage and in-depth analysis.

  • Definition of terms.

For the purpose of this study, words that appeared frequently are defined in the context they are used in order to facilitate easy understanding.

Coverage: The extent or degree, to which something is observed, analyzed and reported.

Ebola Virus Disease: is a communicable disease characterized by fever, severe diarrhea, vomiting and high fatality rate.

Media: these are the channel of mass communication which includes the print, the electronic and traditional channels.

Media Coverage: can be defined as a way in which a particular piece of information is presented in a media

Print: is non- personal channel of communication through which message is sent to the general public in written form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

 

Rukhsana & Benjamin (2014).  Ebola virus disease outbreak in Nigeria, July-                                                          September 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014; 63:867.

 

Sally  & Micheal  (2006) Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. 7th edition. New York: Oxford University Press.

 

Sylvian, Delphine, & Lisa (2014). Emergence of Zaire ebola virus disease in Guinea. The New England Journal of medicine. NENGL J Med 2014; 371:1483-25.

 

Sibanda (2004) The influence of the mass media on health policy Health Affairs: retrieved2014fromhttp://content.healthaffairs.org/content/11/4/111.cit

 

The Nation (2014) Ebola virus hits Lagos. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/hearthealth/riskfactors/riskfactors.html

 

Center for Disease Control & Prevention (2004) Human Subject Research SMOG Readability formula. Retrieved July 29, 2014, from http://www.ide.gov/od/ads/smorg.htm

 

Krippendorf,  K. (1Edeani, D. (1994). Nigerian mass media handling of conflict situations in the West African sub region.Africa Media Review, 8 (1). Retrieved fromhttp://archive.lib.msu.edu/DMC/African%20Journals/pdfs/africa%20media%20review/vo l8no1/jamr008001003.pdf

Embu  (2014).Nigeria: Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage publication retrieved from http://www.ide.gov/od/ads/smorg.htm

 

World Health Organization (2004) Health Promotion and Education. Retrieved August 5, 2014, from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/11/4/111.cit

 

Cohen & Freimuth (1984), Mass media theories: Contemporary studies on mass  communication theories. London press publication

 

King &Watson, (2005) Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology Vol. 3(2),ISSN 2141-2316©2011AcademicJournalsretrieved fromhttp://www.ide.gov/od/ads/smorg.htm

 

BBC News.(2014, October 8). Why ebola is so dangerous. Retrieved from www.bbc.com/news/world-Africa

 

 

 

PRINT MEDIA COVERAGE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE IN NIGERIA A STUDY OF THE NATIONS, DAILY SUN, AND THE DAILY TRUST NEWSPAPERS

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