For 78 days, Covid-19 issues continue to shape media reports in Nigeria

Covid-19 has dominated the attention of most media new channels in Nigeria for consecutive three months. It will likely continue to dominate for more weeks as the issue is of global and national concern, upending global economy.

Media news channels, from print, broadcasting to social media in Nigeria are leading with stories on Covid -19 after 78 days the virus entered Nigeria.  The first case of coronavirus was confirmed by Federal Ministry of Health on February 27, 2020 after the outbreak of the virus in China early December, 2019.

In fact, no issue, perhaps in a long time has attracted the attention of the media for such duration than the present pandemic which has killed over 100,000 globally with America accounting for over 20,500;  Italy  over 19,000; Spain 16,000; France 13,000; UK, 9,000; China 3,000; Iran 4,000; Nigeria 10; Ghana 8; Niger 11; South Africa 25; Egypt 146; Morocco 111 and Algeria 275 deaths.

Boko Haram which has killed nearly 30,000 people with  more than two million people displaced, according to report monitored in Aljazeera does not even get information in some media or has been  played down in other news channels unlike the Covid -19 which the media  has  continued to feed on for  three months.

Read also: COVID -19, remote working and talent retention

Most writers and broadcasters, even in different fields are taking their issues from the perspective of Covid -19. This according to an analyst, it is to remain relevant as Covid -19 is topical with global attention which is also affecting Nigeria economy and private business.

Since the outbreak of the virus mid- December, 2019 in China, media consumption has increased according to a study by Kantar, a global firm that characterizes itself as “data, insights and consulting company”. The firm has more than 30,000 employees working in 100 countries in various research disciplines.

But among all the media news channels which have gained in usage, traditional nationwide broadcast and newspapers are the most trusted sources of information, the Kantar report said.

The report said 52% of the 25,000 consumers across over 30 countries polled identified traditional media (broadcast and newspapers) as ‘Trustworthy’ source than social media.

“Government agency websites are regarded as trustworthy by only 48% of people, suggesting that government measures are not providing citizens around the world with assurances and security” while  social media platforms are regarded by only 11% of people as a source of trustworthy information.

Companies are also leveraging the increase in media consumption to promote their brands, tying their media activity to Covid -19 campaigns.

Meanwhile, the overall media coverage of COVID ’19 by Nigerian media has been  scored high by communication experts who underlined the exhibited professionalism and balanced stories about the pandemic.

However some analysts still believe that more is still needed from the media to dig deep and interrogate certain actions or inactions to slow the progress of the pandemic which has tested national systems including the health sector and Nigeria’s preparedness to such sudden developments.

“The media has lived up to expectations of the public”, says Charles Igbinidu, Managing Director of CFO and Associates Public Relations. He agrees that though there is a level of tension over avalanche of information but said without the information more Nigerians would be ignorant about the disease.

To the CEO of Neo Media, Ehi Braimah, the coverage has been appropriate and professional excluding the fake news dwelling on inaccurate COVID’19 myths.

In his comment, John Kokome, a public affairs analyst also agrees that the Nigerian media is doing its bets within the circumstance it has found itself but said that the media can do more by digging deep to uncover question  Nigerian government preparedness to such occurrences.