Press Coverage of World Tobacco Day in Nigeria (2014-2016) and Smoker Journalists Attitude towards Coverage of the Event

Abstract

The mass media have enormous potentials to influence health-related behaviors and perceptions. Much research has focused on how the media frame health issues. This study sought to explore how world no Tobacco day was framed in the print media and smoker journalists’ attitude towards coverage of the event.

Three privately-owned national dailies were studied to find themes dominating reports on World No Tobacco day and to find the prominence given to the reports as well as sources of such stories. Twenty-two smoker journalists were also surveyed to find their attitude towards coverage of the event.

It was found that world no tobacco day was not given enough prominence by the selected newspapers and majority of smoker journalists will be uncomfortable to cover the event. It was recommended among others that Nigerian press should give a priority attention to the coverage of world No Tobacco Day issues in the country.

By Chinenye Nwabueze, Emmanuel Igwenagu and Casmir Obiakor

Department of Mass Communication, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Nigeria

(Source: Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism, Vol.7, No.1, 2017)

https://www.omicsgroup.org/peer-reviewed/press-coverage-of-world-tobacco-day-in-nigeria-20142016-and-smoker-journalists-attitude-towards-coverage-of-the-event-84633.html