FRI, OCT 19 2018-theG&BJournal-The latest survey of Nigeria media space by the NOIPolls, the leading credible country-specific polling service in West Africa region, shows that Nigerians believe the internet has the highest level of corruption in the Nigerian media space, followed by newspapers and television. While radio was considered the least corrupt.
The survey revealed that no media outlet, print or electronic, was deigned to be completely free of corruption in the country.
Asked about perception on media independence, many Nigerians (62 percent) believed that the Nigerian media are independent, while a smaller but significant proportion of Nigerians (29 percent) disagreed as they do not believe the Nigerian media is truly independent. In terms of gender, 63 percent and 61 percent of male and female respondents believed the Nigerian media is independent, while 30 percent and 28 percent of male and female respondents said no respectively.
The perception of the level of corruption among these media outlets was also tested among the respondents. Findings revealed that 45 percent of the respondents felt that corruption was low in Radio, compared to 31 percent who claimed the same for Newspapers, 34 percent in Television and 36 percent for Internet and Social Media.
Another 36 percent of respondents considered corruption to be moderate in Radio, compared to 43 percent for Newspapers and Television and 31 percent for Internet and Social Media. On the other hand, 13 percent of respondents felt corruption was high in Radio, 19 percent in Newspapers, 17 percent in Television and 33 percent in Internet and Social Media.
This implied that respondents believe the internet/Social Media to be the most corrupt in the Nigerian media, followed by Newspapers, then Television and Radio as the least corrupt.
In conclusion the poll revealed that Nigerians had a relatively positive perception on the media as about 6 in 10 (62 percent) believed that the Nigerian media are independent while almost 3 in 10 (29 percent) thought otherwise.
‘’However, it is essential that the Nigerian media is perceived to be totally independent as they are major stakeholders in ensuring that Nigeria’s democracy is sustained through accurate information dissemination,’’ NOIPolls noted.
In terms of corruption in the Nigerian media, a larger proportion generally perceived Radio (45percent) to have a low level of corruption, while the Internet and Social Media to have a higher level of corruption.
Finally, given that an independent media is important for democracy, there is need for transparency to be promoted across all the forms of media especially as the 2019 general elections draw closer. Corruption in the media sector can be curbed through the implementation of ethical frameworks for media institutions to enhance professional standards. Additionally, Media outlets should ensure their staff and journalists uphold ethics and integrity, through set codes of conduct, train staff consistently on approved behavioral patterns, constantly ensure such patterns are strictly adhered to and ensuring adequate stiff punishment is meted out to erring journalists, NOIPolls said.
