THE CHALLENGES OF CONFLICT REPORTING IN THE PRINT MEDIA IN DEMOCRATIC NIGERIA: A SURVEY OF REPORTERS IN THISDAY NEWSPAPER

THE CHALLENGES OF CONFLICT REPORTING IN THE PRINT MEDIA IN DEMOCRATIC NIGERIA: A SURVEY OF REPORTERS IN THISDAY NEWSPAPER

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Just a conflict constitutes a part of human existence, so is conflict reporting as internal part of the print media. There is hardly a day that passes without the press reporting on conflict or another. More often than not, stories in newspapers, magazines and other periodicals aster build largely around conflict issues/events (Umaru, 2002: 121). In the dailies, we often read about conflict issues/events which includes stories on disasters, accidents, crime, communal/political/religious clashes, war, demonstrations, rituals killings and so on.

The press, it appears its systematic and purposively involved in conflict situations because in many ways, conflicts is news.    But the press does not only report conflict passively, it amplifies, interprets and confer a degree of importance on conflict issues/events. at various times, the print media reports have either heightened tension and deepened the conflict or facilitated the process of de-escalation and resolution.

Since the return of democracy to the country in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed devastating ethnic, religious, communal, labour conflicts; conflicts over resource in different parts of the country, and other kind of conflict, which pose serious challenges to, especially print media reporters and editors.

In times of conflict, information is regarded as a critical factor in escalating or reducing tension. In fact it is often argued that abuse by the instruments of mass communication in times of coises, especially in complex and fragile societies like Nigeria, could have serious consequences. In the words of Rotimi Sankore (This day Newspaper, November 11 2005, P.15)

Nothing defines the character of a member establishment more sharply than any crisis that pitches nation against nation, or one section of society against another. In times of Crisis, the responsibility of the media is magnified ten-fold by society’s demand for more news, information and analysis and, therefore, its increase capacity to influence debate and shape public opinion. every word written or spoken by the media is a potential machete,  bullet or bomb in the minds and hands of victims and perpetrators. This raises serious questions on what should be the role of the media in time of war and conflict.

Some scholars mostly view conflict as synonymous with chaos, misunderstanding, fighting or violence. In agreement with this perception of conflict, Andrew Amo provides a typical definition of the concept:

Conflict is a state or quality of ongoing relationships among social entities such as persons, groups or nations. it results from a lack of agreement over an issue, value, or resource and expressed in words or actions.

Mustapha, M. (2002: 122) opines that this definition conforms to the ‘generalist’ view of conflict. Journalists, holding the generalist view or conflict, respond to conflict situation in one of two ways:

• Exacerbate the conflict by it to escalate into violence through undue sensational reporting that depends the degree of hate and widen the scope of social distance between parties involved, and or
• Avoid reporting the conflict for fear of escalating it. Neither of these attitude is desirable in the management of conflict toward transforming it for the good of society.

From a different perspective, conflict can be viewed as both desirable and an integral part of life, which provides us with an opportunity for change, that is, a chance to improve inter-ethnic, interreligious, and other form of relation.

From this perspective, conflict is viewed positively and associated with such concepts as change, development, peace, and understanding . This is the peacemaker’s of ‘positive view of conflict. journalists attuned to this view of conflict would either.

1. Face the conflict through positive commentaries and constructive analysis of the situation, forgoing the way for dialogue and peace.
2. Contribute toward de-escalation of the conflict through strong and fervent appeal for tolerance, peaceful co-existence and dialogue, and
3. Suggest practical ways of resolving the conflict through admonishing the people against intolerance, violence and primordial sentiments and through objective analysis of past and potential conflict issues as a pathway to generate consensus through negotiation and compromise by parties involve (<Mustapha, M. 2002; 122-123).

Hence, in the course of reporting conflict, the press finds, it challenging, ranging from information gathering to publication of reports.  There are many types of conflict in Nigeria. Popular among these conflicts according to Danladi John (2002:56-57), are:

Land Conflict in which two or more people quarrel over ownership of a piece of land or plots of land.

Chieftaincy conflict of the disagreement between and among  contenders to a throne in a chiefdom or kingdom.

Family conflicts is between members of one family over certain issues that affect the running of the affairs of a family over certain issues that affect the running of the affairs of a family.

Boundary conflict is between people over finance and monetary resources. Political conflict is between people over positions, as  in election.

Religious conflict is between people of difference or the same religious backgrounds, as faith over issues of worship. It is  pertinent to state clearly here that this study has identified the problems listed below a obstacles to print media reporters and the press. These problems are:

1. The killing of journalists in conflict scenes.
2. Government censorship of the press in order to prevent the press from reporting some conflict events.

• Wrong information from manipulative news sources to the press.

1. The influence of ownership on conflict reports
2. Physical and geographical barriers
3. Bias in conflict reporting