Objectivity in Television News Reportage: An Evalution of “Occupy Nigeria Movement” (Oil Subsidy Protest)

Abstract

The question of media objectivity in Nigeria has always been in doubt particularly in the area of reportage. It is in this regard that the study on the evaluation of news objectivity in television broadcast was x-rayed to identify the extent to which news objectivity is reliable and credible with a reason to expose the factors that affect news objectivity. To have scholarly perspectives on this issues, books, articles and journals were reviewed in order to have an insight and it was noticed that different scholars had different dimensions to these problems. Therefore, to effectively address these problems, the study analysed the views of two hundred and sixty-six (266) respondents within Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Findings from the study indicated that television news reportage can be achieved only if the reporters observe their journalistic ethical guidelines, and are also allowed practice free without interference from media owners and government. The study suggests that with appropriate measures put in place it will curtail excesses in subjective report where objectivity in news reportage will be achieved.