Apex Media Monitors

By Raji Rasaq The rise in information and communication technology (ICT) in Nigeria particularly in the early 1990s is a phenomenon that has really metamorphosed into social, political and economic weapon, wielded by old, young, male and female. In the world of information, publication and sharing, it has given media practice the necessary impetus so much that the new media, birthed by the ICT has redefined the traditional role of media of mass communication as watchdog and gatekeepers. Today, whereas mainstream media contribute greatly to the public sphere, the ICT-mediated digital media has taken a flight, redistributing power and roles, giving voice to the voiceless, and has empowered the powerless in the scheme of things. The euphoria in the meantime, is that the hitherto mainstream media are overwhelmed by the multimedia digital space because the gate is no longer narrow, but wide and diverse. However, whether the marriage between media and technologically-enabled di...

By Raji Rasaq In September, 2018 alone, Civil Societies, media experts and development partners in Nigeria and South-Africa have held series of workshops and conferences on the menace of Hate Speech and its negative impact on Women’s political participation, particularly in Africa; and, experts were unanimous that gender-related hate speech is anti-development. In a conference held in Gaborone, South Africa by the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians under the aegis of the 49th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association African Region Conference, Cyber bullying was identified as major impediment on the rights and privileges of female members of parliament. As a take-home information on measures taking so far to stem the tide, a participant at the event, Stella Moroka, from the Attorney General’s Chambers in Bostwana was reported to have mentioned that new provisions were being introduced to curb cyberbullying and relating harassment. Other countries such as Zimbabwe, Ugan...

Monitoring Report of Print and Online Newspapers' Reporting of 2019 Elections The September – December 2018 Score Card   (Being an analysis of trends in the reporting of the 2019 electoral process by 12 print/online newspapers for September, October, November and December 2018) This report represents the outcome of the monitoring of 12 print and online newspapers conducted in the months of September, October, November and December 2018, being the second quarter of the exercise, which commenced in June, 2018. The first quarter report covering the months of June, July and August, 2018 had already been released.  The newspapers whose content were monitored include:  The Punch, The Guardian, Daily Sun, Vanguard, ThisDay, Nigerian Tribune, The Nation, Leadership ,  Daily Trust  and  Blue Print  ( monitored online). Others are  The Cable   and   Premium Times  (published online only).     This report highligh...

By Raji, Rasaq Recent survey has shown that the performance index of the participating political parties in the 2019 general elections in Nigeria could not be divorced from the amount of coverage allotted to them by the media as the APC and the PDP garnered 88.58 percent of media coverage of political parties. A media survey, conducted by the International Press Centre (IPC), Nigeria’s foremost media development organisation, showed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition People’ Democratic Party ( PDP) were the most reported of all political parties in Nigeria in the 2019 general election, with 54.43% and 34.15% respectively.  As indicated on the website of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 91 political parties were registered for the general election.   The survey report, under component 4b: Support to the media in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), represented the outcome of media tracking between January and March, 201...

Communiqué Issued at the Lagos Public presentation of PWDs Charter on Elections Held on Tuesday, September 26 th , 2017 by the International Press Centre (IPC) Lagos under the Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Electoral Process (SCEEP) project, being implemented in Lagos by IPC and supported by ACTIONAID Nigeria and the UKAID through the Department for International Development (DFID). THE COMMUNIQUÉ Introduction Following emerging issues on the need to advance the rights of People With Disabilities (PWDs) to actively participate in elections and positively engage the electoral process, the International Press Centre (IPC) held a one-day forum and public presentation of a draft document of PWDs Charter on Elections in Nigeria. The programme,  which held on Tuesday, September 26 th , 2017 at All Seasons Conference Centre, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos State is part of activities being funded under the Strengthening Citizens Engagement in Electoral Process (SCEEP) projec...