Assessment of the Influence of Broadcast Media Decision-Making Determinants on News Content Selection and Public Opinion Formation in Nigeria

Abstract

The paper assessed the influence of broadcast media decision-making determinants on news content selection and public opinion formation in Nigeria. This was aimed at ascertaining the salient factors that influence and shape broadcast news content in Nigeria besides the journalistic criteria, finding out the reasons permeating the influence of the factors during the news selection process, and how such influences affect Nigerians’ perceptions of the broadcast media and opinion regarding issues reported as well as influence of such perception on public opinion formation and democratic participation in Nigeria. Survey was employed as the research methodology with questionnaire as the instrument. The findings show that ownership interest, organizational orientation, personal biases of the reporters commercial interests of the stations, sensitivity to the culture of media audiences, relationship with news sources, and the event itself are the factors that influence news content selection decision-making other than the journalistic criteria. Further findings reveal that news selection, the broadcast media news content selection decision-making, is a complex process that takes into account an array of factors ranging front partisan afliliation of ownership, business interest of the media organisations, personal interests of reporters, poor remuneration and welfare amongst others. The study also found that as a result of the interplay of the determinants, the audiences have different views of public issues in Nigeria and their opinions regarding the state of affairs also differs. Based on the findings, the study concludes that the Nigerian broadcast media need re-orientation As a result enhanced monitoring and regulation by the NBC amongst others are recommended by the study.