Whose News? Media Capture, Ownership Structures, and the Crisis of Journalistic Independence in Nigeria
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Abstract
The study examined the interplay between media ownership structures, political influence, and journalistic independence in Nigeria, using the reportage of the 2022 presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a case in point. Employing qualitative content analysis of nine media outlets and twelve key-informant interviews with politicians and senior journalists, the study identifies systematic patterns of ownership-based bias, editorial interference, and professional compromise. Findings reveal that media owners often with vested political interests exert considerable influence on the frequency, tone, and slant of coverage, particularly in high-stakes political reporting. While state-controlled media displayed a slight bias in favour of incumbents, privately owned media outlets overtly promoted the political interests of their proprietors. Senior journalists reported facing pressure to align with partisan agendas, thereby undermining editorial independence and journalistic ethics. Drawing on Media Capture Theory and the Hierarchy of Influences Model, the research proposes a multidimensional framework for analysing the extent to which political journalism in emerging democracies is compromised by elite influence. It contributes to the literature by extending the theory of media capture to the Nigerian context and by exposing structural constraints on journalistic autonomy. The study concludes that Nigeria’s media landscape remains vulnerable to elite capture and calls for structural reforms, including transparent ownership regulation, independent public broadcasting, and enhanced media literacy. These measures are essential for safeguarding democracy and restoring professional journalism.
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