CONTENT ANALYSIS OF THE REPORTAGE OF HIV/AIDS SCOURGE BY THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER AND THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPERS (2012 - 2014)
Abstract
The study investigates Content Analysis of Reportage of HIV/AIDS Scourge by The Nigerian Observer and  The  Guardian  Newspapers  (2012  - 2014).  Families,  communities,  states  and nations have been deprived of men and women who would have contributed meaningfully to development as a result of HIV/AIDS disease. The study revealed reportage of HIV/AIDS scourge by The Nigerian Observer and The Guardian newspapers, with a view to knowing if the newspapers have provided enough information to the Nigerian public on the severity of the HIV/AIDS scourge.  The study objectives is to content analyze the reportage of HIV/AIDS scourge by The Nigerian Observer and The Guardian Newspapers.  The study is anchored on the theses of the Agenda Setting Theory. It is a theory that states that issues presented by the media leads the public to perceive the issue as more important than other issues that are silent; it shows efforts of the newspapers in supplying information on HIV/AIDS to the public in the period under review. The study which is a census adopted content analysis method.  It helped measured the volume, prominence and direction of reportage of HIV/AIDS. 1,562 editions of the two newspapers were analyzed. The findings revealed that in year 2012,  The Nigerian Observer published 24 stories  while The Guardian  published 36 stories;  in  year 2013  The  Nigerian Observer published 17 stories and The Guardian 41 stories, it was also revealed that in 2014 The Nigerian Observer published 15 stories, The Guardian published 30 stories. The conclusion drawn from the findings is that the two newspapers content analyzed reported the issue in the three years of analysis, but failed to give it prominence. The main recommendation is that, space be  allotted  to  HIV/AIDS  scourge  stories  on  the  newspapers  health  page  which  is  usually published weekly.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background to the Study
As  global  emphasis  shifts  from  curative to preventive healthcare;  the imperative of information, communication and education has become high these days on the agenda of health planners  and  policy  makers.  This  is  because;  health  is  a  critical  index  of  development. Communicating  health  therefore  is  relevant  to  the  development  of  any  society;  health communication is a broad term that describes a number of strategies to share information that can lead to better health outcomes (Corcoran 2007).
Health communication can also be seen as health education. According to Anaeto (2010), it is a terminology that stands for a combination of learning experiences; designed to help individuals and communities improve their health by increasing their knowledge or influencing their attitudes. An effective health communication as posited by Asakitipi (2008); is one that equips the public with the tools and knowledge to respond appropriately to health crisis such as, flu  out  breaks,  Human  Immunodeficiency  Virus/  Acquired  Immunodeficiency  Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), malaria etc.
For instance; HIV/AIDS is a major world public health concern and it is seen as one of the major causes of death in many parts of Africa. Communicating this world deadliest disease is vital for the existence of the human race.  In Nigeria, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA, 2014) (as cited in Muanya, Anuforo and Umeh 2014) reported that an estimated
3.22 million or more Nigerians are living with HIV/ AIDS; it must be noted however, that even at this level,   the HIV prevalence is still   much lower in Nigeria than in   South Africa. A
continuous dissemination of information on this disease can bring about change behaviour of the HIV/ AIDS disease.
It is expected therefore; that all stake holders including the mass media join in the fight against  the  HIV/AIDS  scourge,  which  is  made  a  priority  in  world  development  agenda (Millennium  Development  Goals  MDGS).  The  newspaper  an  aspect  of  the media  may be ephemeral in its appeal i.e. easily become staled, but it still last longer than television and radio programme.  People  receive  immediate  news  from  these  live  media  so  mentioned;  but the newspaper has also become useful medium of reinforcing issues in these live media.
The importance of the newspaper has long since been recognized by a onetime United
State of America president, Thomas Jefferson, when he remarked (as cited in Adeyanju 2010:p.32) "...were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspaper or newspaper without a government, l should not hesitate to prefer the latter". The point that should be noted  here is  whether;  if any prominent  individual  would  chose the newspaper  over  a government going by the present society. Nevertheless; Jefferson‟s statement goes a long way to show the importance of newspaper and the mass media in general to the society.
Beginning from the time; those who own power in Nigeria realized the importance of the mass media, there have been rivalry by many governments both state and national to foot one form of mass media to the other.  Newspaper for instance; has received a greater attention in this regard. Starting from 1859 when the first newspaper was released in Nigeria; Iwe Irohın Fun Awon Ara Egba ati Yoruba in Abeokuta (Daramola 2006), there have been series of newspaper established  by  various  governments.  The  Nigerian  Observer  is  one  of  such  government newspapers established over four decades ago and can still be located on most of Nigeria's news
stand.
The Nigerian Observer is a well respected newspaper in Edo state, people in the state look first to it for information concerning the state, even though its circulation figure is lean. As the  Edo  north  marketing  manager;  Ikhane  (2015)  explains  that  sometimes,  the  newspaper produces 1000 copies for distribution to the different area of coverage viz: Abuja; Lagos; Warri; Asaba; Benin City (Edo South Zone); Irukpen (Edo Central Zone); and Auchi (Edo North Zone). Inspite this lean figure, it still makes a lasting impact in the lives of the Edo people.
The Guardian on the other hand is owned by a member of an ethnic minority and has a national outlook in terms of reach and content. To affirm the Guardian national outlook and respect; Advertisers‟ Association  of Nigeria (ADVAN) media  facts  of 2010 reveal that the newspaper circulates 25,222 copies in the country in a day.   The Guardian newspaper is one of the few relatively long-lasting national newspapers in Nigeria (Obaze and Ogbiti 2004). It is believed that its durability is as a result of its broad range of issues and non-partisanship.
The importance of the newspaper in the society and government cannot be over emphasized, by the functions assigned to it, it is to understand government policies, give them contemporary interpretations, and relate them to culture and developmental expectations of the society.
* MSC MASS COMM.