Third International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

Traditionally, child rearing in Nigeria closely reflects the “spare the rod and spoil the child” maxim and as such flogging, slapping, beating, and starving a child as a form of punishment for wrong doing and as methods of behaviour modification are common. Despite the adoption and implementation of the Child Rights Act in Nigeria, violence against children seems to be on a steady increase. This study analyses the frequency, length, prominence level, direction, and sources of information reported on violence against children in the selected national daily newspapers. The composite week sampling technique was used.168 editions of the “Daily Sun” and “Punch” newspapers published from January to December of 2016 were selected. Data were collected using code sheet and analyzed via content analysis. The findings show that the frequency of the newspapers’ reportage on violence against children in Nigeria was low. Again, it was found that the length or space given to reports on violence against children was adequate. Also, the result indicates that the direction of the few reports on violence against children was in favour of the course or fight against child violence. The findings also show that these newspapers gave no prominence to reports on violence against children. Finally, it was found that major source of news about violence against children was through journalism, as government and individual sources provided only minimal information.