INFLUENCE OF MEDIA COVERAGE OF 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION

Abstract

This study examined the influence of media coverage of 2023 presidential election in shaping public opinion. The study focused on residents of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The study was guided by Vale’s Persuasion Theory and the research was carried out using the descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised 1,085,860 voters in Port Harcourt and 131 staff of Nigeria Info FM, WAZOBIA FM and Rhythm FM which are radio stations operating in Port Harcourt. The sample of the study comprised 400 residents of Port Harcourt and 6 media representatives.  The sampling technique used in the study were multi-stage cluster sampling and purposive sampling technique. The instruments used data gathering for this study were structured questionnaire and interview guide. Data gotten from the questionnaire was presented using frequency distribution tables, they were analyzed using weighted mean score. Data from the interview sessions were thematically analyzed. Findings of the study showed that the mainstream and social media were instrumental in spreading of diverse narratives and alternative perspectives; facilitating public understanding of the political landscape; and shaping public opinion by providing context, background and expert commentary on political issues. The study recommended that mainstream media organizations should create more social media platforms for their news stories since virtually everyone sources news stories on social media platforms. This would help increase access to the information and boost the ratings of such stories on the social media platforms.