Patterns of Broadcast Media Reportage of Climate Change Issues in Lagos, Nigeria from 2016 to 2018: An Evaluative Study

Abstract

Climate change is a global environmental problem that stares us all in the face. The need to combat it necessitated this study which evaluated the way (patterns) broadcast media in Lagos, Nigeria reported issues of climate change from 2016 to 2018. The study adopted qualitative research method which analysed news bulletins, jingles, documentaries, paid announcements and other special programmes on issues of climate change which were aired by the selected broadcast media from 2016 to 2018. The study found that the selected broadcast media in Lagos, Nigeria decreased their frequency of reportage of climate change issues in the period under study. The study equally revealed that the selected broadcast media in Lagos, Nigeria again reduced time allocated in minutes for the reportage of climate change issues within the period of the study. The study also reveals that there were similarities in the pattern of reportage of climate change issue from 2016 to 2018. The study further indicated that the different broadcast media had significant degrees of differences in time allocated for reporting climate change issues from 2016 to 2018. The study therefore recommended that broadcast media in Lagos, Nigeria should consistently increase their reportage of issues of climate change in the areas of frequency of reportage and time allocation in minutes. Doing this will set the right agenda that will achieve Clause 3 of Goal 13 of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lagos and in Nigeria. The study also recommended that public broadcast media should stop paying lip service to issues of climate change because doing so will be to the peril of the governments and their people.