coverage of cyber-crimes by select national dailies in nigeria...crimes, such as crimes against...
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Senam, N., Essien, B. and Ekong, E. C.
156
Coverage of Cyber-crimes by Select National Dailies in Nigeria
by
Nsikan Senam,
Department of
Communication Arts
University of Uyo,
Nigeria
08023928289; [email protected]
Blessing Essien
Department of Sociology
and Anthropology
University of Uyo,
Nigeria
08027687820; [email protected]
Enobong Charles Ekong
Department of Mass
Communication
University of Nigeria,
Nsukka
08138359307; [email protected]
Abstract This study examined the coverage of cyber-crimes in Nigeria by select National Dailies. The
aim was to find out the frequency, prominence, direction and genre of cyber-crime stories in Nigerian newspapers; namely, The Guardian, The Punch and The Vanguard. Content analysis
was the research technique adopted in this study. The population of the study comprised all the
1095 issues of the select National Dailies between January 1 and December 31, 2015. The sample size was 400 issues from the study population selected through the systematic random
sampling method. Findings showed that Nigerian newspapers gave low prominence to cyber-crime stories. It was also found out that newspaper coverage of cyber-crime in Nigeria
was not impressive. It was therefore recommended, among other things, that Nigerian
newspapers should engage in investigative journalism so as to monitor and report cyber-crimes in order to curb them.
Key words: Criminality, Digital Age, Investigation, Intelligence, Cybernetics
1. Introduction
Cyber-crime has become a national issue that has attracted a weightier
repercussion for offenders as government moves to curb the activities of internet
scammers, who give the country a bad name both locally and internationally. It refers to
any illegal activity done through the computer as a primary means, as well as any illegal
activity of using the computer to access, store or transmit information. They include crimes
that have been made possible by computers such as network intrusions and the
dissemination of computer viruses as well as computer-based variations of existing crimes
such as identity theft, stalking, scam, bullying and computer-assisted terrorism.
International
Journal of
Social Sciences
and
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Until recently, very little was known about cyber-crimes in Nigeria, beyond
semblance of advanced fee fraud, "419" in the Nigerian Criminal Code. But the advent of
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opened up some of the hidden,
often sublime crimes not only against the economy but also against humanity. In the past,
cyber-crimes were perpetrated on a small scale, but the rise in technological development
gave rise to the commission of the crime in a large scale. The seriousness of this crime was
unknown and little by little, lives, money, information and identity were stolen.
Newspaper coverage of cyber-crimes in Nigeria has become more difficult and
challenging, as most commercial organisations seem to have forgotten that another
important aspect of cyber protection is communication. Sometimes, they tend to be
secretive and refuse to adopt the notion that the forces of criminal hackings on an
organisation lie in the ability and desire to share information while commercial
organisations generally limit communication with their peers, perhaps, for the fear of
competition (Mughal, 2014). The print media, especially newspapers, have been identified
as means of communication because of their unique characteristics of wide readership,
exposure and permanence. Obviously communication is a sure means of curbing crime
because it gives way to understanding and sharing of relevant information that can help
both government and the individuals.
Moreover, there are challenges of verifying information especially from
government officials who are most times handicapped in giving out information for fear of
losing their jobs. As a result, when cyber-crimes are mentioned to the public, it sounds
strange as many people have limited knowledge of the subject. While admitting that there is
a correlation between cyber-crime and other forms of crimes, espionage and foreign
intelligence-based crimes, it seems it is still difficult to report adequately on cyber-crime.
This raises the issue of knowledge as a key drive for productivity and economic growth.
The activities of these hackers in frustrating the dissemination of information by the news
agency cannot be overlooked as they upload embarrassing news items capable of
undermining National Security (Paganini, 2014). The newspaper also faces this payback by
hackers as they are liable to find blasphemous news items which did not emanate from the
newspapers’ stables or websites. To curb the activities of cyber-crimes in Nigeria, the
coverage provided by the newspaper should be deeply appreciated and seen as a means of
cyber security which involves protecting information by preventing, detecting and
responding to attacks by hackers. The extent, nature and slant of the coverage of
cyber-crimes constitute the thrust of this paper.
2. Statement of the Problem
The coverage of cyber-crime issues in newspapers is a very effective means of
protecting citizens from falling victims of cyber related problems. Journalists are saddled
with the professional responsibility of reporting and explaining cyber-crime issues while
presenting accurate facts without bias or falsehood.
At present, a cursory observation tends to show that cyber-crime issues lack proper
attention of Nigerian newspapers. Some reporters seem not to adopt a comprehensive
approach to reporting cyber-crime. Unfortunately, media policy on cyber related media
Senam, N., Essien, B. and Ekong, E. C.
158
contents has not been formulated by mass media outfits. It seems cyber-crime beat is not
given prominence in journalism practice in Nigeria. The forgoing constitutes the
motivation for the study; thus, to what extent have the national dailies covered cyber-crimes
in Nigeria?
3. Aim and Objectives
The objectives of this research were to:
i) Assess the frequency of newspaper reportage of cyber-crimes in Nigeria;
ii) Examine the prominence given to cyber-crime stories in Nigerian newspapers;
iii) Ascertain the slant of newspaper reportage of cyber-crime stories in Nigeria;
iv) Find out the genres of cyber-crime stories reported in Nigerian newspapers.
4. Review of Related Literature
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, by the early 19th century, many cities in Europe
as well as North and South America, published newspaper-type publication though not all
of them developed in the same way because content was vastly shaped by regional and
cultural preferences. Advances in printing technology related to the Industrial Revolution
enabled newspapers to become a wide-spread means of communication (Senam, 2012).
In Nigeria, the 19th century marked the evolution of Newspaper printing. For
Senam (2017), the missionary, Rev. Henry Townsend published the first newspaper in
Abeokuta, Nigeria which was called "Iwe Irohin tun Awon ara Egba ati Yoruba"
(Newspaper for the Egba speaking people and Yoruba) in 1859. This paper was published
for religious purpose which was to propagate Christianity in Egba land. Nigeria was the
third country to own a newspaper. Newspaper later spread to other states of the country like
Lagos, Enugu, Calabar, Ibadan, Aba, Port-Harcourt etc. Many other states later owned their
newspapers. It was a status symbol. In the 20th century, the rise in technological
development has given rise to online newspapers which is now owned by majority of
newspaper organisations and this has made accessibility of information easier to a large
number of people.
Newspapers can exert both positive and negative influences on the society
depending on how they are used. However, the importance of newspaper in the society
cannot be over emphasized. In our daily lives, information is critical for survival. In this
contemporary age, any society that is not information driven is a dead society because
information is a driving force that helps a society to function. A society is an organised
group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political,
patriotic, or other purposes (Pettman, 1979). Put differently, it is a body of individuals
living as members of a community. Newspaper influences the society both positively and
negatively. Newspaper adds value to the society in many ways, including.
Newspaper exposes members of the society to different forms of information. It
allows members of the society to know what is going on in their society, its implications
and possible actions to take in a given situation. Newspaper also creates awareness about
what is happening in other societies and how that happening affects people. Online
Newspapers help in speedy spread of information and easy accessibility by a large number
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of people. Technological development in the media world has allowed for easy access of
news content by people even in the remote part of the country centre, in city centres and
outside the country, thereby making the world a global village. Online websites and blogs
owned by newspaper organisations provide a platform where views and opinions are aired.
Discussions on current issues or pressing issues are also carried out through the newspaper.
This platform helps members of the society to express their concern in a given issue that is
of interest to them and also interact with people living outside their community. News that
portray the lives of great people in the society can serve as a source of inspiration to
members of the society. It can cause change and make the people adopt a particular
behaviour. Knowing about people's struggles and experiences proves to be motivational for
so many other people.
Credible newspapers uncover the truth and bring into light, what is actually happening
in the society. Editorials are published based on the newspaper organisation's perception on
what is right and what is wrong. Investigative reports are published on some issues. Apart
from the foregoing positive influences, newspapers can also affect the society negatively.
Some of the negative consequences that results from reading newspapers are unintended
and most times latent (not manifested). They are embedded in parts of the process of media
use. Newspapers sometimes foster panic, instability or anxiety. This results in increased
social conformity and sometimes weakens the thinking of readers. For instance, images of
violence and people hurting one another can become traumatic, especially for children who
watch them often. The constant publishing of violent contents can cause the teenagers to
replicate the same behaviour in the real life (Orhewere and Kur, 2001). Also, privatisation,
which has led to the development of so many newspapers, is also a problem to members of
the society. When there is so much information from both credible and non-credible
sources, there is confusion; some people may have the tendency to withdraw to themselves
and sometimes become passive while others are indifferent.
Cyber-Crime is a fast-growing area of crime. More and more criminals are
exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity of the internet to commit a diverse range
of criminal activities that know no boarders, cause serious harm and pose very threats to
victims worldwide. Cyber-crimes are internet related crimes. There are illegal activities
done through the use of computers as a primary means. They involve identity theft,
stalking, hacking, fraud, gambling, sales of fake products and many more. These crimes are
increasing every day and also evolving in line with opportunities enjoyed in the online
community. At present, high and complex cyber-criminal networks converge virtually in
groups and organisations across the globe to commit crime in a top scale. This is a variation
of the past where only one individual was accused of this vice (lnterpol, 2016). Law
enforcement generally makes a distinction between two main types of internet-related
crime. Sophisticated crime against computer hardware and software. Many traditional
crimes, such as crimes against children, financial crimes and even terrorism, have taken a
new turn with the advent of the Internet. Cyber-crime reportage in Nigerian newspapers is
very low. Very little time, resources and effort are put in by newspapers in covering this
crime. It is considered insignificant and not a very important beat to assign journalists to. It
is rare to find a newspaper carry a cyber-crime story on the front page of a newspaper.
Senam, N., Essien, B. and Ekong, E. C.
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Some may think that this beat is not commercially attractive; hence, there is no need to
attach importance to its coverage. The prevention of cyber-crimes is the most critical aspect
in the fight against cyber-crime. It is mainly a matter of information sharing and awareness.
Every single user of technology must be aware of the risk of exposure to cyber threats and
should be educated on the best practices to adopt in order to reduce and mitigate the risk of
cyber-crime (Rodman, 2006).
The newspaper must play an important role of educating and training the general
public on the tactics, techniques and procedures belonging to the cyber-criminal ecosystem.
This challenging task can be achieved through the information sharing among law
enforcement, intelligence agencies and private industry. Just like technology is evolving
cyber-crimes are evolving in trends. Journalist assigned to cover this beat must have
knowledge of what is happening and communicate world effectively. Typical examples of
cases experienced by victims must also be published as this could help the readers to avoid
such cases. This action enables organisations and private users who access the internet to
have a clear knowledge about the menaces of cyber-crimes.
According to William (2015) an effective incident response procedure which a
cyber-crime reporter should keep up with and report each stage includes the following
steps:
(i) Identification of the threat agent which hit the infrastructure.
(ii) Containment of the threat, preventing it from moving laterally within the targeted
infrastructure.
(iii) Forensic investigation to identify the affected systems and the way the threat agent
has penetrated the computer system.
(iv) Report and share threat data to higher management and share the data on the
incident through dedicated platforms that allow rapid sharing of threat data with
law enforcement and other companies.
The above steps outlined can be adopted by newspapers in their reportage of
cyber-crime stories. Careful identification of the threat, investigation and publishing of the
threat should be carried out with meticulous details represented by facts and figures.
Reporting of crime has been a very important beat in the journalism field. Reporting
cyber-crime plays a significant role in the life of an individual, society and corporate
organisations (Odunlami and Busayo, 2013). A journalist has a role of providing
information to counteract rumour. Sometimes, rumour peddling could put fear in the minds
of the people. It is therefore the duty of a journalist to report the truth about the nature of the
crime, the effects of the crime, and then give workable recommendations to strengthen
people (Udoudo and Diriyai, 2012). The newspaper is generally a fundamental mass
medium in any literate society. It is a key source to rely on for complete and updated
information. Newspapers are among the most reliable sources of information on crimes.
(Rosenstiel, Mitchell and Raine, 2011) outlined the reasons why journalists should report
cyber-crime, as follows:
(i) Readers often want explanations on why crimes happen. They ask: "could it happen
to me?" They may want to know so that they can prevent a similar thing happening
to them.
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(ii) Readers need to know how laws are broken and how people who break laws are
caught and how they are punished. This helps them to know what laws are there
and the penalty for breaking them
(iii) Some people are interested in the way criminals get something without much effort.
Some crime such as cyber-crime could fascinate people who obey the laws but
wonder what it might feel like to break them.
Journalists in their effort to cover cyber-crime stories often encounter the
challenges faced by other journalists in reporting other beats. These challenges can stem
from corporate organisations, government, legislature, private individuals and other
sources of relevant information. Computer illiteracy, limited funds, lack of access to
information and undue censorship also constitutes problems faced by journalist in cyber-
-crime reportage.
5. Theoretical Framework
This study was anchored on the framework of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory,
the Social Responsibility Theory and the Development Media Theory. This is because both
the theories and the study revolve round the Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs), responsibilities of journalists as well as the use of media reportage for the overall
development of the society.
The Diffusion of Innovation Theory was postulated by Ryan and Gross in 1943 and
re-enacted and expatiated by Everest Rogers in 1960 (Siebert, Peterson and Schramm,
1963). For the proponents, the ICTs constitute a massive innovation in mass
communication, and are largely diffused by journalism, social media and communication.
Cyber-crime, on the other hand, flourishes on the platform of the ICTs, although the ICTs
were not evolved primarily for such negative usages. The new communication technologies
have the unique characteristics of interactivity, demassification and asynchronisation
which result in a successful scattering of the communication audience. Apart from the
technological import of the ICTs in mass communication and the social media
communication, the proponents of the Diffusion of Innovation theory examine the
influence of communication technologies on human mental process. For them, every
innovation has the tendency of impacting on the mental drives which human beings
necessarily pass through consciously or inadvertently in decision taking or reacting to
innovation. The process comprises knowledge, persuasion, decision and confirmation. This
makes it necessary for cyber–crimes to be reported by the mass media, particularly for the
purposes of checkmating heinous criminal activities in the society. It remains an attainable
desire that the ICTs would make the society evolve into a super information village through
cybernetics, the use of natural intelligence to create artificial intelligence.
The Social Responsibility Media Theory was propounded by Siebert, Peterson and
Schramm and has its origin from the report of the 1947 Hutchins commission on the
freedom of the press (Siebert, Peterson and Schramm, 1961). The proponents of the Theory
posit that freedom of expression and the free press is the right of mankind. In view of this,
the onus of Social Responsibility Theory is that, freedom carries concomitant obligation,
and the press which enjoys a privileged position under the government, is obliged to be
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responsible to society by carrying out the essential functions of mass communication
(Anaeto. Onabajo and Osifeso, 2008). Also, the press should be neutral and objective in the
course of carrying out its responsibilities with the intent to contribute, as a corporate citizen,
to the well-being of the society. The Social Responsibility Theory also recognised the role
of government and the press in promoting the freedom of citizens. Senam (2017) stressed
the that, much as the mass media have the power, they owe the society some obligations
vis-à-vis their fiduciary relationship with the society: the mass media should avoid
whatever might lead to crime, violence, civil disorder or offense to minority groups.
The Development Media Theory was propounded by Dennis McQuail 1987. The
theory which was promulgated because of the need for third world countries such as
Nigeria to develop was aimed at promoting development communication. The disparity in
development across the whole world raised a great concern in the global communication
circle and this gave rise to the Development Media Theory which was postulated to help the
mass media pay greater attention to the genre of media practice that addressed the
imbalance in development and information flow in the third world. It therefore behoves
journalists to ensure that they contribute to the developmental goals of the society through
effective and efficient reportage of significant issues in the society, such as cyber-crimes.
In view of the principles and theses of the theories reviewed above, journalists must
abide by well-founded principles in reporting cyber-crime. Cyber-crime stories must be
objective, fair, just, accurate, informative, truthful and balanced. The primary objective of
journalists in cyber-crime reportage should be to satisfy the information need of members
of the public with the support of government in place. Citizens should have access to the
media and as well have the opportunity to air their views in a wide range of issues,
including to cyber-crime related issues.
6. Materials and Methods
The research methodology adopted for this study was as follows:
6.1 Research Technique
The research technique used in this study was the content analysis. According to
Wimmer and Dominick (2011, p. 157), "the goal of content analysis is an accurate
representation of a body of messages". Supporting this statement, Ohaja (2003, p. 14)
asserted that "content analysis refers to the examination of the manifest content of
communication to discover the patterns existing therein. Such manifest content could be
advertisements, news stories, features, opinion articles, editorials, letters-to-the-editor,
cartoons, photographs and other illustrations in a newspaper or magazine". This informed
the use of content analysis in determining the nature of newspaper coverage of cyber-crime
activities in Nigeria using select national dailies.
6.2 Population of the Study:
The population of this study comprised one year’s issues of three national dailies:
The Guardian, The Punch and The Vanguard Newspapers. Each of the newspapers
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published 365 issues within the period of 12 months (January to December 2015). The total
number of issues of the three newspapers for the year was 1095; which is the population of
the study.
6.3 Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
For Ohaja (2003, p. 74), "selecting a sample size is very important considering the
impracticability of studying the entire population..." In view of this, the Yaro Yamane
statistical formula was used in determining the sample size for the study. This method was
applied because the numerical strength of the population was known. The formula is:
n =
Where n = the sample size
N= the finite population
e = the level of
significance
1 = unit or a constant
Therefore, at the population of 1095 and the level of significance at 0.05, the
sample size was derived thus:
n =
=
=
=
= 399.63
= 400
The systematic random sampling method was used in arriving at the particular 400
issues of the three newspapers. The 2015 calendar was used as a sampling frame while the
Skip Interval (S.I) was derived from the formula:
S. I.
=
Where P = Population
S = Sample
Therefore, with the population of 1095 and a sample size of 400, the skip interval is
derived thus:
S. I.=
= 2.74 = 3
Therefore, the skip interval used for the study was 3.
6.4 Content categories
Content analysis usually calls for the category systems in which the contents are
selected. The contents selected included:
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(i) Identity theft
(ii) Hacking
(iii) Cyber-crime legislation
(iv) Cyber fraud
(v) Cyber security
(vi) Cyber terrorism
(vii) Email bombing
(viii) Trojan attack
(ix) Web jacking
(x) Cyber-harassment
The above contents were classified in the following categories;
(i) Direction of coverage (Angle of coverage): This content category sought to find
out the direction that most of the reports on cyber-crime took. It looked at whether the news
stories tried to provide excuses for the act of cyber-crimes committed (negative) or whether
it condemned the actions of the criminals (positive). It equally looked at whether the
cyber-crimes were reported just straight to the point without really condemning or
supporting the acts (neutral).
(ii) Placement (Prominence): This content category sought to find out the level of
prominence (importance) that was given to news events that were cyber-crime inclined. It
sought to find out whether the newspapers in the country (typified by The Guardian, The
Punch and The Vanguard) saw the events as important to human interest. This was assessed
based on whether the reports were carried on the front pages, back pages, centre spreads or
inside pages.
(iii) Frequency: This content category sought to find out the number of times news
stories under cyber-crime was published between January and December, 2015.
(iv) Genre: This content category sought to find out the genre of the stories published
under cyber-crime; that whether the reports were carried under news, features,
opinions, columns, cartoons, letters, advertorials, such as public service
announcement.
6.5 Units of Analysis
Units of Analysis in mass media research are the genres of media contents under
which the subjects to be analysed are placed. In other words, they entail the kind of contents
or theme embedded in the content category. The units of analysis for this study were: news
stories, feature stories, editorials and opinions.
6.6 Coding and Inter-coder Reliability
Coding is the placement of units of analysis into appropriate content categories. To
fully ascertain the reliability of the coding process, two persons (coders) coded as follows:
International Journal of Social Sciences. Vol. 12, No.2, April – June, 2018
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Coding Tables and Holsti Formula
Table 1: Coder 1
Content
Category
The Vanguard The Punch The Guardian Total
Identity Theft 8 6 - 14
Hacking 2 3 2 7
Cyber legislation 2 3 3 8
Online Fraud 4 20 2 26
Cyber Security 3 15 2 20
Cyber terrorism - 2 1 3
Email Bombing - - - -
Trojan Attack - - - -
Web Jacking - - - -
Harassment - 1 - 1
TOTAL 19 50 10 82
Table 2: Coder 2
Content
Category
The Vanguard The Punch The Guardian Total
Identity Theft 8 8 - 16
Hacking 3 5 2 10
Cyber legislation 2 4 3 9
Online Fraud 2 10 1 13
Cyber Security 7 16 4 27
Cyber terrorism - 2 1 3
Email Bombing - - - -
Trojan Attack - - -
Web Jacking 1 - - 1
Harassment 1 1 1 3
Total 24 46 12 82
Holsti (1969) formula as cited in Wiminer and Dominick (2000) was used to
calculate the reliability of codings undertaken by the coders, with the formula:
CR =
Where CR = Coefficient of Reliability
M = Number of items or interia agreed upon
N l = Number of items for Coder 1
N2 = Number of items for Coder 2
Therefore CR =
=
=0.9814
Therefore, reliability is 0.98. This indicates a very high inter-coder reliability.
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6.6.1 Method of Data Collection
Data were gathered data from The Vanguard, The Punch and The Guardian
newspapers published between January 1 and December 31, 2015. The coders coded issues
on cyber-crime based on content categories of frequency, prominence, direction of
coverage and genre.
6.8 Method of Data Analysis
The data collected from The Vanguard, The Punch and The Guardian newspapers
were collated, presented in tables and computed based on simple percentages, with the
formula:
N = R x 100
N 1
7 Presentation and Analysis
This study examined newspaper coverage of cyber-crime in Nigeria. The period
covered under study was January 1 to December 31, 2015. All the data analysed were
collected from three national dailies namely: The Vanguard, The Punch and The Guardian
newspapers. The data gathered were presented in tables to facilitate easy understanding and
this formed the basis of analysis which directly addressed the research questions. For the
three newspapers, the table showing the content category of cyber-crime stories reported is
represented thus:
Table 3: Content Category of Cyber-crime Stories published in the Selected
Newspapers
Content
category
The Vanguard
The Punch The Guardian Total
Identity Theft 8(33.33%) 8(17.4%) - 16(19.5%)
Hacking 3(12.5%) 5(10.8%) 2(16.67%) 10(12.2%)
Cyber Legislation 2(8.33%) 4(8.7%) 3(25%) 9(10.98%)
Online Fraud 2(8.33%) 10(21.7%) 1(8.33%) 13(15.85%)
Cyber Security 7(29.17%) 16(34.8%) - 4(33.33%) 27(32.93%)
Cyber Terrorism - 2(4.4%) 1(8.33%) 3(3.66%)
Email Bombing - - - -
Trojan Attack - - - -
Web Jacking 1(4.17%) - - 1(1.22%)
Harassment 1(4.17%) 1(2.2%) 1(8.33%) 3(3.66%)
TOTAL 24(100%) 46(100%) 12(100%) 82(100%)
From Table 3, the Punch newspaper published more of the stories on cyber-crime
than the Vanguard and the Guardian newspaper. There was no story published on Trojan
attacks and Email bombing in any of the three newspapers. Stories on cyber security ranked
the highest number of content published by the three newspapers.
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167
Table 4: Select Newspaper Coverage of Cyber-crimes
Months The Vanguard The Punch The Guardian Total
January - 2(4.35%) - 2(2.4%)
February 3(12.5%) 5(10.87%) - 8(9.5%)
March - 4(8.7%) 1(8.33%) 5(6.1%)
April 2(8.33%) 1(2.17%) - 3(3.7%)
May 4(16.66%) 1(2.17%) - 5(6.1%)
June 1(4.17%) - 2(16.67%) 3(3.7%)
July - 4(8.7%) 2(16.67%) 6(7.3%)
August 5(20.84%) 12(26.09%) 1(8.33%) 18(22%)
September 3(12.5%) 3(6.52%) 1(8.33%) 7(8.5%)
October 4(16.66%) 1(2.17%) 1(8.33%) 6(7.3%)
November 1(4.17%) 7(15.22%) 2(16.67%) 10(12%)
December 1(4.17%) 6(13.04%) 2(16.67%) 9(11%)
TOTAL 24(100%) 46(100%) 12(100%) 82(100%)
Data in Table 4 show that The Punch newspaper published the highest number of
stories. From the total number of 400 editions selected as the sample size, only 82 stories
were published on cyber-crimes within the period of one year. The table shows the total
number and percentages of stories published per month in the three newspapers with
January ranking as the lowest (2 stories) and August the highest (18 stories).
Table 5: The Prominence of the selected Newspapers’ Coverage of Cyber-Crimes
Placement The vanguard The Punch The Guardian Total
Front page 4(16.67%) 3(6.52%) - 7(8.5%)
Inside page 20(83.33%) 43(93.48%) 12(100%) 75(91.5%)
Centre spread - - - -
Back page - - - -
TOTAL 24(100%) 46(100%) 12(100%) 82(100%)
Table 5 indicates that, none of the newspapers carried a cyber-crime story on its
back page and centre spread. Majority (91.5%) of the cyber-crime stories were published
on the inside page while 8.5% of the stories were published on the front page.
Table 6: The slant in Newspaper Coverage of Cyber-crimes
Direction Total
The Vanguard The Punch The Vanguard
Positive 5(20.83%) 18(39.13%) 5(41.67%) 28(34.1%)
Negative 3(12.5%) 2(4.35%) 5(6.1%)
Neutral 16 (66.67%) 26(56.52%) 7(58.33%) 49(59.8%)
TOTAL 24 (100%) 46 (100%) 12 (100%) 82 (100%)
From Table 6, out of the total number of 82 cyber-crime stories, majority of the
cyber-crime reports (59.8%) assumed the neutral position while very few (6.1%) assumed
the negative direction and 34.1% took the positive slant.
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Table 7: The Genres of the Selected Newspapers’ Coverage of Cyber-crimes
Genre
Total The Vanguard The Punch The Guardian
News 19(79.17%) 36 (78.3%) 10(83.33%) 65(79.3%)
Features 5(20.83%) 6(13.0%) 2(16.67%) 13(15.8%)
Editorials - 1(2.2%) - 1(1.2%)
Opinions/views - 3(6.5%) - 3(3.7%)
TOTAL 24 (100%) 46 (100%) 12 (100%) 82(100%)
Table 7 reveals that, The Vanguard and The Guardian newspapers did not publish
any cyber-crime story under editorial and opinion/views. The Punch newspaper published
their stories reflecting all the genres.
8 Discussion of Findings
The findings are discussed in line with the research objectives as follows:
8.1 Research Objective 1: This was to assess the frequency of newspaper
reportage of cyber-crimes in Nigeria.
This research objective sought to find out how regular cyber-crime stories were
reported within the period of one year (January to December, 2015) in the selected
newspapers. The data gathered indicated that the highest number of cyber-crime stories
published within the period of one year was in the month of March, representing 29%
which is very poor. From the frequency table, it could be agreed that cyber-crime beat was
not given attention as a very insignificant number of stories were published in each month.
Bryant and Thompson (2007) argued that the media should go back to the concept of
journalism in public interest to be able to discharge its proper role in the times of crises. The
role of the media is similar to that of a middle man in providing information or issues of
significance to the society. Therefore, the media in reporting cyber-crime should be
frequent in publishing cyber related news in a fair, objective and accurate way.
In relation to the Diffusion of Innovation Theory earlier used in the study, the
media must be concerned with the technological dynamics of the society within which they
operate. Cyber-crime is a fast growing crime that affects the economy and the welfare of the
citizens. Therefore, there is need for journalists to adequately cover this area of crime
because this exposes readers to the nature of the crime and help them to look out for,
identify and report all forms of cyber criminality act. This action in turn, results in the
growth and development of a better Nigeria.
The underlying paradigm of the Development Media Theory revolves round the
principles of the right to communication and communication for social change, better life
and development (Senam and Akpan, 2014). This theory is applicable to this study because
it forms the basis on which journalists must base their practice. Reporting cyber-crime
issues especially in Nigeria is necessary because cyber-crime affects the development of
the country and journalists must have in mind that any reportage undertaken must be to
promote social change, better life and development as stated by the theory.
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In view of the Social Responsibility Theory, journalists must in reporting cyber-
crime be objective, fair, just, accurate, informative, truthful and balanced. The primary
objective of a journalist in cyber-crime reportage should be to satisfy the information need
of members of the public with the support of government in place. Citizens should have
access to media and opportunity to air their views and opinions in regards to cyber-crime
related issues.
8.2 Research Question 2: To examine the prominence given to cyber-crime stories
in Nigerian newspaper.
This research objective sought to find out the level of prominence or importance
that was given to stories that were cyber-crime inclined and also find out whether the
newspapers in Nigeria (The Vanguard, The Punch and The Guardian) saw cyber-crimes as
important issues that aroused human interest or not. The data collated established the fact
that an insignificant percentage (8.5%) of cyber-crime report was carried on the
newspapers’ front pages whereas cyber-crimes reports published in the inside pages were
91.5 percent. None of the cyber-crime reports were published on the centre spread or the
back page. Based on this, it indicates low prominence given to the issue of cyber-crime in
the country.
Media audiences are always excited to read detailed stories on how events unfold
and this is largely based on the prominence given to such news stories (Rodman, 2006).
Media attention given to stories reflect on where stories are placed which invariably affects
readers’ perception of the story. The impression given here, according to Meyer (1979), is
that not all crimes are seen as being newsworthy. From the data gathered, cyber-crime
stories are mostly placed on the inside page and very insignificant number of stories were
placed on the front page, back page and centre spread. This reflects the level of attention
given to cyber-crime beat and in a sense, news placement is very important. Editors realise
sometimes that the readers may or may not go through all the pages of the newspaper.
Therefore, articles that are considered the most significant and attention getting are placed
in the front, back or centre.
In line with Development Media Theory, reporting cyber-crime issues especially in
Nigeria is necessary because it affects the development of the country and journalists must
have in mind that any reportage undertaken must be to promote social change, better life
and development as stated by the theory.
8.3 Research Objective 3: To ascertain the slant of newspaper reportage of
cyber-crime stories in Nigeria.
This research objective sought to find out the direction most of the reports on
cyber-crimes took. It looked at whether the reports tried to provide excuses for the of
cyber-crime committed (negative) or whether it condemned cyber-crimes (positive). It
equally looked at whether the news as it was reported was just straight to the point without
really condemning or supporting cyber-crimes (neutral). From Table 6, a total of 34.1% of
the cyber-crime reports were positive – cyber-crimes were condemned in reporting; only
6.1% of the reports were negative – some sorts of excuses were made for the cyber-crimes
Senam, N., Essien, B. and Ekong, E. C.
170
while 59.8% of the reports were neutral – cyber-crime reports were presented in an
objective way.
In terms of editorial bias, a substantial portion of the stories (59.8%) did not go
beyond reporting the fact as they were because the items that fell under this category were
majorly straight news stories which required news to be reported in a factual and balanced
manner without any form of sentiment. This makes the role of newspaper as a source of fair
and balanced reporting even more important although Cunningham (2003) argued that the
idea of objectivity covers lazy reporting because it fails to push the story incrementally
toward a deeper understanding of what is true and what is false. Warren (1999) disputed
this by asserting that a journalist must report facts and not a personal attitude to facts. The
press should be neutral and objective in the course of carrying out its responsibilities. A
good reporter who is well versed in the subject matter under consideration offers a detailed
explanation of the subject and it is expressed and reflected in his journalism.
8.4 Research Question 4: To find out the genres of cyber-crime stories reported in
Nigerian newspapers.
The research objective sought to find out the genres of cyber-crime stories reported
in the Nigerian newspapers. It categorised cyber-crime stories into news, features,
editorials and opinions. The data gathered yielded details on the genres of cyber-crime
stories commonly reported. Findings revealed that 79.3% of the reports were news, 15.8%
of the reports were features, 1.2% of the reports were opinions/views and 3.7% of the
cyber-crime reports were editorial. From the data gathered, cyber-crime reportage in
newspapers was not balanced in terms of genres as only news and features were given
attention. Editorials and opinions/views were reported disproportionately when compared
with news and features. Balance, according to Stanley (1997) is important as it helps to
avoid some form of leaning or slant in a work of arts. In consonance with the Social
Responsibility Theory, citizens should have access to media and opportunity to air their
views and opinion in regards to cyber-crime related issues. Newspapers are saddled with
the responsibility of publishing the opinions and views of the citizens of the country as
these enable them to take active part in the growth and development of the country.
Unfortunately, from the data collated, newspapers have neglected their role of publishing
editorials and opinions of citizens on cyber-crime beat.
9 Conclusion and Recommendations
Based on the findings and analysis, it would be pertinent to conclude that
newspaper coverage of cyber-crime in Nigeria has been generally poor. This is because
newspapers somehow failed to provide the people with information that bordered on the
people’s day-to-day information needs and interest. Again, the low reportage accorded
cyber-crimes did not enable the newspapers to condemn cyber-crimes and allay fears on
the possible impact of cyber-crimes. The attention given to cyber-crime reportage was low
as compared with other stories in the newspaper. However, when cyber-crime stories were
published, majority of the stories were carried in the inside page and an insignificant
number of cyber-crime story was carried on the front page, back page and centre spread.
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From the findings and analysis in this study, it is recommended as follows:
(i) Cyber-crime stories should be frequently reported and journalists must be trained
in this beat for effective reportage.
(ii) Front page prominence should also be given to cyber-crime stories as this helps to
stress the importance of the beat.
(iii) With the evolving trends in cyber criminality, developing nations such as Nigeria,
must take adequate measures to ensure that cyber-crime does damage the society.
(iv) National dailies should not only report cyber-crimes, but should also strongly
condemn them as much as possible.
(v) Cyber-crimes should mainly be reported in news columns so as to catch greater
attention of newspaper readers.
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