FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE OWERRI

PMB, 1056 IMO STATE

A TERM PAPER ON

NIGERIA NEWSPAPER –PARTICULARS,

CHARACTERISTICS

PRESENTED BY

NAME: NJOKU UCHECHUKWU JOY

MAT NO: 09\ 0379\MC

DEPARTMENT: MASSCOMMUNICATION

LEVEL: ND1 (MORNING)

COURSE: GRAPHIC ARTS DESIGN AND BOOK

PUBLISHING

CODE: MAC 124

LECTURER: MR. V. O. ALOZIE

JUNE, 2010
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am sincerely grateful to numerous persons who

contributed towards the success of this work.

I am indebted to my parents MR. AND MRS.

COLUMBUS NJOKU for their financial and spiritual support

towards achieving this aim.

I equally give kudos to my lovely lecturer Mr. V.O

ALOZIE for impacting numerous knowledge for the

success of this work .may his great impact never fades

towards pursuing academic excellence.

I also thank my friends and colleagues ONUOMA

CHINONSO, CHIMA OKPARA, OKERE WILSON, PATRICK

IKPAH for their motivations and contributions. May God

bless you all. Amen

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Dedication ii

Acknowledgement iii

CHAPTER THREE

Nigerian mass media – particulars and characteristics

Common characteristics of Nigerian news papers

The Nigerian press and internet

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 NIGERIAN NEWSPAPERS-PARTICULARS AND

CHARACTERISTICS

The Nigerian newspaper industry was traced back by

Henry Townsend of the Anglican Church on 31st

October1859 a British missionary who published “iwe

irohin” in Abeokuta now in ogun state. This news paper

which captured the establishment of other newspapers

was ranged by Anglo-African published in Lagos by Robert

Campbell, another foreigner in 1863.

However, the stage was set for the appearance of other

newspapers in which many of them did not last long). Iwe

irohin is an example of historical foundation of newspaper

business in Africa’s largest nation, Alozie(2005) gave a

detailed history of the development of newspaper in

Nigeria in his book, Nigerian mass media history, issues

and personalities .

In Nigeria today, there are over 400 daily, bi weekly,

weekly and fortnightly newspaper. Daily times in 1926,

the tribune (1949) and the new Nigeria (1966) are the

surviving older newspaper in the country today.

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 Generally, the guardian, daily champion, this day, daily

sun , daily independent, the comet, the spectators, new

Nigeria, the tribune, daily times, daily times, daily

standard, the observer, the ambassador, The democrat,,

The statesman etc are the popular and most newspaper

in the country.

All these newspapers have their styles, characteristics

and other particulars that make them easily dictated.

COMMON CHARACTERISTIC OF NIGERIAN

NEWSPAPERS

The most common characteristics of newspaper published

in Nigeria can be vividly looked into in the nameplates,

editorials, styles of advertising, photographs, and layout,

designs and sports columns.

NAMPLATES: Nigerian newspapers often appreciate their

nameplates; they stand at the same stage. Unlike in the

advanced countries where they can be re –activated from

side to side. Although, there is no concise system in the

placement of nameplates. The guardian, Daily champion,

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Tribune ,New Nigeria and few others spread their mast

heads across the surface of the newspaper be at the

beginning while others place their mast heads steadily

either on the right and left side of their front pages . This

day is an exception because it centralizes its nameplates.

Most Nigerian newspapers are encapsulated to the

nameplates in the front page which are nick named

“fanciful flag”. It is the desire of the publishers to fancify

them in other for them to look attractive.

BANNER HEADLINES: A banner headline runs across

the whole columns and is used to

Introduce very important of national and international

concept. Presently, most of Nigerian newspaper resort

banner headlines for very important stories.

LARGE HEADLINES: Most Nigerians newspapers use

large headlines up to 72 points or more and at times give

captions that mislead the audience. Large headlines are

common features of Nigerian newspaper.

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ADVERTISEMENTS: Nigerian newspapers carry many

advertisements even on pages where they are not

suppose to carry. In most cases, many advertisements

especially congratulatory messages to politician and

captains of industry on their birthdays, chieftaincy titles or

honorary award ceremonies than other messages and

stories. Among the consistent forms of advertisement

seen in Nigerian newspaper is obituary. Some of the

nation’s newspaper publish more obituaries on daily basis

than other forms of advertisements.

FRONT PAGE EDITORIALS: In most Nigerian newspaper

in editorial opinions appear on the front page a “front

page commentaries”. But it is unusual to find a total page

set aside for editorials . The front pages commentaries are

usually continued on the editorial pages inside with are-

caption as “editorial”.

Most of the Nigerian newspapers have opinion, editorial

(OPED), a double spread page where editorials opinion

articles, letters to the editors and editorial cartoons are

usually on the regular basis.

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LAYOUT AND DESIGNS: Most of Nigerians newspaper

layout take the same style and is based on a six column

format. A basic feature of tabloid newspapers which

dominate the country’s newspaper industry. They are

designed to attract audience and for beautification.

COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS: Most Nigerian newspapers

prefer publishing their photographs in color especially on

their front and back pages as well as inside photo

columns.

PHOTO REPORTING: Nigerian newspapers are vast with

photo-journalism. They often present their news

photographically and reportorial. Their centre spreads

and other inside pages are entirely devoted to

photographs of recent important ceremonies like awards

of chieftaincy with varying captions such as “photorama”,

a photo speak “picturesque”, “photo news” etc

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SIZE AND VOLUME: Most Nigerians newspapers are

tabloids, they all have the size tabloids (12x17 inches)

and run a six – column style.

The volume of Nigerian newspapers have been increased

as a result of additional materials available to them for

publication

In 1970s and 1980s, it was said that the most largeable

newspaper in Nigeria, was the daily times which used to

have up to 48 to 80 pages depending on the materials

they have for publication. “bumper editions” was also

published during special occasions.

MEDIA THEORY: A democratic nation like Nigeria, Her

press

adopts the social responsibility theory of the mass media

which inculcates press freedom with accountability to the

society. Despite all limitations and odds, The Nigerian

press is so wide freest in Africa .

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 SUMMARY

According to Alozie (2005) concept and other media

scholars, the history of the Nigerian press is certain that

the print media though comparably young in advanced

terms, is by African development.

From iwe irohin(1859) and Anglo-African in 1863 to

African to African messenger(now daily times in 1922)

and west African pilot in 1937, The Nigerian press now

has continue to grow and expand with the present

advancement in science and technology in stock with the

invention of the internet.

THE NIGERIAN PRESS AND THE INTERNET

The internet technology, a characteristic of the 21st

century now in vogue has come to facilitate written

communication than any other technology before it.

Newspapers, magazines, and electronic media in Nigeria

depend on the internet, satellite communication and other

types of international for their daily news on the

international arena.

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 The Internet has contributed in improving the capability

of Nigerian mass media to inform and educate their

heterogeneous audiences. The internet technology has

placed the Nigerian press at the fore front of many of its

contemporaries in Africa and other developing nations

which are not as viable as Nigeria due to socio-economic

reasons.

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 REFERENCES

Alozie, victor O. (2005 ): Nigerian mass media history,

issues and personalities. Owerri. Pilvic communications.

Akinfeleye, R .A (1982): Essentials of modern African

journalism: A premier. Lagos. Miral printing press.

Britner, John (1989): Mass communication, an

introduction (5th edition) Engle wood cliffs, New Jersey:

Bonaparte napoleon ( 19th edition): “The power of the

press” quoted by Ihejirika Donatus in IBC, Owerri New

stalk, June 1976.

Ekwelie S.A (1985) (Evolution of the print medium): The

African experience in Onuora Nwuneli (ed) Mass

communication in Nigeria: A book of readings. Enugu:

fourth dimension publishers.

DEDICATION

This piece of work is specially dedication various persons

who have impacted knowledge into me academically,

morally and otherwise. May God bless you all. AMEN.

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