Prevalence of Traditional News Media Distrust in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

The news media in many parts of the world are facing challenges of trust from the audience for political information, especially with the emergence of the non-mainstream media – new/social media. Research evidence reveals that growing reliance on social media for information needs satisfaction has led to lower levels of trust in news in Africa and other parts of the world. This study investigates the prevalence of distrust in mainstream news media among audiences in Awka, Anambra State with a view to ascertaining the reasons behind the trend. The research objectives that guided the study are to ascertain the frequency of exposure to traditional news media by respondents, to ascertain if respondents distrust the traditional news media, to find out the respondents’ main source for information gratification between traditional news media and alternative media, and finally to ascertain the reasons for distrust of traditional news media. The study was anchored on perception theory while Focus Group Discussion (FGD) method was used to study 72 purposively selected respondents in the Anambra State’s secretariat, Awka. The findings revealed that respondents distrust the traditional news media due to political and commercial interference (they are not independent) in the mainstream. Also it was found that exposure to social media negatively affects trust in mainstream news media. The findings indicate that news users who distrust the veracity and honesty of traditional news media may turn to alternative outlets such as the social media for information needs gratification. The study recommended that the traditional news media should strengthen their news and current affairs contents with more credible information devoid of interference by their owners and political office holders, to make more audience members to trust their contents.

Keywords: Prevalence, Traditional news media, Distrust, Alternative media, Trust.