COVERAGE OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS IN AKWA IBOM STATE (A STUDY OF THE GUARDIAN AND PUNCH NEWSPAPER)

This study content analysed the coverage of rural development news in Akwa Ibom State The Guardian and Punch Newspapers within a period of one year (January 2020 and December 2020). The study among other things sought to determine the extent/volume of coverage of rural development programmes by Nigerian newspapers; the prominence accorded the coverage of rural programmes by Nigerian Newspapers as well as determines the slant of coverage accorded rural development programmes by Nigerian newspapers. Anchored on the Agenda setting theory and media development theory, 312 editions of the two newspapers published within this period of the study which provided the population accessed for the study .composite systematic sampling technique was to select the sample of the study at a skip interval of 2. Only 518 stories were carried on rural development when compared to tons of reports generated from beat like politics . By way of general placement of stories, the newspapers gave less prominence to rural development stories by placing the majority of the stories (494) on inside pages. The selected newspapers placed insignificant premium on rural issues as evident in the inadequate placement of stories on front pages and paucity of in-depth and interpretative analysis of issues. so, the selected newspapers devoted a considerable percentage of their overall rural development-oriented stories to health and agricultural development. The study however recommended that Community newspapers should be established for the primary aim of canvassing and monitoring development policies and projects including focusing attention on the development needs of the rural people.