INFLUENCE OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP ON PRESS FREEDOM IN NIGERIA : A STUDY OF BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF OYO STATE.

ABSTRACT The study examined the influence of media ownership on press freedom in Nigeria: A Study of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State. The objectives of the study are to find out the extent to which Oyo State interferes with the operation of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, to determine the areas in which the Oyo State Government interferes with the operations of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, to find out the ways in which the interference of the Oyo State Government affects the operations of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, and to inquire how management of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State believes the station could enjoy better press freedom. The theories employed are media ownership theory and political economy of the media theory. The methodology used was mixed method, and the research instruments used were the questionnaire and structured interview questions to collect relevant information from the sample. A total of 53 questionnaires were administered, and a complete survey enumeration method was used, and an interview was conducted with a media manager and an editor, and convenience sampling method was used. The data gathered from the questionnaires administered to journalists at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 in the form of tables and percentages, and the data retrieved from the interview conducted with a media manager and an editor were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study's findings show that Oyo State Government ownership and control compromise press freedom and editorial independence at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State. The study concluded that to promote credible and unbiased reporting, ensuring editorial independence and autonomy is crucial. Therefore, the management of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State should strive to balance its relationship with the government while maintaining its editorial independence, and the government should consider granting more autonomy to the station to ensure its credibility and effectiveness. The study recommended that governments should refrain from using ownership and funding as means of controlling media content and instead promote an enabling environment that fosters press freedom and editorial independence, and media outlets should prioritize transparency and accountability in their operations, including clear disclosure of ownership structures and funding sources, to promote trust and credibility with their audiences..