EVALUATION OF NEWS CREDIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND PRIVATELY-OWNED BROADCAST MEDIA OUTFITS IN CALABAR METROPOLIS

This research evaluated news credibility in government-owned and privately-owned broadcast media outlets in Calabar Metropolis. T'he. main objectives of this study were to ascertain the degree of news credibility in CRBC radio end Hit FM, Calabar and to examine the factors that determine news credibility in CRBC radio and Hit FM, Calabar. This study was anchored on gatekeeping and the source credibility theories as its theoretical framework. ’li"he study adopted the survey method, multi-sampling technique, and, questionnaire to generate data from the respondents. Three hundred copies of the questionnaire were administered out of which the researcher was able to retrieve 294 copies from the respondents. Findings from the study revealed that the degree of news credibility items on CRBC radio as measured by metrics such as frequency, timeliness, currency, accuracy, factualness, slant, objectiveness, framing, attention to detail and sincerity of purpose is low while that of Hit FM seems very high. Further findings revealed that the factors that determine news credibility in CRBC radio and Hit FM, Calabar are fairness and accuracy, truth and objectivity and trust and transparency. However, CRBC radio is still lacking some level of fairness and accuracy, truth and objectivity and trust and transparency in its media content due to ownership influence. The study concluded that the news credibility of government-owned broadcast stations has declined due to ownership influence which has affected public trust and believability. The stfgdy recommended that the degree of news items on CRBC radio such as frequency, timelinéss, currency, accuracy, factualness, slant, objectiveness, framing, attention to detail and sincerity of purpose is low while that of Hit FM is very high. There is a need for CRBC radio to improve and take cognizant of frequency, timeliness, currency, accuracy, factualness, slant, objectiveness, framing, attention to detail and sincerity of purpose in their news content to build public trust which is almost going into oblivion.