COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL NEWS FRAMING IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This article examines the ways in which ownership arrangements influence political news framing in Nigeria's public and private media. The study is guided principally by framing theory and complemented by agenda-setting theory, comparative media systems analysis, and the media-capture perspective. It compares the dominant public broadcaster, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), with selected private television and newspaper organizations, including Channels Television, Africa Independent Television (AIT), Arise TV, The Punch, The Nation, and Premium Times. The review indicates that ownership is an important, although not exclusive, condition shaping editorial emphasis, source selection, issue salience, and the tone used in political reporting. Public broadcasting tends to privilege official sources and government-centred interpretations, whereas private organizations display greater variation. Some politically connected private outlets reproduce partisan or proprietorial interests, while relatively independent organizations are more likely to perform a watchdog role. The Nigerian pattern is further complicated by commercial pressures, regional and ethnic affiliations, regulatory constraints, and the growing influence of digital platforms. On this basis, the article argues that a simple public-versus-private distinction does not fully explain political framing in Nigeria. A more useful interpretation is a hybrid pattern in which state influence, proprietorial interests, regional identities, and market pressures interact. The article recommends stronger institutional independence for public broadcasting and regulatory agencies, greater transparency in media ownership, expanded media-literacy programmes, and sustainable economic support for professional journalism.