Sexuality in Media: Emerging Issues in Africa - Africa Regional ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Issues in Africa Question 4: What issues of S/SH/SR were reported? Table 4: An Overview of frequency of reports on different issues of S/SH/SR Themes Reported HIV/AIDS Sexual Violence Sexuality Education Marriage Reproductive Health Sexual Orientation and Identity Infidelity Pre-marital sex Virginity Prostitution Love and Romance Sex Scandals Sexual Harassment Sexy Looks/ Sexual fantasy and seduction Female Genital Mutilation Sexual Abuse of children Incest Sexual problems Relationships Disappointments Sexuality and Dependency Tips for successful relationships Casual sex and sexual irresponsibility Sex and Drugs Condom Use Sexual oppression of women Pornography Single Parenthood The Sun The Vanguard The Guardian The Punch The Comet No. Of Times 9 14 - 4 8 3 4 4 - 2 16 6 6 5 - 2 - 11 8 - 3 2 - 1 - 4 % 8% 13% - 4% 7% 3% 4% 4% - 2% 14% 5% 5% 4% - 2% - 10% 7% - 3% 2% - 1% - 4% No. Of Times 5 4 6 8 9 1 10 3 2 2 10 - 2 - - - 3 5 1 2 3 4 - - 1 - % 6% 5% 7% 10% 11% 1% 12% 4% 2% 2% 12% - 2% - - - 4% 7% 1% 2% 4% 5% - - 1% - Newspapers No. Of Times 31 1 2 7 3 3 1 1 - 5 5 - - 3 - - - - - - - 5 - - 3 - - No. Of No. Of % % % Times Times 45% 1% 3% 10% 4% 4% 2% 1% - 7% 7% - - 4% - - - - - - - 7% - - 4% - - 4 1 1 1 4 - 2 2 2 2 4 - 3 3 - 3 1 3 7 3 3 5 1 1 - - - 7% 2% 2% 2% 7% - 4% 4% 4% 4% 7% - 5% 5% - 5% 2% 5% 13% 5% 5% 9% 2% 2% - - - 16 3 - 1 6 3 - - - - 2 - 5 - 3 - - - 3 1 1 1 - 2 2 - - 31% 6% - 2% 12% 6% - - - - 4% - 10% - 6% - - - 6% 2% 1% 2% - 4% 4% - - DISCUSSION: Newspapers and their Publications on S/SH/SR Issues The Sun The present research shows that The Sun is the leading newspaper in the publication of issues concerning S/SH/SR having published one hundred and twelve (112) articles in about 62% of its issues. The popularity of this newspaper seems to depend on the information on S/SH/SR and other sensational information which it carries. The Sun's reports focused on aspects of Sexuality 75% and Sexual Health 25% and nothing was published on sexual rights. Many of the articles were reports of real life happenings and The Sun does not shy away from reporting on issues of S/SH/SR and in detail. On S/SH/SR it concentrates its publications on sexual violence 13%, love and romance 14%, sexual problems 10%, relationship disappointments 8%, reproductive health 8% and HIV/AIDS. The newspaper also reports more on sexual scandals than any other daily newspaper giving it 5% of its coverage on S/SH/SR. The reports on real life issues and experiences are also enlightening and educative to the reading public. Issues of S/SH/SR appeared in all parts of the paper. Four times during the period, sexual scandal occupied the headline. Nevertheless, issues of S/SH/SR were mostly published in certain columns. These included: •Woman of the Sun •Relations •Foreign Tabloids •Sport •Sex and the City Print Media Coverage Of Sexuality Issues in Nigeria •Face to Face •Showtime •Fashion and Beauty •Intimacy • Romance •Crime Watch •Good Health •Sun Girl •Beat This •Showpiece It was not possible to know who commissioned the articles and news items. Nevertheless, it is the policy of The Sun to publish different happenings even those considered mundane by some other papers. These catchy mundane happenings are things people want to know about and attract people to read the paper. The Sun's publications are lighthearted easy to ready and accompanied with captivating photographs. The paper is not conservative although value
Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Issues in Africa judgements are rooted in a religious-conservative tradition. There seems to be no editorial policy inhibiting the publication of themes of S/SH/SR. The Vanguard The Vanguard's reports were more general. Eighty-two (82) articles appeared in about 45% of the issues with information on S/SH/SR. Eighty-five percent (85%) of Vanguard's reports were on aspects of Sexuality while 15% were on Sexual Health. Sexual Rights did not receive any attention. The Vanguard spotlighted HIV/AIDS 6%, sexuality education 6%, marriage 10%, reproductive health 11%, love and romance 11% and sexual problems 7%. Themes of S/SH/SR could be found in all sections of the paper though not as headline news during the period. Issues of S/SH/SR were mostly seen in the following columns: • Vista Human Stories • Fashion and Beauty Extra • Yours Sincerely • The Human Angle • Good Health • View Points • Features • Relationship • Family • Love Notes • Midweek Features • Woman's Own • Horoscope The Guardian The Guardian showed itself as a conservative newspaper with issues of S/SH/SR appearing only 69 times in about 38% of its daily publication. Guardian publications reflected the national and global concerns on health and certain social vices. Thus, it devoted much of the publications on S/SH/SR, to Sexual Health 53%, Sexuality 38% and Sexual Rights 9%. Forty-five percent (45%) of its publications on S/SH/SR dealt with issues of HIV/AIDS. This was by far the highest coverage of this issue by any newspaper. The Guardian also concerned itself with the institution of marriage 10%, dangers of casual sex and sexual irresponsibility 7% which were related to HIV/AIDS and the marriage institution. It discussed prostitution 7%, also relating it to moral decadence and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Love and Romance took up 7% of its publication. By concentrating on issues which border on the wider concerns about the sexual health of the nation in relation to the spread of the HIV/AIDS, The Guardian is one of the leading newspapers in the campaign against the spread of the killer disease. In The Guardian, issues of S/SH/SR appeared in all parts of the paper although not as lead stories. One Editorial comment was on sexuality education. Nevertheless, such issues appeared more in the following columns: • News column • Living Health Diet • Life Health Column • Head Gear • Special Treat • The Digest • Youngsters • Glimpses • Viewpoint Print Media Coverage Of Sexuality Issues in Nigeria • Living Woman • African news Column • Labour • Education • Sunday People • Experience • Saturday Starter • Science World • Family Live • City Update • Oddly Enough • Woman and Family • Outlook The Punch The Punch also showed a degree of conservatism towards issues of S/SH/SR carrying news on issues of S/SH/SR on 31% of its issues. Nevertheless, it covered a wide variety of issues. Among them, 46% were on matters of sexuality, 22% on sexual health and 14% on sexual rights. The Punch’s focus on HIV/AIDS was 7%, reproductive health 7%, love and romance 7%, relationships / disappointments 13% and casual sex and sexual irresponsibility 9%. The Punch showed itself as the only newspaper that concerned itself even though peripherally with sexual rights. Issues of S/SH/SR appeared in all parts of the paper except the front page. Popular column on these issues include: • News • Woman • Discovery • Health and Living • Special Features The Comet The Comet carried matters of S/SH/SR in about 28% of its issues. It concentrated mostly on issues of sexual health 53%; while sexuality and sexual rights took up 29% and 18% respectively. Thirty-one percent of the articles published were concerned with HIV/AIDS, 6% with sexual violence, 12% with
Page 1 and 2: u y n t e M Eme i g I s f i a Sex a
Page 3 and 4: Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Is
Page 7 and 8: Introduction Writing as guest edito
Page 17 and 18: Introduction Kenya like many other
Page 39: Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Is

Sexuality in Media: Emerging Issues in Africa - Africa Regional ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?