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

Sexuality in the Media: Emerging Issues in Africa
connected with S/SH/SR and with their pictorial and sensational method of
reporting, it would seem that their reports make more impact on the common
reading public than newspapers.
Also the readership of the newspapers and magazines differed greatly. The
majority of the women interviewed rarely read newspapers beyond the
headlines but they agreed to devour the articles in the magazines from page to
page.
More men, especially the upper and the middle income, read newspapers than
women.
The youths both male and female rarely read newspapers. Female youths
however read the magazines from cover to cover whenever they have the
opportunity. That is why hairdressing saloons where such magazines are
supplied for the entertainment of customers are popular spots for the female
youths.
There were great differences in content between the newspapers and the
magazines. Issues of S/SH/SR in the daily newspapers were mostly informative
and educative reflecting the general concern of the society with these issues. For
instance, issues of HIV/AIDS and reproductive health were dominant in the
newspapers. The magazines reported sparingly on such issues.
The concentration of the magazines on issues of S/SH/SR and the sensational
reportage provide the attraction to the reading public even though reported
happenings might be publicly regarded as against the societal norm or as
immoral.
Nevertheless, both the newspapers and magazines depict the concerns of
Nigerians on issues of S/SH/SR. These concerns are about love and romance,
how to forge healthy relationships, marriage with its bliss and problems, sexual
problems, reproduction, infidelity and sexual escapades both among the youths
and adults.
The newspapers were more educative in their publications while the magazines
were more concerned with entertainment utilizing the entertainment value of
sexual issues.
Conclusion
This study has examined the nature of media reports on issues of S/SH/SR in
five national newspapers during the first half of year 2004.
The following findings were made
• Issues of S/SH/SR received a fair coverage.
• Issues reported in the order of frequency of report
S/N
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11
12
HIV/AIDS
Love and Romance
Reproductive health
Sexual Violence
Marriage
Disappointing Relationships
Sexual Problems
Infidelity
Casual Sex and sexual irresponsibility
Sexual harassment
Prostitution
Sexuality education
Print Media Coverage Of Sexuality Issues in Nigeria
Table 41:Total no of reports on issues of S/SH/SR in 5 daily Newspapers in six months
Issues of S/SH/SR
Total no of times
in 5 National dailies
in 6 months
65
This shows that reports reflected the wider concern with the HIV/AIDS
epidemic. Thus reports on other issues such as infidelity, premarital sex, casual
and irresponsible sexual behaviours mostly ended up with a warning about the
possibility of contracting HIV/AIDS. These frequent reports on HIV/AIDS
must have contributed to the awareness of the dangers of this disease though
this awareness does not seem to have translated much into responsible sexual
behaviours encouraging safe and pleasurable sex.
37
30
23
21
19
19
17
17
14
11
9