Abstract :

This study set out to investigate the patterns of framing of cultural practices against women by the media in Nigeria; as well as the challenges of framing the practices in South East Nigeria. The major objectives were to determine the frequency of coverage, the framing patterns and the constraints to media coverage. The survey method was employed to study a sample of 276 journalists in South East Nigeria using the questionnaire as instrument for data collection to determine their opinions about the challenges of media coverage of the practices. Also, content analysis method was employed to study the frequency of coverage of the practices in select radio, television and newspaper contents; as well as to determine framing patterns. In the end, it was found that both radio and television stations gave adequate coverage to the practices while the newspapers’ level of coverage was low. It was also found that the patterns of framing ranges from condemnatory stance to revealing the consequences on the societal development and to clamouring for review, amendment and eradication of the practices. However, challenges of coverage were lack of enabling laws, family and religious link to practices, sacredness and secrecy of the practices, etc.  It is, therefore, recommended that the media, policy makers, NGOs, community leaders, etc should find ways of ameliorating the identified hitches so as to enable hitch-free coverage of cultural practices so that analysis would be pragmatic.

 

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Keywords :

Challenges, Cultural Practices, Framing, Media, women

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