Prominence of Agricultural Information in Print Media: A Content Analysis of Selected Nigerian Newspapers

This study adopted a content analysis to describe the prominence given to agricultural information in print media using four selected Newspapers. Specifically, the study determined the space allotted; the number; and prominence given to agricultural information in Nigerian newspapers. Stratified and purposive sampling procedures were used to select a sample of 384 editions of newspapers for analysis. Data were collected from hard copies of the selected Newspapers and were analysed using percentages, Kruskal Wallis (H) test and Pearson Product Moment correlation. Findings revealed that a total of 102,317.57cm2 space was allotted to agricultural information out of which 41% was used by the Guardian Newspaper. Only 398 pieces of agricultural information were reported out of a total of 29,666 pieces of information reported. There were significant differences across the newspapers in the number and space allotted to agricultural information and there was a positive and significant correlation (r=0.794) between the space allotted to agricultural information and the number of agricultural information reported. The majority (86.6%) of the agricultural information were reported on other pages of Newspapers. The study recommended that agricultural information should be reported at prominent pages and Ministries and Agencies should advertise their products and services in the newspapers.