Online Newspaper Framing of Operation Safe Corridor

Abstract

This study examines the types and tones of frames used by four selected online Nigerian newspapers in reporting the Operation Safe Corridor Programme from October 2016 when the programme was established to January 2023 when there was a large number of voluntary defectors of Boko Haram surrendering to the Nigerian government. This study was situated within the context of framing theory and used content analysis as a method of data collection. It purposively selected HumAngle, Premium Times, Yerwa Express News and PRNigeria online newspapers based on their editorial contents on conflict and peacebuilding reporting and adopted census approach to examine 7,885 editions of the selected online newspapers. A total of 802 news stories and feature articles were recorded and findings revealed that the selected newspapers reported the Operation Safe Corridor Programme using twelve framing categories. Data also revealed that the return of the repentant frame is the dominant frame used in the reportage of the Operation Safe Corridor programme, where the tones of frames are mostly positive. The study recommends that newspapers should diversify framing strategies to incorporate other frames such as reintegration and public view frames to provide a balanced and comprehensive view of the initiative. It is the recommendation of this study that further studies on media effects should be conducted to ascertain how these frames influence public perception regarding Operation Safe Corridor programme.