Media Reportage of the Informal Economy in Nigeria
Abstract
The media are regarded as critical players in setting agenda for the public concerning what issues to consider as important. The media also play essential roles in shaping public opinion and eventually attitude. Coverage of the informal economy is one of the ways through which the media could highlight the issue as important and attract policy attention. In time past, scholars have examined the role of the media in economic development and how the media have performed this role. However, studies have not explored media coverage of the informal economy. The objective of this study was to examine media coverage of the informal economy. Content analysis was used to achieve the objective of this study. A total of four newspapers were sampled for the study. The duration of the study was three years. A code sheet was the instrument for data collection. Descriptive statistics was used for data analysis. The results of this showed that the media paid less attention to the challenges facing the informal sector it as well as its contributions to the general well being of the national economy. The researcher recommends, among others, that the media should improve on their coverage of the informal sector.