The concept or term ‘rural’ brings to mind an unsophisticated, simple lifestyle of clusters, of small communities of people and thus having no relation to any and every form of sophisticated and its attendant complexities, or what the world knows today as the media, an icon of sophistication and urbanity. The development of what we know as the media had little to do with local communities as history records; it grew from metropolitan commercial meeting point to communities of elite’s gatherings that discussed political issues and argued out opinions, something reflected in the media and newspaper pages today. Though Nigeria’s media development was a bit rural centered- Iwe Iroyin and Ati Egba; Yoruba paper by Rev Townsend- the issues the media picked as their point of focus today removes from the Nigerian print newspaper media its historical connection with its rural based root.
This state of Nigerian newspapers seemingly gives no chance or hope whatsoever of a relationship between rural Nigeria and her media in any way. Presently, the electronic media takes the lead in reach to rural areas and coverage of rural issues. Media scholars in their studies conclude the electronic media, radio especially in its less sophisticated form and easily operable receiver makes the most effort at national development in terms of including the rural dwellers and in taking mass media communication all the way to the rural level. Moemeka (1985) agrees to this confidence placed on the radio medium, stating that United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lend credence on radio in rural development activities (p.181).
Moemeka (1985) however discussed how the print media can be used for rural and national development, suggesting that despite the newspaper being viewed as a literate medium, with its cost and distribution limitations likely urban-elite orientation, it should not be written off as insufficient enough for rural development activities or rural reporting (p. 180). Reasons cited for the newspaper eligibility for the purpose include the newspaper’s enduring characteristic, content retention for better understanding as a result of this enduring quality, varied content of the newspaper mass medium and newspaper serving as reading material for new literates who not just learn to read but read to learn (p.181). He also deduced the newspaper as an appropriate medium for eliciting the sympathy, understanding and support of urban population and government official for rural development and thereby leading to the growth of a national whole (Moemeka, 1985, p. 180).
Wimmer and Wolf (2005) in discussing development journalism and exploring discussion about development politic elucidate development as a central social objective, establishing that development is considered as a solution for social problems in general and is not exclusively limited to rural areas; stating the problems of the growing urban area have to be central topics of reporting as well (para. 2). Social problems of the growing urban area can be seen in 2012 May/June Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Minister of Transformation policy affecting suburban satellite towns of the FCT and its attendant complication; most especially the residents of these areas have In adjusting to the policy. Also, rural underdevelopment is elaborated by Moemeka (1985) as not just an issue which concerns only the rural areas and the illiterate masses that inhabit them but as much more, as a national problem on national development affecting practically every facet of national life and concerning urban as well as rural areas, and as a drag on national as well as individual progress (p. 180).
Onuekwusi’s (2010) points out that national development should be Nigeria’s core goal with the media becoming a major player in building Nigeria’s future. Emphasizing that the media is much more than just a catalyst for national growth; describing a catalyst as a sustenance that enhances a process. He said the media also enhances but it is a more powerful force that builds or destroys; depending on how Nigeria’s media plays its role. He expansively outlines national development as the core goal of the nation’s growth where he states development as based on four concepts; development as a decision, human capital as a single greatest resources, development as a continuum ‘bicycle theory’, and the Akamelu factor ‘the world is fashioned by man’ and outlines that the culture of development requires integrity/trust, love for society, save and investment culture and value for time among others (Onuekwusi, 2010, para. 8). He explores development as, after man’s spiritual purpose, the core goal of human life on earth as he restates God’s injunction to man after creation to increase, multiply and conquer the earth- an instruction he observes Nigeria has half obeyed, increasing in terms of biological procreation and paying lip service to and/or openly showing irresponsibility to the multiply and conquer injunction in terms of socio-political, economic development (Onuekwusi, 2010, para. 7).
The article further faulted Nigeria placing her national focus on partisan politics, affirming that Nigeria’s real exchange of national building is to convert the national core goal from partisan politics to development and maintaining that our national ‘solution lies in creative thinking and affirmative action driven by enlightened leadership pursuing clear change management initiatives’ (Onuekwusi, 2010, para. 12). Isiaka (2005) proposes a new orientation for the nation’s journalist to enable them play a credible role in the development of the society. The nation should build a newspaper that will aid at the development of the society and a medium concerned with public welfare, not just one that satisfies the whims of the oppressive class (p 132, 133). Namra (2004) in proposing forward initiatives for social advancements insists that a modern society characterized by democracy, social and economic justice, national integration, social discipline and economic progress cannot be possible without the active and oriented help of the mass media and asserts that development should include the values of human dignity, equality, social justice, security; faulting any devilment that doesn’t bring these values or that doesn’t provide all people equal opportunities as suspect.
Singh in his study of Mass Media in Development, where he reviews newspaper coverage of development programmes notes, ‘with the increasing literacy, the circulation of newspaper is also growing. At the same time, the dimension of their impact is also rising’. This is also the situation of Nigeria and thus is an encouragement to establish and increase Newspaper rural coverage.