NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF HUMAN RIGHT ABUSE (A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF FOUR NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS)

ABSTRACT This study focused on newspaper coverage of human right abuse (a content analysis of four national newspapers). The study employed quantitative research design with content analysis. One thousand, five hundred and eighty-eight (1,588) editions of The Punch, The Sun, Daily Trust and The Nation newspapers in the year 2024-2025 were purposively selected as population while three hundred and sixty-eight (368) editions were selected in October and November 2024, and May 2025 through random sampling as sample size. Validated Coding Manual (Guide) and Coding sheet (coding scheme) were used for data collection while tables and percentages were used for data analysis. Findings revealed that the Nigerian newspapers gave adequate coverage to cases of humus right abuse in Nigeria because the number of stores used reporting the issues were high. It was also found out that the depth of coverage for cases of human right abuse in Nigeria was high when compared with spaces allotted to issues of business, politics, corruption, etc during the period under coverage. Most of the stories on causes of human night abuse in Nigeria were written news story format and far in-depth stones such us editorial and features. The study concluded that there is need for greater prominence and in-depth coverage of human right abuse to promote a more comprehensive understanding and potentially drive policy change and public awareness on human right issue. The study recommended that the media should always continue to sensitize the general public on the causes and negative effects of human right abuse in Nigerian the mass media should embark on extensive investigative journalism in wider not only to unearth facts behind problems associated with human right abuse in Nigeria, but also adequately follow up the stories earlier reported up to its logical conclusion. Word Counts: 291 Keywords: Newspaper, Coverage, Hunan Right Abuse.