An assessment of media systems and operations in Nigeria’s democracy: using the normative theories of the press

Abstract

This study examined media systems and operations in Nigeria with particular attention to Nigeria’s democracy. The study provides a global perspective of media systems and operations and narrows it down to Nigeria. The researchers also examined the models of media systems and operations. Consequently, three models were identified. They are the polarised pluralist, the democratic corporatist and the liberal models. The researchers also examined the normative theories of the press that provides theoretical explanations on the relationship between the press and the government and how this affect the operations of the media. Therefore, the six theories examined were authoritative theory, the soviet communist theory, the libertarian theory, the social responsibility theory, the development media theory, and the democratic participants’ theory. The researcher links these models and theories of media systems and operations in Nigeria’s democracy and argues that Nigeria is currently practicing the liberal model with a combination of libertarian and social responsibility. It is recommended that further empirical studies should be examined to ascertain journalists’ views on the media systems and operations in Nigeria.