The Media And The Culture Of Corruption

Introduction

Definition of Concepts

Media

Marshall Mcluhan sees the media as extensions of man which alter the balance between the senses thereby changing our perception of the world around us. He postulated that in order to study media, we should not focus on the content (which is only another medium), but rather on the way it alters our perception patterns.

Other scholars like Harold Laswell and Charles Wright proposed that the media are extensions of those functions the society has always needed and operate within a social system. Hence the functions of the media include:

1. Surveillance of the environment – the media teaches us about the world and exposes us to other societies.
2. Correlation of different elements of society – this involves selection, evaluation and
         Interpretation of events.
3. Socialization and transmission of culture – through the media we learn societal values, norms, and are also exposed various to issues via news and advertisements.
   Culture
   The word “culture” derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin word “colere”, which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture. Culture is a socialization process which involves teaching and learning. It is a concept which encompasses a range of ideas and meanings relating to roles, values, norms and institutional structures (such as family, work, educational and political systems), beliefs, arts and artifacts. It is difficult to define culture in only one way because it is constantly in motion.
   Dahl (2001) argued that culture is “a collectively held set of attributes which is dynamic and changing over time”.
   Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, cuisine, religion, social habits, music and arts (Zimmerman, 2015).
   Sociological definitions of culture posit that culture is a complex whole that includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities or habits acquired by a human being as members of society.
   It is important to consider the term subculture which refers to smaller groups of individuals sharing a particular way of life. Examples include students, football enthusiasts, e. t. c. An individual could be a member of several subcultural groups.
   Functions of Culture
   According to Mazrui (1996), there are 7 functions of culture:

1. Communication – culture provides the context for the development of human communication systems such as language.
2. Perception – culture shapes the way individuals perceive and understand social situations.
3. Values Systems – As a result of socialization, cultural values influence people’s behavior to some extent.
4. Motivation – Cultural values and norms set behavioral boundaries and stipulates rewards and punishments for certain behaviors.
5. Stratification – culture differentiates its individual members into various groups on the basis of gender, social class, age, e. t. c.
6. Identity – each culture has a uniqueness which distinguishes them from others.
7. Production and consumption – culture defines what people need, use and value as part of the overall survival mechanism of any society.

Corruption

According to Transparency International, corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It can be classified as grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the sector where it counts.

Grand corruption comprises acts committed at a high level of government, distorting policies and the central functioning of the state. It enables leaders to benefit at the expense of the masses.

Petty corruption is the daily abuse of entrusted power by low and mid-level public officials in their dealings with the citizenry. It occurs in places like schools, hospitals and the police force.

Political corruption on the other hand, is a manipulation of policies, institutions and procedures in the sharing of resources by the ruling class, who abuse their position to sustain power, wealth and status.

Corruption can be regarded as the misappropriation of anything that follows the natural law, and not only funds. It is important to note that there is no universally accepted definition of corruption because what is perceived as corrupt practices by one culture may be accepted as legitimate by another culture. The word corruption is indeed a complex term because it is culturally conditioned. Using one’s influence to get a job for a friend or kinsman would not be considered as corruption by a Nigerian, but it would be condemned by someone of Western origin or background.

According to Olagunju (2012), corruption is the bane of any nation; its malady cuts across every religious denomination and political system and it affects all and sundry. It is similar to a cancer that contaminates every facet of society.

Oyinola (2011) posited that corruption is found in but not restricted to award of contracts, staff promotion, students admission, dispensation of justice, embezzlement of public funds, abuse and misuse of office, documents forgery, favoritism, theft, fraud, blackmail, bribery and misappropriation of funds.

Causes of Corruption

1. Weak Government institutions.
2. Poor pay incentives.
3. Ethnic and religious differences.
4. Resource scramble.
5. Culture and acceptance of corruption by the populace.
6. Absence of anti-corruption tools.
7. Lack of transparency in public service.
8. Disappearance of moral and ethical values.

 How Corruption Impacts Society

Corruption impacts society in several ways. This has been depicted below:

1. Politically – Corruption is the main hindrance to entrenching democracy and rule of law. Accountability of political leaders is highly questionable. Electoral malpractices are also observed.
2. Economically – corruption diminishes national wealth, loss of government revenue, distorts competition and hampers the growth of fair market structures. This discourages investment.
3. Socially – corruption weakens people’s confidence in the political structure and their political leaders. There is also a perceived negative national image.
4. Environmentally – corruption results in environmental degradation. This is due to the absence or non-enforcement of ecological legislation which culminates in insensitive abuse of natural resources and damaging of ecological systems.
5. Culturally – corruption promotes elitism as the norm. It widens the gap between the rich and the poor

The Nigerian Media Landscape – Development of the Press

According to Olayiwola (1991), media ownership and practice in the colonial era was dominated by missionaries, colonial administrators, nationalists, political parties, etc. Back then, the press served as a medium for public debate, political protest, critiquing the excesses of the colonialists and stimulating the emergence of nationalist movements.

The 1^st newspaper in Nigeria was established in 1859. It was known as “Iwe Iroyin”. Subsequently other publications followed, some were championed by nationalists like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who had been trained in journalism. Most newspapers in Nigeria today are privately owned.  In the 1970s, there was however an era when the military intervention in politics saw some newspapers being taken over, hence the press were somewhat unable to attain journalistic independence as a result of military decrees. The coverage of political corruption in Nigeria by several newspapers revealed that the historical development of newspapers in Nigeria was characterized by several challenges which include colonialism, commercialism and military intervention.

History of Corruption in Nigeria

1. Some politicians of the First republic (1960–1966) demanded 10 percent of the value of awarded contracts. However, the Aguiyi-Ironsi led military government that took over  afterwards was corrupt-free.
2. The Yakubu Gowon led military government and the oil boom era was tainted with corruption (1966-1975).
3. Obasanjo’s military tenure was also fraught with corruption of high government officials (1975-1979).
4. The Shehu Shagari era (1979-1983) witnessed the democratization of corruption. Government officials owned private jets and stashed money in overseas banks.

5. The Buhari-Idiagbon government (1984-1985) recovered large sums of money.
6. Corruption elevated once again during the Ibrahim Babangida regime (1985-1993).
7. General Sani Abacha’s reign was even worse and witnessed heightened corruption (1993-1998).
8. The return of civilian rule with Obasanjo and his successors was still fraught with corruption, till date.

Past and Present Anticorruption Efforts and Agencies in Nigeria

Over the years, the Nigerian Government has put several anticorruption measures and strategies in place. Some of these include:

1. Ethical Reorientation Campaign
2. War Against Indiscipline
3. Failed Banks Tribunal
4. Money Laundering Act (2003)
5. Advance Fee Fraud and Fraud Related Offences Act (1995)
6. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (2003)
7. Code of Conduct Bureau
8. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
9. Office of the Ombudsman
10. Standard Organization of Nigeria
11. Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency
12. The Nigerian Police Force

The Media’s Role in Reporting Corruption

Corruption is a global phenomenon which impedes socio-economic transformation of developing nations. It has been argued that a reduction in the corruption level influences the level of economic development of any country.

The media is actually responsible for reporting corruption because they bring to the public domain the depth of corruption in the country, the impact on the citizenry, and the need for financial prudence in the management of the country’s resources. This is done through various articles and publications in the print media, discourse and programs on the radio and television, documentaries, and even via movies and short drama skits. There are also reports on social media via twitter, facebook and blogs like Bella Naija and Linda Ikeji.

Other roles played by the media include:

1. Generation and sustenance of support for anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau, e. t. c.
2. Exposure of corrupt public officers leading to their removal and prosecution.
3. Reinforcing values of honesty and integrity in the society.
4. Raising public awareness on the management of corruption.

Questions to be answered

1. How effective is the media in championing this anti-corruption crusade?
2. Are the media responsible/irresponsible for corruption reportage in Nigeria?

Media Reportage of Corruption in Nigeria 

1. Prior to the 2015 elections, African Independence Television aired a controversial documentary titled “The Lion of Bourdillon” which exposed the mismanagement of land, property and funds by former Governor of Lagos and National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The documentary was proof that Tinubu was invincible and under his administrative incompetence, corruption had gradually become a normal phenomenon. Tinubu at the time threatened to sue Daar Communications the owners of AIT for  airing the ‘slanderous documentary’ designed to taint his image before the electorate.
2. In 2015, the allegations of unremitted funds into the Federation Accounts by the NNPC (as discovered by Price Water House Coopers during their audit exercise), was reported by Channels Television, The Vanguard, The Punch and several other media outfits. The reports revealed financial impropriety amounting to $1.28 billion in payment for petrol and kerosene subsidy between January 2012 and July 2013. It also exposed the under-reporting of revenue generated.
3. The media also reported issues like the excessive amount of funds expended on Nigeria’s centenary celebrations, the pension fraud scam, the Farouk Lawan $3million bribery scandal, and several other incidents bordering on corruption.

Additional Roles the Media Should Play in Anti-Corruption Campaign

Even though the media is involved somewhat in the reportage of corruption, there is still a lot more that should be done to ensure that the media engage in the effective reporting of corruption.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

1. There is a need for the media to engage in increased investigative journalism.
2. The media should highlight the need for ethical revolution in the society and steer anticorruption agencies to do more in that direction.
3. The media should be transparent and independent in whatever it reports to the public. This role has been largely hampered as a result of ownership and sponsorship, which directly influences news reportage.
4. The media should not be divided by ethnic, regional and political influences. This is the only way it can play an effective role in reporting corruption.
5. Acceptance of gifts, freebies, special treatment, and bribes by journalists should be restricted to ensure investigative journalism is effectively carried out. Despite professional code of ethics, journalists may succumb to such juicy offers and this undermines their credibility and professionalism in information gathering and dissemination. Media establishments should cover expenses incurred by their reporters, and also live to expectations by providing regular salaries and conducive working environment for journalists.
6. Media practitioners and reporters should desist from soliciting for or accepting payment to suppress or publish information so as to give accurate and unbiased reports about events or occurrences.
7. All media practitioners and stakeholders are enjoined to adopt zero tolerance attitudes to corruption both in the media and the larger society.
8. Reportage of corruption articles should be given prominence and placed as news headlines in newspapers or radio/television news.
9. The media should not encourage the honoring of wealthy corrupt individuals by individuals, communities, religious bodies and corporate organizations. These individuals who have garnered fake wealth should not be celebrated and given all the tributes.

 Factors Affecting Media Performance in Combatting Corruption

1. Freedom of expression.

2. Access to reliable information
3. Ownership
4. Credibility i.e. people’s trust in independent media

 An Opposing Viewpoint on the Media’s Role in Corruption Reportage

1. Some scholars have argued that the media acting as a watchdog in the society is not always desirable. It should rather be concerned with entertainment and amusement.

2. Media monitoring has no impact on ensuring government accountability so corruption reportage by the media is not necessary.
3. The media reportage of corruption does not really make a difference and hence has no effect on the development of the society.
4. Media corruption reportage erodes trust and support for government so it should be curtailed.
5. Media exposure of corruption is more of scandalmongering.

Theoretical Framework – Agenda Setting Theory

Propounded by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972, this theory focused on salience transfer and gatekeeping. It posits that the media have a large influence on audiences by pointing at what they want us to focus on or think about

It also postulates that the media can increase the frequency of reportage of corrupt activities, giving them prominence and believes that different media have different agenda setting potential.

Criticisms of Agenda Setting Theory

1. The media does tell people what to consider as important but does not tell people what to think or what judgements to make.

2. People have different frames of reference so what they consider important will not be influenced by the media.
3. The theory does not consider the personal interests of the audience but rather focuses on salience transfer by the media.
4. Media can only alter awareness and priority, it cannot create problems

Conclusion

Since corruption is a global phenomenon which impedes socio-economic transformation of developing nations, the role of the media is critical in efforts against tackling corruption in Nigeria. Training in investigative journalism is imperative, whilst professionalism and autonomy of the media is essential. If the media is strengthened, their role in curbing corruption would be enhanced and this would be beneficial in the long run to the society.

 

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