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Mass media and good governance in a democratic Nigeria: An appraisal

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Asemah, E. S. (2013). Mass media and good governance in a democratic Nigeria: An
appraisal. African Journal of Arts and Cultural Studies, 6 (2), 98-107.

Mass Media and Good Governance in a Democratic Nigeria: An Appraisal

Ezekiel S. Asemah
Department of Mass Communication, Kogi State University, Anyigba.
[email protected]. +2348035053713

Abstract
The role of communication in establishing a safe democratic world of
peace is gaining importance everyday. Though there is no magic lamp in
its hands, it has been promoting changes, performing some responsibilities
through informing, educating, persuading and entertaining the masses to a
variety of issues. The media is essential in promoting good governance,
especially in a democratic setting. The media can contribute a lot to
improving government’s accountability, transparency, rule of law, more
efficient markets, more information rich societies, etc. Good governance
prevails when government manages public institutions in an efficient,
transparent and responsive manner. Thus, the characteristics of good
governance are: participation, rule of law, transparency, responsiveness,
consensus orientation, equity, effectiveness and efficiency, accountability
and strategic vision. This paper, therefore, set out to examine and critically
analyse the role of the mass media in promoting good governance in
Nigeria. It determines the extent to which the media, whether print or
electronic, can be used to promote good governance in Nigeria in this
present political dispensation and also, providing some recommendations
on how best to use the media to make the government to be accountable to
the people. Based on the findings, the paper, among others, recommended
that the government should allow the media to operate without any form of
restraint; the media are the watchdog of every society because they
constantly go out to monitor trends- political, cultural, economic, etc, so
as to report back to the society.

Key Words: Communication, Good governance, Democracy and Peace building

Introduction
Communication, which is the exchange of ideas between two or more individuals
plays a significant role in every society. The press generally has a crucial role to play in good
governance. This, the press can do through information dissemination. Information is a
crucial ingredient in any democracy. No true democracy can function without information.
Citizens in any country need accurate information and detailed information to discuss and
make informed choices about the future. It is impossible to discuss important social, political
and economic issues without it. Information is the oxygen of democracy and if people do not
know what is happening in their society or if the actions of those who rule them are hidden,
they cannot take a meaningful part in the affairs of that society. Information flow through the
media can affect people’s idea, monitor people’s actions and thereby, creating constituencies
for change and institutional reforms. To play these roles, the media need to be independent,
accountable, able to provide relevant information and reflect social views. These positions
describe the inherent relationship between the roles of the media in realising good
governance.
The media is often referred to as the watch dog of the society because of its
willingness to ‘‘bark’’ when something is arising. To some extent, the media is a beacon or
flash light, shining a light on dark corners that some would prefer to ignore. UNESCO
(2005:33) is of the view that the media have a crucial function as the sector of the society that
is most able to promote vigilance towards the rule of law, especially through fostering
investigative journalism, promoting the openness and administrative process to officials and
to public documents. Corruption is one of the largest issues nations have to face in the
governance process. Corrupt practices rob government off the means to ensure the best of life
for their people, while many in governments may feel that exposure of corruption erodes their
legitimacy.
Asemah (2010) notes that democracy entails more than electing the so-called
representatives of the people into government. What government later does with the mandate
is even much more important and of higher concern to democracy than the mere fact of being
elected. Without an independent media, there can be no question of free speech and free
discussion of political issues. In other words, the inhibited expression of the different and
opposing viewpoints of the citizens of public matters can only be guaranteed in an
atmosphere of a free and independent press. It is therefore in line with this that an attempt is
made to examine the media as a tool for promoting good governance.

Conceptual Clarification
To be systematic, let us clarify the following concepts:
a. Governance
b. Good governance
c. Democracy
Governance
The term governance has various meanings as proffered by various scholars, but a
careful examination of all the definitions shows that they tilt towards the same direction. The
World Bank (1997) sees governance as the manner in which power is exercised in the
management of a country’s economic and social resources. The World Bank has identified
three distinct aspects of governance: (i) the form of political regime; (ii) the process by which
authority is exercised in the management of a country’s economic and social resources for
development and (iii), the capacity of governments to design, formulate and implement
policies and discharge functions. The concept of governance denotes the use of political
authority and exercise of control in a society in relation to the management of its resources
for social and economic development. This broad definition encompasses the role of public
authorities in establishing the environment in which economic operators function and in
determining the distribution of benefits as well as the nature of the relationship between the
ruler and the ruled.
Based on the above definitions, governance can be seen as the many ways individuals
and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs. It is a continuing process
through which conflicting or diverse interests may be accommodated and cooperative action
may be taken. It includes formal institutions and regimes empowered to enforce compliance,
as well as, informal arrangements that people and institutions either have agreed to or
perceived to be in their interests.
Good Governance
The United Nations Commissions of Human Rights, cited in Asemah (2010) sees
good governance as a process whereby public institutions conduct public affairs, manage
pubic resources and guarantee the realisation of human rights. Good governance
accomplishes this in a manner essentially free of abuse and corruption and due regard for the
rule of law. The principle of democracy and sustainable development will be incomplete
without the instrument of good governance. Good governance prevails when government
manages public institutions in an efficient, transparent and responsive manner and when an
informed citizenry participates and is engaged with the government in the pursuit of their
mutually beneficial social, political, economic and cultural objectives. For democracy to
effectively deliver development, it must be strongly promoted, supported and facilitated by
good governance. Without good governance, democracy, like a bad tree will be unfruitful and
of course, every tree that does not bear fruits shall die.
 Good governance is, among other things, participatory, transparent and accountable,
effective and equitable, and it promotes the rule of law. It ensures that political, social and
economic priorities are based on broad consensus in society and that the voices of the poorest
and the most vulnerable are heard in decision-making over the allocation of development
resources. Good governance, according to Asemah (2010) entails that an organisation or the
government should be able to provide the basic needs of the society and when the
government is able to provide these basic needs for its citizenry, it promotes mutual
understanding between the leaders and the led. This shows that the people will be satisfied
with the governance in place. Every organisation should be able to provide the basic needs of
the people. Government and other institutions have to be socially responsible to the people,
that is, the citizenry. This is done through provision of good roads, schools and pipe borne
water, security and health centers, etc. All these are some of the features of good governance
and corporate social responsibility and if the government cannot provide all these, the people
will not have confidence in the government.
Good governance is not just about government. It is also about political parties,
parliament, the judiciary, the media and civil society. It is about how citizens, leaders and
public institutions relate to each other in order to make change happen. Democratic
governance is about how citizens and state relate to each other. Sustainable and successful
democracies require more than elections, the existence of an independent judiciary and other
democratic institutions and even a free press. They require the existence of an established,
legitimate relationship between state and citizen. Such relationships are dynamic, complex
and take many forms, but they depend in large part, on how state and citizens communicate
with each other. Good governance has the following characteristics:

a. Respect for the Rule of Law: The rule of law says that everyone is equal before the
law. Legal frameworks should be fair and enforced impartially, particularly the laws on
human rights. The primacy of the rule of law and an impartial legal system protects the civil
rights of all people in relation to their property, personal security and liberty. The legal and
judicial system should be independent of the government so that it can serve the interests of
its citizens rather than a particular political party. In this way, it protects the civil rights of its
citizens against a predatory state. The rule of law according to Tyoden, cited in Asemah
(2010), ensures that a state has an autonomous legal order ensuring equality before the law,
limiting the power of public authority and providing equitable access to an independent and
fair judiciary. Everyone must abide by the dictates and verdict of the judicial process.
b. Respect for the Fundamental Human Rights: We have the right to life and
legitimate property, freedom of expression, etc. Accepting that all human beings are born
equal and free in dignity and rights is one of the basis for good governance. A democratic
state has the obligation to assure the respect, protection and fulfilment of all human rights in
order to ensure that its citizens can live, free from fear and free from want. With respect to
democracy, a special focus should be laid on those rights crucial for civic participation, such
as freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
However, civil and political rights alone cannot guarantee peace and human security. They
have to be embedded on the fundamental economic, social and cultural needs of the people
for a favourable environment for democracy can be fostered.

c. Popular Participation: This has to do with qualified citizens taking part in decision
making of the government, such as voting and being voted for, respect for the constituted
authority, obeying the law of the state. All men and women should have a voice in decision-
making, either directly or through legitimate intermediate institutions, that represent their
interests. Such broad participation is built on freedom of association and speech, as well as,
capacities to participate constructively.

d. Accountability: The people in position of authority must be accountable to those they

are representing. They have to present the right things to the people when they are asked to
give account of their stewardship. They should be able to give account of how they spend
public fund on projects or payment delegated to them to pay. Decision-makers in
government, the private sector and civil society organisations are accountable to the public,
as well as, to institutional stakeholders. This accountability differs, depending on the
organisation and whether the decision is internal or external to an organisation.

e. Provision of Welfare Services by the Government: For good governance to be

effective, the government and those elected should see that provision of pipe borne water,
good roads, hospitals, schools, employment opportunities, etc, are met to the barest
minimum.
f. Good Programme Policies: This has to do with the government addressing the
immediate needs and problems of the citizens through the government policies and
programmes.

g. Transparency: Transparency is built on the free flow of information. Processes,

institutions and information are directly accessible to those concerned with them and enough
information is provided to understand and monitor them.

h. Strategic Vision: Leaders and the public have a broad and long-term perspective on
good governance and human development, along with a sense of what is needed for such
development. There is also an understanding of the historical, cultural and social complexities
in which that perspective is grounded.
e
i. A High Priority on Investing in People: Investing in people means, creating a
skilled workforce. This cannot occur unless basic economic and social human rights are met,
including the right to adequate education, health services, food and shelter.

Democracy

There are so many definitions of democracy as given by different authors. These

varied definitions are based on the understanding of the authors. Enemuo in Anifowose and
Enemuo (2005:192) describes democracy as a term used to describe an idea, process (a series
of events leading to a change or a course of action) or a system of government. He went
further to say that as an idea, process or a system, democracy entrenches and expands or
seeks to entrench the rights, ability and capacity of the people in any community, whether
large or small, from the most complex to the least complicated, to take control of the lives
through participating as fully as possible in discussions and decisions, issues and events, that
affect them and their community. Danielson, cited in Asemah (2010) sees democracy as a
simple mechanism for choosing and authorising governments or a more self chosen sets of
politicians, organised in political parties for the votes which will penlight them to rule until
the next election. Ogbagu (1992:23) sees democracy as a system of government by the whole
population usually through elected representatives and organisation governed on democratic
principles favouring social equality, a system in which policy is decided centrally and is
binding on all members.
 According to Juarez in Mahajan (1988), democracy is the government of the cattle by
the cattle and for the cattle. According to Dicey, cited in Asemah (2010), democracy is a
form of government in which the governing body is a comparatively a large fraction of the
entire nation. It is the form of government in which the mass of the population has the right to
take part in the exercise of sovereign power. Thus, democracy is not just a form of
government, it is not just a mode of state, but it is also mainly a mode of appointing,
controlling and dismissing a government. The most popular definition of democracy says “ it
is the government of the people by the people and for the people”. Whether this definition
describes the political process in western democracy or not, it is pertinent to quote Kautsky,
cited in Asemah (2010) who says that ‘‘democracy is a political system in which all or the
most significant groups in a population participate in the political process and have access to
effective representation in the process of making governmental decision that is, of allocating
scarce resources’’.
This definition is a valid reply to those who refuse the name democracy to any
system which does not embody all of the features of Anglo-American system. The true
philosophy of democracy as entrenched in the Roman concept is absolute respect for the
people’s Franchise. It is a government that is determined by the citizens based on the belief
that all citizens have the freedom or liberty to decide the direction of their affairs. It is
believed that the office of the ruler is divine and therefore, only God can dethrone and
enthrone it. By implication, the collective will of the people as voters is regarded as the mind
of God and be allowed to decide the direction of government (Igben in Mojaye, Arhagba and
Oso, 2008).
Modern democracies, according to Lakoff (1996:155), may be thought of as a
compound of three variant form of autonomy, communal and plural. Democracy is a form of
rule and decisions that are taken by the majority, which must be binding on the minority that
finds such decisions against their opinions. Sawant (2000:24) describes democracy as the rule
for and by the people. The concept of participatory democracy has the creation of a
psychological climate in which there could be more or less spontaneous motivation towards
challenges and improvements and the need for a radical social reconstruction, leading to real
satisfaction and full dignity of man, requires democratic citizenship.
The democratic society rests on social consensus with regards to human development,
which is based on freedom, equality and political participation. Participation is vital to the
process of policy selection, since the consensus or majority alone could form a proper base
for social judgement.
 As varied as the definitions are, they share some similarities. It is evident that
democracy is the government run by large or vast majority of the people. This is simply so
because the government in power is often elected by the members of the society. The
members of the society appoint those who represent their interest at leadership level. It means
that legal power in the community is rested in the people as a whole and the role belongs to
the majority in the electorate in communities that act by voting.
The basic requirement for a genuine democracy is that people should be empowered
to be able to participate objectively and significantly in the governance of the country. Thus,
democracy requires that people participate openly in the process of government, with their
preferences for public policies to be taken into account by those who govern them.
Democracy is indeed a set of ideas and principles about freedom, but it also consists of a set
of practices and procedures that have been moulded through a long history. In short,
democracy is simply the institutionalisation of freedom. For this reason, it is possible to
identify the time tested fundamentals of constitutional government, human rights and equality
before the law and any society must possess to be properly called democratic. It is said to be
popular choice of government. It connotes freedom of the press with responsibility to the
state and the polity. In other words, democracy is a philosophy of government in which
sovereign power resides with the people and exercised directly or indirectly through a system
of representation. Thus, democracy by its very nature of being a representative government
of and by the people, offers the best system of building consensus within the civil society and
resolving contestation for political power in the larger society. Whatever the definition of
democracy, there is one common denominator and that is, the people who constitute the
foundation of the democratic polity. Democracy is about the people and their power; a form
of government in which state power and authority is derived from the consent of the people.
To measure a democratic a society, Tyoden (2008) says the best way to go about it is
to assess how the society approximates to a number of key elements which constitute the
basis of every democratic society. The key elements, according to Tyoden are: equality,
participation, majority rule and minority rights, rule of law and due process, respect for
human right and free and fair elections.

Theoretical Framework

The paper is anchored on the agenda setting theory. An agenda is an issue or subject
of discussion. It is a topical issue, which elicits a positive or negative comments from the
members of the public. Agenda setting on the other hand is the process of reflecting the
events in our society. The major assumption of the theory is that the media set agenda for the
public to follow. The theory holds that most of the pictures we store in our heads, most of the
things we think or worry about, most of the issues we discuss, are based on what we have
read, listened to or watched in different mass media. The media make us to think about
certain issues, they make us to think or feel that certain issues are more important than others
in our society. The agenda setting theory argues that the media may not tell us what to think,
media may tell us what to think about (Asemah 2011). Folarin (1998) notes that the agenda
setting theory implies that the mass media pre-determine what issues are regarded as
important at any given time in a given society. Agenda setting theory does not ascribe to the
media the power to determine what we actually think, but does ascribe to them the power to
determine what we are thinking about.
Wimmer and Dominick (2000) observe that the theory on agenda setting by the media
proposes that the public agenda or what kinds of things people discuss, think and worry about
is powerfully shaped and directed by what the media choose to publicise. This means that if
the news media chose to give most time and space to covering good governance, this issue
will become the most important item on the audiences' minds.
The relevance of the theory to this work cannot be over-emphasised. The mass media
are saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the events happening in the society and
reporting to the members of the society; they are the watchdog of the society. It therefore
behoves on the mass media to pay attention to salient events that happen in our society so that
they will reflect such issues. The media should make us to think about important issues that
will bring about national development; issues that will promote unity and oneness among the
different segments of the society. This is because, whatever issue the media raise,
preoccupies the minds of the audience. The media must refrain from favouritism, tribalism,
prejudice, etc. In raising these issues, there has to be balance and fairness, objectivity, etc, on
the part of the media. The media therefore are not to ignore any salient issue for political or
religious reasons.

Promoting Good Governance with the Media

Communication is an important facet of good governance, increasing the likelihood

that the formal institutions of political competition can deliver responsive government. It is
generally acknowledged that constitutional democracy is the basis for good governance, as
good governance is the antidote for corruption. The mass media are non-state actors that
define themselves apart from the state and from all other societal actors. Media can consist of
everything from national newspapers to student magazines, global broadcasters to community
radio, websites and blogs to social networks and citizen journalists to government
mouthpieces. The character of the media tends to determine the character of public debate in
democracy. A free media is fundamental to any definition of democratic good governance.
The media are popularly acclaimed to be agents of information dissemination in every
modern society. They disseminate information about the happenings in the society so as to
make people to be aware of such things. The media, which are seen as the agents of
information dissemination, therefore have a key role to play in promoting good governance.
Recognising the relevance of the media in promoting good governance, some societies have
attempted to circumscribe government behaviour by limiting the extent of secrecy and the
government’s ability to curb those who might bring about greater openness.
The media can enhance transparency and openness in the governance of a nation. The
creation of a more transparent and open democracy is the creation of a new mindset, one that
sees government as an agent of the citizens for whom it works. Government is supposed to
act in the interests of the citizens. When alternative policies will affect different groups
differently, it is supposed to identify the tradeoffs, that is, who benefits and who loses from
these alternative programmes. Government is not supposed to use its enormous power, to
benefit its leaders or special interests of the expense of the general public (Stiglitz in World
Bank Development Studies).
Mass media can play a role in enabling the citizens of any given country to monitor
the actions and activities of their leaders at all levels and to use information in their voting
decisions. This, according to Besley, Burgess and Pat in Word Bank Development Studies
(2002:45) can lead to government that is more accountable and responsive to its citizens’
needs. In the real world, the media play an important role in democracy. This is because the
citizens get much of their information from the media, whether print or electronic. This piece
of information they get from the media play a very crucial role in selecting which piece of
information to communicate to the public and in adding credibility to information provided
through other sources. Through the selective processes of reducing the cost of agents, cost of
collecting and evaluating information, the media play a major role in shaping the creation and
accumulation of the reputation.
Zingalas and Dyck in World Bank Development Studies (2002:109) note and argue
that the media can affect reputation in at least, three ways. First, the media attention can drive
politicians and government officials to introduce corporate law reforms or enforce corporate
laws in the beliefs that inaction would hurt their further political careers or shame them in the
eyes of public opinion, both at home and abroad. When politicians and government know that
if they perform, they stand the chances of coming back to the office, they will do better. This
is often made possible when the media is able to reveal to the public what good things have
been done by the politicians. The media can affect the reputation of the politicians, both
positively and negatively. For example, the projects embarked upon by the serving Senators,
Governors, etc, can be made known to the public and this might likely boost the chances of
such a leader coming back to the office. Second, the media attention could affect reputation.
In the traditional understanding of reputation, managers’ wages in the future depend on
shareholders and future employers’ beliefs about whether the managers will offer to their
interests in those situations where they cannot be monitored. This concern about a monetary
penalty can lead managers not to take advantages of opportunities for self–dealing so as to
create a belief that they are good managers. Third, media attention does not only affect
managers and board members’ reputation in the eyes of shareholders and future employers,
but media attention affects their reputation in the eyes of the society at large.
The media have a crucial role to play in exposing corruption both in high and low
levels. This implies that the media can help a nation on the road to good governance by
exposing corrupt practices. This is through exposure of frauds and other corrupt tendencies
exhibited or carried out by government and its officials; for example, the media can probe
any institution or individual charged with corrupt practices in a nation through investigative
journalism. This probing will definitely serve as a deterrent to other people who may have
such corrupt tendencies. The media can help strengthen good governance in the different
sectors of the nation. Without the media’s active support and efforts to build public opinion,
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would not have carried out the reforms that it did in 2007.
The media as earlier noted are some of the actors of governance in any society; they
monitor trends and issues as they unfold in the society, thereby reporting to the populace.
They monitor the activities of the government at all levels and also monitor the activities of
individuals. Applying good governance means ensuring that journalists are provided with the
legal mechanisms and protection necessary for them to fulfill their watch dog role, so that
they can draw the attention of the populace to the abuses of power, violation of human rights
and corruption. Thus, free, independent and pluralistic media and good governance are tied
together, as they cannot be isolated. An independent and responsible media is therefore,
crucial to governance. Good governance can only flourish when there is good journalism.
When there is no adequate information about the activities of the government, there is likely
to be poor performance on the part of the government. This corroborates Lwahas, in the
Journal of Theatre and Communication Arts (2004:16) who argues that in democracy, the
lack of adequate information is as devastating as the lack of essential social amenities like
water, education, good roads, hospitals, electricity. Lwahas further notes that lack of
information prevents poor people from assessing services and programmes that are being
addressed to them. Information promotes open government and facilitates transparency and
accountability. Information according to Lwahas is the foundation on which to build good
governance and transparency, as we need information to build the kind of democratic
structures that would be responsive to citizens and to have meaningful public conversations
about how we want to be governed. Information activates participation by citizens in
governance of a country.
According to UNESCO (2005:33), the media have a crucial role to play in promoting
vigilance towards the rule of law, especially through fostering investigative journalism,
promoting the openness of court, legislative and administrative proceeding, access to official
and public document. It further argues that the government has a crucial role in protecting the
independence and pluralism of the media, especially during crucial moments of these
processes. One of the objectives of the mass media is to understand the popular feelings and
give expression to it, another is to arouse among the people certain desirable sentiments and
finally, to fearlessly expose popular defects. Mass media must be socially responsible to the
people so as to make them to be good citizens of the state, they must also help in the
democratisation of the state and political society, institutionalisation of civic culture, through
unfettered flow of information and the rationalised use of power in social relations. In a
nascent democracy, the media can help the voters with the contents of civic and political
education and strengthen the culture of democracy. The system of communication proves a
“nerve of the polity” and any breakdown of the nerve may cause dysfunctional impact in the
performance of the polity causing government delay. When the government is socially
responsible to the people, there is the likelihood that peace will reign in the society. The
electronic and print media can promote good governance through:

a. Features: Features are written to highlight and explain what is happening in the or in
the society. In the print media for example, there are features that deserve the attention of the
populace. Such articles can be on the violation of human rights, corrupt practices, etc. When
these negative tendencies are exposed through features, it will be minimised to a great extent.
b. Development News: Development generally implies positive change. It is the gradual
process of bringing about positive change among the members of the society, including the
governments. The media, whether electronic or print, must be ready to embark on
development journalism so as to positively affect the leaders and the led. Lwahas, in the
Journal of Theatre and Communication Arts (2004:17) notes that media reports on
development initiatives can bring a critical perspective to bear on the issue. This takes place
when the mass media are able to go beyond informing and educating us about programmes
that can positively affect us, when they facilitate national conversations about development.

c. Editorials: Editorials, according to Asemah (2009) are written on crucial and burning
issues in the society. The print media mostly write editorials. Through their editorials, they
can unearth certain corrupt practices, corrupt officials, etc, thereby, promoting good
governance. In this case, different editorials can be written- editorial of criticism, praise
editorials, expository editorials, editorials of persuasion, etc. For example, the media can
write an editorial of criticism to lambast the government, individual, groups of individuals,
associations, international bodies, etc, for poor performance. An expository editorial can also
be written by the press to expose people who abuse their offices, it may also be on forgery,
perjury, etc. Whatever the case may be, editorials are also a good means of promoting good
governance.

d. Discussion Programmes: Through debates and discussions on electronic media, they

also promote good governance. The debate may be on television or radio. Through this
debate, several issues that affect the welfare of the people are raised. The media, according to
Lwahas in the Journal of Theatre and Communication Arts (2004:17), are most effective
when they help to set the right tone for proper debate and when they scrutinise policies,
programmes, initiatives, more closely and point out conditions, impact on people,
effectiveness, worth, etc. Through these debates and discussions, crucial issues that affect the
people and society are exposed and this in turn, promotes good governance.

e. Investigative Journalism: One other way through which the media can promote
good governance is through investigative reporting. Investigative reporting unearths
significant information about matters of public importance, through the use of non routine
information gathering methods. Investigative reporting requires a good deal of time and
money. Broadcast investigative reports are usually packaged in documentaries or in 10 – 15
minutes segment of news magazine programme. Print investigative stories are usually run as
a series of articles. The mechanics of investigative reporting are similar in the print and
broadcast media (Asemah, 2011). The investigate reporter is engaged in journalism of out
range, out range at unfairness, abuse and exploitation, corruption, etc. Through all these,
good governance is promoted. This is because, the reporter digs out fact concerning an issue
and brings it to public glare. Through investigative reporting, the media can also unearth
unintended consequences of programmes.

f. Through Constant Surveillance: The media constantly survey the environment so as

to report the activities of the government to the people. They must play this surveillance role
with all seriousness it deserves so as to create awareness about the happenings in the society.
There is need to thoroughly monitor the government activities and report such activities to the
populace. This is the surveillance function of the media.

g. Through Education and Enlightenment: The media need to give knowledge to the
governed and the governors. Those who lead should be made to have the knowledge that they
owe it as a point of duty to be socially responsible to the citizenry. They must be
knowledgeable of the fact that it is their responsibility to provide all the social amenities
needed by the citizenry. On the other hand, the media also need to educate the citizenry on
their fundamental human rights. Thus, there is the need to continuously mount campaigns
through the media, that will educate the leaders and the led on issues, which they need to
have knowledge about. Information flow through the media can affect people’s attitudes and
ideas, monitor the people’s actions, thereby, creating constituencies for change and
institutional reforms.
To effectively carry out the roles outlined above, the media need to be independent,
accountable and be able to provide relevant information and reflect diverse views. These
positions describe the inherent relationship between the roles of the media in realising good
governance. This means that the media outfit too must be governed by competent hand if not,
it cannot initiate principles of good governance.

Mass Media Empowerment and Good Governance

For the mass media to function effectively as a tool for promoting good governance in any
given country, there is the need to examine the environment where the media operate as
conditioned by the society and the government. This is because certain factors determine how
the media should operate. Some of the factors that determine how the media should function
are:

a. Political Factors: The political dispensation in a country goes a long way in

determining how the media function. The political ideology to a great extent determines what
and what the media should be used for. Most societies have a highly developed political
ideology while others have a very lowly developed political ideology. The six normative
theories of the press will suffice here. They are the authoritarian theory, soviet communist
theory, libertarian theory, development media theory, social responsibility theory and the
democratic participant media theory (Yaroson and Asemah, 2008).

b. The Extent of Press Freedom: A country where there is press freedom and freedom
of expression is likely to have media practitioners promoting good governance with their
media outfits while countries where there is no press free freedom will be tamed. Such
countries have press men who have the capacity to discharge their functions and deal with
issues in governance in the frame and forthright manner, as well as, uphold high professional
standards in discharging their media duties. Media freedom of expression is essential to
investigate and report incidences of corruption in a professional, effective and ethical manner.
Governments use a broad range of laws and actions aside from coercion to censure
journalists, close publications, hamstringing finances or simply encouraging a culture of self-
censorship. Old colonial laws such as sedition and libellous laws are frequently used to limit
press freedom and discriminate against journalists in court cases. Under these laws, media
often come under fire from government officials allegedly for giving a platform to
“terrorists” and “enemies” of the state. Governments also exercise control over the media
content through the licencing requirement, existing in many African countries, which
imposes conditions on media conduct and can be easily revoked. Without reliable access to
information, the media are severely limited in their capacity to exercise their public
accountability function. Laws and regulations, such as “Official Secret Acts” and similar
devices, are often used by governments to limit press access to sensitive information for
reason of national security in order to balance the citizens’ right to know and the State’s right
and duty to protect its security. Under these laws and regulations, however, governments
often enjoy considerable discretion to define what constitutes national security, which can
easily be abused by governments to prevent opponents from expressing views through the
media. Criminal defamation and libel laws, justified as necessary safeguards to privacy and
security, are other legal instruments often used to provide special immunities and special
rights to politicians and senior public servants, which prevent the media from doing their job.

c. Economic Factors: This is yet another factor that can determine how the media are
able to disseminate information to promote good governance. There is no denying the fact
that some nations are economically buoyant, they have a robust economy and as a result, they
are able to invest huge sum of money in their communication sector, yet others are
economically backward thereby, making it difficult for them to acquire the communication
gadget that is needed for broadcasting or printing. Thus, when poverty is the order of the day,
the citizens and the government will not be able to acquire the basic media such as radio,
newspapers, magazines, etc. It is quite expensive to establish a media house that will function
effectively. One needs huge sum of money to achieve that. This explains way the media of
mass communication or the communication industry is often monopolised by the government
in the poor and developing countries because, individuals do not have the financial ability to
establish their own media houses.

d. Technology: When a communication industry lacks the requisite technology–

communication infrastructure, it becomes difficult to communicate effectively. The media in
the poorer nations in most cases, depend on the developed nations for communication
infrastructure, skills and cultural products.

e. Ownership: Private ownership is often associated with higher levels of government

accountability and performance. Private ownership of media might not always produce the
desired results on corruption, particularly when media privatisation takes place in a poor
country with small, entrenched business elites and where the state is the only source of
advertising revenue. Most private radio and television stations often find it difficult to expose
corruption in public offices and perform an accountability role in the country because of their
reliance on government patronage for revenue and the closeness of their owners to the
government. Newspapers and magazines, on the other hand, tend to be more financially
independent since they can also count on revenue from sales. This often leaves them with
more resources to finance investigative research and to survive court battles defending
against sedition or libel charges.

f. Competition: Intense competition in the media industry can also be a strong

determinant of its effectiveness to combat corruption. Competition in the media has a
significant impact on the reduction of corruption and competition can even be a stronger
determinant than freedom of expression. The greater the freedom and competition in the
media industry, the more media houses will seek to print corruption news and the higher the
probability that a corrupt bureaucrat will be caught by media.

Conclusion

Good governance is a concept that describes social responsibility on the part of the
government and individuals. Good governance is often in place when the government shuns
corruption, provides good roads, health care services, hospitals, schools and take care of the
well being of the citizenry. The media have a very crucial role to play in promoting good
governance. This is because they are the watch dog of the society. They monitor trends in our
society and report back to the members of the public. Good governance has certain
characteristics; these among others include, transparency, accountability, press freedom, rule
of law, promotion of public service, participation in policy making, state improvement
through development administration, friendly and result oriented bureaucracy, availabilities
of opportunities, etc.
The media, both electronic and print, promote good governance in diverse ways.
These are, but not limited to editorials, news analysis, investigative reporting, features,
discussions, etc. Information is a critical ingredient in any democracy. Indeed, no true
democracy can function well without information flow. Citizens in any nation need accurate
and detailed information to discuss the future. Thus, it is impossible to discuss important
social, political and economic issues without communication.
Recommendations
The paper recommends that:

a. The media, both print and electronic, should constantly monitor trends in the society
so as to expose corrupt practices that may hinder good governance. One of the
 functions of the media is surveillance, thus, media practitioners must be ready to
monitor trends in the society and report back to the society.

b. The government should allow the media to operate without any form of restraint; the
media should be free from pre-censorship and post- censorship. The media are the
watchdog of every society because they constantly go out to monitor trends-
political, cultural, economic and many others, so as to report back to the society. To
do this effectively, there is the need for the press to be allowed to operate freely.
Although, there is no part of the world where there is absolute (100%) press freedom,
but, when the freedom is to a large extent, it will help the press to operate effectively.
Press freedom is an essential ingredient of the democratic culture. The higher the
degree of press freedom allowed in any country, the greater the degree of democracy
its citizens enjoy.

c. Communication plays a very significant role in the live of every nation. The
government should endeavour to constantly make use of the information channels at
its disposals to communicate its policies, programmes and prospects to the citizenry.

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