Representation of Women’s Images in Nigerian Newspapers

Abstract

The representation of women in the media has been a subject of concern. This paper examines the photographic image of women portrayed in the print media today. It explores the agenda-setting theory explaining the importance readers attach to gender representation in the print media. The research presents the findings from a content analysis of two Nigerian national newspapers using articles published from January to December 2012. The findings show that the photographic images of women in the print media are portrayed negatively which undermine the status of the African woman today depicting the Nigerian women negatively, confining them to areas traditionally meant for them, and reinforcing gender discrimination and stereotype. The findings can inform media stakeholders to come up with policy on the portrayal of photographic images of women in the print media.

Keywords: Print media, Stereotype, Content Analysis, Marginalisation, Discrimination