Visual News Patterns and the Boko Haram Insurgence in Nigerian Newspapers

Abstract

Visuals, also known as news photographs, are communication channels which constitute critical components in news dissemination in the print genre. Visuals are used in communicating issues of serious implications like the Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria. However, while studies have examined textual news coverage of the Boko Haram, studies analyzing visual coverage are lacking. The present study examines visuals in the coverage of the Boko Haram insurgence. The content analysis research method was used to analyse news photographs of four national newspapers. Categories were based on related visual analysis literature. The visual contents of the newspapers were analysed using quantitative approach. Data and findings were discussed in relation to their implications for political communication in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria.

Keywords: Visuals, Frames, Newspaper Coverage, Boko Haram, Political Communication, News photographs, visual techniques.