Science and technology reporting: how have the Nigerian media fared? A content analytical study of The Guardian, Daily Trust and The Nation newspapers between August 2018 to February 2019

Newspapers cater to the needs of various sections of society and it has a great influence towards the need from the society. It shapes public opinion and influences government to build over policies and decisions to strengthen the democratic nature of the country. In a democratic society, newspaper play the role of the guardian of the rights of the people by giving awareness of particular, science news; they justify the role it plays in an individual’s life. This study looks at how the mass media give importance to science and technology reporting. It helps to pinpoint the level of preference on science and technology coverage in three Nigerian national newspapers (The Guardian, The Nation and Daily Trust). The research explores the problem by using method of content analysis (quantitative analysis in particular) by finding out factors like comparison of importance of science technology reportage than other vis-a-vis items are included in three newspapers. The study uses agenda setting theory and findings show that there is increasing science and technology coverage which supports a public interested in reading about science and technology. The study recommends among others that media organizations should step up their coverage of science and technology, particularly in terms of prominence.