Aniefiok Christopher
A University don from Akwa Ibom says ownership influence and advertisements have overwhelmed the greater public interest with essential news values relegated to the background as the highest bidders usurp the agenda – setting role of the media.
A Professor of Broadcast and Media Studies at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), Prof. Uwem Udo Akpan, stated this when he presented the 129th in the series of inaugural lectures of the institution held at the 1,000-capacity TETfund auditorium of the institution’s main campus, Nwaniba, Uyo, at the weekend.
Akpan raising concerns over the declining independence of media practice, especially in broadcasting in Nigeria, warned that the industry has been under siege in what he described as “the gulag of government control and the jaws of commercialism.”
While examining the challenges confronting public service broadcasting in Nigeria, he called for urgent reforms to restore credibility and public trust in the media.
In the lecture entitled: Between the Gulag of Government Control and the Jaws of Commercialism: Whither Public Service Broadcasting in Nigeria?, the media scholar argued that Nigeria’s broadcast sector has gradually drifted away from its original mandate of serving the public interest.
According to him, although broadcasting in Nigeria was initially designed as a public service system, successive political developments and commercial pressures have turned many broadcast stations into instruments of political propaganda and profit-driven enterprises.
Akpan explained that government ownership of the majority of broadcast stations has resulted in excessive influence over editorial policies, thereby limiting the independence of media organisations.
“Government controls more than 80 percent of broadcast channels in Nigeria, and the multiplication of stations does not necessarily translate to diversity of voices,” he said, noting that such control often leads to the dominance of a single official narrative that is mistaken for public opinion.
He also criticized the increasing commercialization of broadcasting, describing it as a situation where profit considerations overshadow professional ethics and public responsibility.
The professor noted that under commercial pressure, advertisers and sponsors increasingly dictate media content, with news selection sometimes influenced by financial capacity rather than public relevance.
“News in the media is dictated more by the content and size of the pocket than by newsworthiness,” he warned, adding that such trends undermine the integrity of journalism and weaken the role of the media as society’s watchdog.
Akpan further highlighted the phenomenon of media capture, where external political or economic interests influence editorial decisions, leading to what he described as the blurring of boundaries between the media and the political establishment.
When media institutions align excessively with government or powerful economic actors, according to him, their traditional role as the Fourth Estate becomes compromised.
The professor also pointed out that “the commodification of news has resulted in superficial coverage of elite social events while issues affecting ordinary citizens receive limited attention.”
To address the challenges, Akpan proposed the establishment of a truly independent public service broadcasting model in Nigeria, similar to that of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
He suggested that such a broadcaster should operate under an independent charter rather than direct government legislation and be funded through public licence fees to ensure operational autonomy.
According to him, the proposed model would guarantee impartial news coverage, promote diverse viewpoints and strengthen democratic engagement.
“If broadcasting is to contribute effectively to genuine democracy, public interest must coexist with government and commercial interests,” he said.
Akpan added that establishing an independent public service broadcaster would help liberate Nigeria’s broadcast system from political manipulation and excessive commercial influence, while ensuring that the media truly serves the people.
He further advocated the establishment of a truly independent public service broadcasting model in Nigeria to strengthen democracy and better serve the public interest.
He noted that since the establishment of the National Broadcasting Commission in 1992, Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape has undergone significant changes, with both government and private stations increasingly driven by the pursuit of advertising revenue.
”While private operators aggressively seek advertisements, government-owned stations continue to struggle under the heavy weight of government control, a situation he said has left audiences largely dissatisfied,” he argued.
The Professor observed that under the current system, effective participation in the communication process often depends on influence or financial capacity.
He, therefore, recommended the introduction of an additional broadcast model, an independent public service broadcasting system free from both government interference and commercial pressure, similar to the structure of the BBC.
He stressed that such a model would help ensure that broadcasting truly serves the public interest and contributes meaningfully to democratic development in Nigeria.
The acting vice chancellor, Prof. Samuel Adewumi, who presided over the session, described the lecture, which formed part of the academic tradition of the school, as insightful and thought- provoking, and commended Prof. Akpan, for arriving safely at the zenith of his academic career, having fulfilled the essential requirement of a full- fledged professor.
The inaugural lecture attracted academics, stakeholders, members of the university community, family and friends and forms part of the institution’s long standing tradition of providing a platform for professors to offer scholarly perspectives on national issues.
