Media Search for Accountability, an NGO, has adjudged Katsina State as the ‘Most Visible State in the Media’, amongst the 36 states of the federation in 2016.
A report by the organization made available to newsmen in Kano on Tuesday indicated that the findings did not include government sponsored materials, like advertisements and supplements.
The report signed by Mr. Jackson Walter, Media Manager of the organization, said it focused on development stories generated from all the states.
“Before reaching this conclusion, we did our very best to see that all the stories that were used as research variables, were the ones that emanated from the reporters working in the states.
“It is based on what was reported that we used in our research.
“To avoid misleading conclusions, the research did not consider news materials or information sponsored in newspapers, radio and television stations and on social media platforms.
”We considered those items as tailored”.
It added that preferences were also given to stories that had a direct link to the citizenry, especially the poor and vulnerable.
“Our work will be an eye opener for states that are doing well, but lack effective and efficient media team to market their achievements,” the statement said.
According to the release, “Katsina state emerged the most visible state in the Nigerian media in 2016.
“Our findings showed that apart from the Ministry of Information and Office of the Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, other state-based stakeholders were up and doing, in marketing government policies and programmes,” it said.
The statement further revealed that “Akinwumi Ambode’s Lagos state and, Willie Obiano’s, Anambra state both emerged second position.
“We found out that, they were also up and doing in becoming very visible in the Nigerian media.
“In these states also, you will find out that almost all government functionaries made it obligatory to always inform the society about happenings in government circle.
“What really failed some of the states, was the lackadaisical attitude of some top government functionaries by being very elusive to even journalists, whose primary responsibility is to bridge the information gap between government and the governed,” the report said.
According to the body, Gombe state was third on the log.
“Apart from the governor being accessible to the working journalists in the state, other government ministries, departments and agencies are media-friendly.
“With that, media men were given all the needed attention and opportunity to report to the world about happenings in the state,” the statement added.
However, Delta and Kebbi states were rated the least visible states in the media according to the report
“Kebbi state for example only recently started showing up in the media due to the collaborative effort between the state and Lagos state in rice production.
“Apart from this, Kebbi state was nowhere to be found in the media, at least within the period of our research work.”
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