The Mass Media, and The Reinvention of Democratic Culture for Credible Political Leadership
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Kingdom of Lesotho
Abstract
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Universally, and through the ages man had always
expressed a desire to be a part of how he is governed.
This is the urge for democracy and good governance.
While the mass media could be used to motivate and
mobilize the people towards the tainment of
democratic Ideals it could also be used otherwise.
Thus, it has both prospects and limitations. It can
reach the masses wr o ue spread across long
distances instantly. with efftciency and effectiveness.
Its lir1itations include, tnterference of media owners in
:he duties of media practitioners, ill iteracy, poverty and
1ack of professionalism. Democratic culture is said to
exist in a society where the basic tenets and ideals of
democracy have been practiced and entrenched over
a relatively long time. This paper argues that the mass
media have important roles to play in the reinvention
of democratic culture and have a more important role in the evolution of credible political leadership which is
arguably lacking in ·Nigeria. The paper recommends
that journalists in Nigeria, apart from basic education
also require professional training. Furthermore, media
ownership should not interfere with media practice
which should be seen as public trust. Journalists in
both print and electronic media should demonstrate
more objectivity in news reporting. It is equally
important to license journalists as it obtains in other
professions. Finally, the paper opines that erring
journalists should be sanctioned while those who
excel in the performance of their duties should be
rewarded.
Keywords
HM Sociology