APPLICATION OF AGENDA SETTING, MEDIA DEPENDENCY, AND USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DISEASE OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA
APPLICATION OF AGENDA SETTING, MEDIA DEPENDENCY, AND USES AND GRATIFICATIONS THEORIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DISEASE OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA

Summary/Abstract: Coronavirus is a severe and prevalent disease. It has influenced a wide range of social areas, including the media and society. The media has proven to be a vital resource for citizens since the beginning of the health crisis; Nigeria's vibrant mass media, which includes over 200 radio stations, 150 television channels, and approximately 350 print (newspaper) outlets, has remained a force to be reckoned with and has been faithful to its social responsibilities as the realm's fourth estate. During the Coronavirus outbreak, this led to the media surfacing responsibility, Media dependency, uses and gratification and agenda-setting theories have all helped the press fulfill its role effectively. In conjunction with a secondary data collection method, qualitative research was adopted in this study, which reveals that individuals tend to rely more on the media in catastrophes or crises to alleviate their anxiety or confirm their fears. The study examined the three theories as applied during the coronavirus pandemic by the Nigerian media. This study suggests that media coverage of the Coronavirus has been beneficial in raising knowledge about safety and preventive measures, ultimately flattening the curve and limiting the infection's spread.

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