MEDIA COVERAGE IN MILITARY AID TO CIVIL AUTHORITY (MACA): CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

INTRODUCTION

The military, the institution which provides security to the nation especially against external aggression and the press, the institution which responsibility is to inform the public are two indispensable institutions in our society.

However, experience Indicates that these two strong institutions have always been on collision course while performing their functions. This paper therefore attempts to examine those areas which generate friction between the two institutions as well as proffer solutions towards fostering a better relationship between them with emphasis on military aid to civil authority, MACA.

OVERVIEW OF THE MASS MEDIA

The mass media, also referred to as the press is a very powerful institution in the society. This is because of the important role it plays. These are as follows:

(a) POWER RESOURCE

The media remains a power resource because it is a means of control and management as well as of innovation of a society which can substitute force or other resources using persuasive mechanism.

b. The media provides a forum for articulating opinion, expressing culture and other symbolic forms of the society.

c. Mass Media have become a dominant source of definition of social reality while expressing value judgment mixing News and Entertainment. (Mcquail, 1992).

Significantly the mass media remains the most potent force or mobilizing, directing and retaining the loyalty of very large groups of people. This is why those who control the reins of political power have always sought to control the media. This accounts for the reflection of the media according to the outlook of the society.

Thus, we have Free press, Marxist Press, social responsibility press or development media. These facets represent the attempt to model media practice to reflect the ideals, practices and political cultures of a people.

For the purpose of this paper, we shall restrict ourselves to the function of the press in a democracy such as Nigeria and proceed to demonstrate its relationship with the military.

The media can be described as a channel, a means, device or platform through which messages are shared or conveyed other than face to face in a large public. Media is the plural form of medium and refers collectively, to the print media (books, magazines and newspapers); Broadcast media (Radio and Television), Digital media (The Internet, mobile phone, and the Entertainment media (cinemas, video games, musical recordings etc. (Rodman 2006 P.7).

All media have a basic model. The source, the message, the channel and the receiver. It is expected that the receiver will give a feed-back while in the process of developing the message there may be interference professionally called Noise.

Mass media have come a long way from the fifteenth century when Johannes Guttenberg started producing books in his printing press. Since then, the mass media have remained a dominant feature of the modern world.

Today mass media have evolved technologically such that it is possible to communicate to large audiences and get instant response. The Internet for instance connects millions of people instantly through social network sites like facebook, twitter, U-tube etc.

THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

Agim 2004, summarizes the role of the media as follows:

1. To publicize the objectives of government;
2. To help the people determine their role in government;
3. Report government achievements and failures;
4. Provide space for businessmen to advertise their goods or services;
5. Transmit and promote culture;
6. Providing leadership in opinions and engendering public debates on key issues;
7. Shed light on evolving issues;
8. Provide information, education, and entertainment;
9. Sustain a culture of industry;
10. Act as a change agent;

These functions and many more underline the basis of the media in our society. For indeed how will it look like if all the Newspapers, magazines, and books disappeared, Television and Radio stations shut down, all the billboards adorning our streets, all the posters etc disappear, and the internet services gone. It will be a hollow world indeed! I can assure you that within a week the entire world will revert to the pre-historic times. Anarchy will reign.

This is why Ekwelie (1985) explains that “exposure to the media print or audio-visual will have an effect on individuals’ attention, saliency, information, skills, taste, image, attitudes and actions”. In other words, the media is a great socializing factor of the modern world.

The Nigerian media are not left out in these roles therefore they are and must remain part of our culture.