Analysis of Media Coverage of Gender-Based Violence in Nigerian Television Broadcasting

Television media plays a significant agenda-setting role in shaping public discourse on gender-based violence in Nigeria, yet the quality and sensitivity of GBV reporting varies significantly across national and regional broadcasters. This study analyses the framing, frequency, and quality of GBV coverage in Nigerian television broadcasting, examining content from four major television stations operating nationally and regionally between 2022 and 2024. A content analysis design was employed, systematically coding 360 news segments and feature programmes on GBV using a gender-sensitive media analysis framework. Inter-coder reliability was established through Cohen's kappa. Findings reveal that GBV coverage is predominantly crime-framed rather than structural or preventive in orientation, focusing on dramatic incidents rather than systemic drivers. Survivor perspectives are underrepresented, with perpetrator and authority voices dominating narratives. Victim-blaming language is present in 28% of sampled reports. Investigative and accountability journalism on institutional failures in GBV response accounts for fewer than 8% of GBV content. Recommendations include gender-sensitive journalism training for news editors and reporters, development of GBV reporting guidelines by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, and creation of survivor-centred broadcasting standards. Keywords: media coverage, gender-based violence, television, Nigeria, framing