Mass Media Electioneering Campaign and Uyo (Nigeria) Voters’ Decision during 2011 General Elections

Abstract

Mass media are indispensable avenues for political parties/candidates to reach a large percentage of the electorate who would otherwise have been unreached by political campaign messages delivered at rallies. The mass media through their coverage of electioneering campaigns and airing of political advertisements have the potential of influencing voting decisions of the electorate. This study found out that many factors come into play when voters make voting decisions. It also found out that the effectiveness of mass media electioneering campaigns during the 2011 General elections in Uyo–Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria was moderated by many factors such as: monetary and material inducement, geo-ethnic consideration, perception of fairness and balance exhibited by the mass media in their coverage as well as the persuasiveness of the campaign messages. The study therefore recommends that for the mass media to exert influence on voters’ decision, they should exhibit fairness, balance, equal opportunity and access in their coverage of electioneering campaigns of all political parties and candidates.