Kwani, OforiokumaIsoboye, PhD, anipr

Department of Mass Communication Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.

DOI : https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i5n01

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ABSTRACT

This study examined the reporting of COVID-19 misinformation in Vanguard and ThisDay newspapers from March to December 2020, with a focus on the types of misinformation reported, the framing strategies employed and the potential influence on public perception. The study had three objectives amongst which are to analyze the nature and patterns of COVID 19 misinformation reported in Vanguard and ThisDay newspapers between March and December 2020 and to examine how Vanguard and ThisDay newspapers framed and contextualized COVID 19 misinformation in their news coverage. Adopting the descriptive content analysis design method, the study was anchored on Agenda Setting Theory and Framing Theory. From a population consisting of 500 COVID-19 related articles, a sample size of 200 articles was purposively drawn. A structured coding sheet was used to gather data. Data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to identify patterns, trends and differences in reporting strategies. Findings from the study revealed that exaggerated statistics, false cures and conspiracy narratives were predominant misinformation themes, and that both newspapers framed misinformation largely within public health risk and corrective contexts. The study concludes that Vanguard and ThisDay newspapers played significant roles in shaping public awareness, guiding adherence to health guidelines and promoting critical evaluation of COVID-19 information, highlighting the importance of responsible journalism during health crises. The study made three recommendations amongst which are, that media organizations should strengthen structured fact-checking systems to ensure that misinformation is contextualized responsibly before publication, and that newspapers should consistently adopt public health-oriented framing that prioritizes expert verification and societal well-being during crises.

KEYWORDS:

Examines, Reporting, Covid 19, Misinformation, Vanguard, ThisDay, Media Outlets

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Cite this Article:OforiokumaIsoboye, K. (2026). Examining the Reportage of Covid 19 Misinformation in Vanguard and this day Media Outlets from March to December 2020. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HUMANITY & MANAGEMENT RESEARCHS, 5(5), 891-900. https://doi.org/10.58806/ijsshmr.2026.v5i5n01

VOlUME 05 ISSUE 05 May 2026