MASS MEDIA AS AN INSTRUMENT OF PEACE IN CONFLICT-PRONE NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA OF BENUE STATE

Abstract

The mass media are considered to be very important instrument of peace in conflict-prone settings because they are information merchants, conduits or carriers of various shades and colours of information. And in times of conflicts, or even wars, adequate or inadequate information is considered to be a critical factor in the emergence, escalation, reduction and prevention of conflicts depending on how they are managed or handled. It can determine   the end or continuation of conflicts. The kind of information the mass media disseminate is critical to sustaining peace and harmony in society and vice versa. This study is anchored on agenda-setting theory while method of analysis was based on descriptive survey of which questionnaire was instrument of data collection. The population of this study is 21,956,414 comprising the entire Benue State. The sample size for the study is 600. The sampling technique adopted was multi-stage sampling technique while the clear main objective of this study is to examine “Mass Media as an Instrument of Peace in Conflictprone North Central Nigeria of Benue State”. Findings from the study revealed that 47% of the respondents are aware on the factors responsible for the conflict. The study recommends, among others, that all three tiers of government and the mass media should work hand-in-hand by ensuring that policies of government and information disseminated through the mass media should be one that will be sustaining peace and harmony in the conflict zone of Benue State.