The obvious function of a daily paper is to give news to the people but this at the moment, may be done in three ways, which are not all equally laudable. First there is the paper which sets out to give a brief resume of the news, and backs this up by well written articles on current affairs by leading writers and experts. Secondly there is the daily which caters for popular taste and contains only the most sensational and exciting bits of news, supporting them with comic –strips pictures children’s corners women sections and readers’ letters on anything but weighty topics. Thirdly, there is propaganda type of paper which presents only those versions of the news which agree with its own particular political outlook. All his gives news in different ways but what deeper function can the ideal daily paper have In the case of the Nigerian daily newspapers, the first type gives the thinking reader an unbiased view Read the passages I, ii and iii carefully and answer the questions that follows. Each question carries 3 marks of the world situation, so that the he can judge the importance of recent events for himself, but does not indicate to him what he ought to think. The drawback to this is that the semi-literate or uneducated find it dull or difficult and so are discouraged from reading such a paper regularly, because it demands too much thought and effort from them. The main advantage of this type of paper however is its soundness, excellent English expression and general effects of widening the readers knowledge on a variety of subjects The second type interest the majority and gives them the more striking items of news in an easily comprehensible way, accompanied by lavish photographs and usually with some slight political bias towards the left and the interest of the working class from which most of its readers come. The drawback of this type is that there is not enough solid thinking matter and the English is often faulty in style tending towards journalese, the advantage is that it is quickly and easily read on the bus or train or over the breakfast table, and gives superficial knowledge of current affairs to the people who would not have the time or inclination to read heavier literature. Also it is a family paper which every member of the household can enjoy, since there is something to please all their tastes. The third type of some extent, appeals to emotion, not reason it instruct the reader in exactly what that particular editor believes he ought to think and does not give him a chance to have a mind of his own by letting hear the other person’s point of view. The drawback is that it prevents people from thinking for themselves and causes political hysteria rather than logical thinking the only advantage is that it does not represent the freedom of the press to the public whatever it likes and allows discontented people to air their grievances instead of letting them smolder underground from these examples it should be clear that the ideal function of a daily paper would be to present the news clearly and simply and to support it with articles in good English which shows the points of views of various competent people of different outlooks on current problems. The readers could then choose which line of thought appealed to him most women’s and children’s section would be good so long as they did not grow so out of proportion that the paper depended solely upon them for its popularity. Good pictures would add to the papers instructive value as well as to its interest and advertisements kept in bounds, might be helpful both as shopping guides and as a financial help to the paper itself. All these points seems to be desirable in a daily paper now that the radio helps in giving news headlines
