News media derive their content from many sources. One of the veritable sources of news is the news agencies. The difference is that media houses subscribe for the news with money. It is not free.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) is founded
for the same purpose to service the Nigerian mass media.
At
the end of this article, you should be able to:
•
Trace the origin of News Agency of Nigeria
•
Discuss the functions of NAN
•
The services rendered by the agency.
Origin of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
A
new development in the history of the mass media in Nigeria took place in 1976
with the establishment of an independent wire service-the NAN by the Federal
Government.
NAN
came into existence through the News Agency of Nigeria Decree No. 19 of 1976,
which made NAN’s function straight and plain. Before the birth of NAN, the
Nigerian mass media - print and electronic, were heavily subscribing to foreign
news agencies based in the developed world.
Without
exception, all Nigerian newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations
depended on these foreign wire services for their international news, including
news on events taking place in sister African countries.
They
were subscribing to the British News Agency, Reuters based in London, United
Press International (UPI) and the Associated Press (AP) based in New York and
Washington in the United States of America, Agency France Press (AFP), and the
French News Agency based in PARIS, AND TASS, the Russian News Agency based in
Moscow.
Reuters
of London had played a key role in the dissemination of international news in
Nigeria for many years and trained some Nigerian journalist in the art of world news gathering even after Nigeria had attained sovereign nationhood.
Reuters
was loved for its in-depth news reporting and analysis before the emergence of
NAN. Reuters ran into trouble in Nigeria in the wake of military and counter
military coups, especially the July 29, 1975 coup d’état which brought General
Murtala Mohammed to power and the February 13, 1973 abortive coup which led to
his death.
Reuters
was accused of biased reporting of events in Nigeria to the world. The Nigerian
authorities openly accused it of mischief and prejudiced journalism against
Nigeria, which was unpleasant to the country and its image at home and abroad.
It
was therefore sacked from Nigeria; it therefore ceased its operation in
Nigeria. Because of this incident, the Federal Military Government set up its
own indigenous news agency to avoid the temptation of the Nigeria media seeking
the services of Reuters again.
Functions of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Like its counterparts in London and Paris (Reuters and AFP), NAN was set up for the pre-press of gathering international, regional, local and other news, news material and material and features, and distributing same to its subscribers.
NAN’s subscribers include radio and stations in Nigeria, private and
government-owned newspapers, magazines and journals. It also sells news to
foreign news agencies. The decree, which set up the agency, vests the monopoly
of collecting news in Nigeria for sale to NAN.
The
Federal Military Government headed by Lt General Olusegun Obasanjo having
decreed the setting up of NAN gave October, 1978 as the time for its
commencement of full operations.
Although
the establishment of NAN has been attributed to Federal Military Government at
the time in question, this was because it piloted the machinery that gave it a
practical face.
The
idea to set up a News Agency of Nigeria similar to Ghana News Agency was
conceived earlier before the military came to power in Nigeria.
Services Rendered by News Agency of Nigeria
The
News Agency of Nigeria categorized its services into 10 at that time. They are
news services, bulletins, press review, news-in-depth, impact service, cultural
service and daily news digest. It is necessary here to analyze these 10
services of NAN in details.
1. News service:
This refers to home and foreign news reports supplied by NAN.
2. Bulletins:
They include profiles, fillers, interviews, features and updates.
3. Press review: This involves, among other major news items in the press and on Radio and Television.
4. News-in-depth: This is designed to present
subscribers with what is called news behind the news; that is, an in-depth
information on events.
5. Impact services: This
designed to be of tremendous service to foreign writers and critics of the
political and socio economic development in Nigeria enlightens them on the true
position of things in Nigeria. Its main focus will be on reactions at home and
abroad to the policies, programmes and projects of the Federal Government.
6. Economic service:
This service of NAN focuses attention on stock market reports, foreign exchange
reports, and commodity prices trading volume, investment notes and briefs on
financial, economic and business interests.
7. Sports services:
This covers sports news.
8. Football service:
This focuses attention on football news as well as pools forecasts and results.
9. Cultural service:
This focuses attention on reports on cultural events and the projection of the
cultural heritage of the various peoples of Nigeria.
10. Daily news digest:
This deals with summary of the major national and international news of the
day, including diary of coming events.
Management of NAN
The
News Agency of Nigeria has correspondents and offices in all the states of the
federation from where it distributes its news to subscribers based in those
states. The agency has a Board of Directors made up of experienced people in Mass
Communication.
NAN’s chief executive is its General Manager who is assisted by the editor-in-chief and other top officials. At present, NAN has spread its functions and services to most of the media houses in Nigeria and can be found in all the 36 states of Nigeria, including Abuja, the new federal capital.
It also has offices and
correspondents in many parts of the world. NAN’s head offices at Iganmu in
Lagos shares compound with the National Theatre.
In conclusion, it is apparent that NAN was a child of necessity. Its establishment introduced a new dimension to newsgathering and dissemination in Nigeria.
The
function of selling news to subscribers reduced the stress caused by scarcity
of news in media houses. Like other news agencies in the world, NAN has come to
stay.
From
the foregoing, we have traced the history of NAN and established the functions
of services rendered by the agency.
 – Origin, Functions, Services Rendered and Management){kind=link}
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