- Journal of Media and Communication Studies, Vol # 5, Issue # 2
- A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes
A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes
- Nduka N. Nwankpa/
- Blessing U. Agbaje/
- Edith U. Ohaja/
- July 10, 2025
Keywords
The integrity of advertising rests on the level of compliance of its practitioners to stipulated codes of ethics that guide the advertising business. This study assessed the level of compliance of three Nigerian newspapers to the advertising codes stipulated by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON). Specifically, compliance to five key codes: employment and business opportunities, drugs, identity, price, and competing products were content analyzed in The Nation, the Daily Sun and the Vanguard from January to December 2021. Results showed a significant breach of these advertising codes by the three newspapers. Specific cases of breaches of ARCON Code uncovered included failure on a number of occasions to fully identify the advertiser, use of wrong sign off, outright omission of sign off, failure to include prices of advertised products, etc. Consequently, we argue that the Nigerian mass media should be more socially responsible by vetting all advertisements before publication. This is to shore up the present low level of adherence to ARCON codes reported in the study. The work broadens our understanding of the level of media’s compliance to advertising regulations in an African context.
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Nwankpa, N. N., Agbaje, B. U., & Ohaja, E. U. (2025). A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 5(2), 1–18. https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page
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[1]Nwankpa, N.N. et al. 2025. A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies. 5, 2 (July 2025), 1–18.
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(1)Nwankpa, N. N.; Agbaje, B. U.; Ohaja, E. U. A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies 2025, 5 (2), 1–18.
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NWANKPA, Nduka N.; AGBAJE, Blessing U.; OHAJA, Edith U. A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, v. 5, n. 2, p. 1–18, 10 July2025.
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Nwankpa, N.N., Agbaje, B.U. and Ohaja, E.U. (2025) “A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes”, Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 5(2), pp. 1–18. Available at: https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page (Accessed: 9 May 2026).
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[1]N. N. Nwankpa, B. U. Agbaje, and E. U. Ohaja, “A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes”, Journal of Media and Communication Studies, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 1–18, July 2025, Accessed: May 09, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page
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Nwankpa, Nduka N., et al. “A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes”. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, vols. 5, nos. 2, July 2025, pp. 1–18, https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page.
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Nwankpa, Nduka N., Blessing U. Agbaje, and Edith U. Ohaja. “A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes”. Journal of Media and Communication Studies 5, no. 2 (July 10, 2025): 1–18. Accessed May 9, 2026. https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page.
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1.Nwankpa NN, Agbaje BU, Ohaja EU. A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies [Internet]. 2025 July 10 [cited 2026 May 9];5(2):1–18. Available from: https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page
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1.Nwankpa NN, Agbaje BU, Ohaja EU. A Content Analysis of Three Nigerian Newspapers’ Adherence to Select ARCON Codes. Journal of Media and Communication Studies. 2025;5(2):1–18. Accessed May 9, 2026. https://jmcs.amcap.net/website/journal/article/68d0d1c9c9c2a/page
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Author(s):
Nduka N. Nwankpa
AuthorDepartment of Journalism and Media Studies, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Nigeria
Pakistan
- nduka.nwankpa@ust.edu.ng
Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State
Pakistan
- agbajeblessing2017@gmail.com
Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State
Pakistan
Details:
| Type: | Article |
| Volume: | 5 |
| Issue: | 2 |
| Language: | English |
| Id: | 68d0d1c9c9c2a |
| Pages | 1 - 18 |
| Published | July 10, 2025 |
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