This study explores and analyze the various roles the Nigerian
newspapers, with specific referenceto the Guardian and the Vanguard
newspapers played in the process of government deregulating the power
sector by emphasizing the nature of coverage the newspapers gave to the
reform. Areas covered in this work include background to the study,
review of related literatures. However, the Development Media theory and
the Agenda setting theory underpinned this study creating further
explanation with regards to prominence the newspapers gave to the
deregulation reform in the power. The systemic sampled days technique
was used to select Fifty Four editions which formed the sampled size for
both newspapers (that is, Twenty Seven selected editions for each
newspaper) were content analyzed. Interviews were conducted with ten
respondents who are audience to the sampled newspapers. Findings of the
research revealed that the deregulation of the power sector reform is
the most emphasized deregulation subject matter in the sampled
newspapers. The sources of information which the sampled newspapers used
in acquiring information on stories they publish on deregulation of the
power sector reform were mostly acquired from events and happening with
regards to the deregulation reform in the power sector. It was also
discovered that the degree of prominence the newspapers accorded to
deregulation of the power sector news is relatively low as stories they
published on the power sector reform hardly feature on very important
pages of the newspapers such as the editorial, front, back or business
pages of the sampled newspapers. The study also revealed that the
newspapers observed the investigative journalism role but in a minimal
standard as a result of which factors prohibiting the deregulation
reform in the power sector to succeed were not intricately identified.
Finally, the research advocates that Nigerian newspapers should pay more
attention to development issues by setting more agendas on
developmental issues and also, they should diversify their information
sources by adopting multi-faced sources rather than over depending on
one information source. The study also suggest that the Nigerian
newspapers should develop a serious attitude toward the watchdog role by
monitoring progress of developmental projects and report to the public
when those in charge are not living up to their responsibilities in
order to exhibit their investigative journalism duty