Media Engagement and Public Communication as Tools for Shaping Voting Decision and Strategic Value Orientation

Abstract

This paper investigates the role that media engagement and public communication play in shaping strategic value orientations and voting decisions in Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. It is observed that both conventional media (television, radio, newspapers) and non-conventional platforms (social media) play crucial roles in shaping public discourse and influencing electoral behaviour. Opinions formed by media users, political actors, and their supporters have shaped the nature and outcomes of elections in Nigeria. Through a qualitative method, the study explores how media platforms, both conventional and unconventional, shape voter engagement and public communication within Nigeria's democratic space. Adopting the Agenda-Setting Theory as its analytical framework, the study finds that media coverage of key issues such as economic recovery, fiscal policy, security, and governance directly influenced strategic voting behaviour during the 2023 elections. Social media amplified youth mobilisation, while traditional media remained influential in rural areas. However, misinformation, particularly on social media, significantly distorts voters' strategic value orientations, influences voting patterns and outcomes. The paper concludes that media must go beyond reporting to promote democratic values, and recommends content-specific media literacy programmes and stronger regulatory frameworks to address misconceptions in Nigeria's democratic process.