SECTOR 2 Journalists argue that they do not deliberately marginalise women or their issues. “A good reporter does not look at the face of his or her source,” said a panellist. “What is available is what you use. Who is available is who you interview.” Fewer women also rise to important positions in newsrooms, even though most of the brightest students from journalism schools and faculties are usually young women. Getting ahead, it seems, “is not about brains but access and networks”. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 3.2 (2008: N/A; 2011:2.3) 2.8 All media fairly represent the voices of society and its minorities in its ethnic, linguistic, religious diversity. Hope Dey (there is hope), a Treasure FM (an FRCN Station in Port Harcourt, Rivers State) program run by a handicapped host to discuss issues affecting people with disabilities, has struggled to stay on air. Its producers have repeatedly come under pressure to take down the show because of lack of sponsorship. Yet, it has managed to survive, giving people with disabilities a weekly platform to highlight their plight. The story of Hope Dey reflects the mixed fortunes of minority groups in the Nigerian media. While some groups have managed to occupy large spaces in the media, thanks to political, economic, ethnic and religious prominence, others who lack the right combination of such factors are simply shut out. Some subjects, like girl rights, living with HIV/AIDS, child labour, receive only marginal media interest. Part of the problem is the sheer number of minority groups in the country. Nigeria is believed to have more than 300 ethnic groups and local languages and media tend to focus on languages with the broadest reach. Rivers State, for example, has more than 18 dominant languages but only three are used in broadcasts on state-run radio outlets, since most people understand those three. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NIGERIA 2015 33