SECTOR 2 Reporting formats vary from single-source spot accounts of events to more in-depth multi-source stories, magazine programmes and documentaries. These variations depend not only on the newsroom orientations but on the resourcefulness of reporters and the means at their disposal. A rise in donorfunded journalism has increased the volume of in-depth reporting, marked by an increase in the coverage of underreported issues and the exploration of emerging techniques such as data-driven reporting and fact-checking. More recently, journalists have also delved into more technical areas. For example, Dubawa (a fact-checking site) specialises in the oil and gas sector. Despite apparent progress in other areas, panellists observed that investigative journalism has been on the decline. Developments in recent years, including training by organisations such as the McArthur Foundation and the passing of the FOI Act which eases access to information, have all attributed to this decline. According to one panellist: Investigative journalism is one of our weak points. Those in the print media are supposed to break down what is breaking. But we do not have the capacity and funds. Investigative journalism costs money. The report that brought down [President Joseph] Estrada in the Philippines cost 8 million dollars. In a nutshell, Nigerian media are open to all subjects and media formats, but only to the extent to which the resourcefulness of, and means available to, journalists allow. 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: Score of previous years: ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ 3.5 2008: 4; 2011: 3; 2015: 3 2.10 Private broadcasters deliver a minimum of quality public interest programmes After years of experimentation, the quality of Nigerian private broadcast media productions has improved, with programming and productions aligned with public interest. An example is Channels TV, which is noted for authoritative and factual programmes that project multiple voices. Television Continental has earned respect for fair analyses and debates on its programme Journalists’ Hangout. 31 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NIGERIA 2019