American Journal of Social Sciences 2014; 2(2): 21-28 Published online April 10, 2014 (http://www.openscienceonline.com/journal/ajss) The Nigerian mass media and reorientation of values: Problems and prospects Okafor, G. O. Department of Mass communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria Email address amaro4baya@yahoo.com To cite this article Okafor, G. O.. The Nigerian Mass Media and Reorientation of Values: Problems and Prospects. American Journal of Social Sciences. Vol. 2, No. 2, 2014, pp. 21-28. Abstract Media scholars across the globe agree that the media has some kind of influence on its audiences. However, the nature, direction and extent of this influence remain a source of argument and disagreements. Nigeria, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and a major crude oil exporter has remained largely un- developed because of endemic corruption which has led to perversion of societal values and ethos. The Nigerian media though faced with many internal and external challenges has a rich history of activism. This activism was made manifest during the struggle for political independence in the 1960s and years of military dictatorships spanning over thirty years (1967-1999). The performance of the Nigerian media during the dark periods in Nigeria’s history has resulted at times, in a high level of media believability among Nigerians although this has not been consistent. Aspects of the Nigerian media appear to retain some this activism today. Consequently, it is on the bases of this residual activism that this paper attempts to explore the capacity of the Nigerian media to successfully lead a values reorientation effort in Nigeria. Keywords Values, Reorientation, Media, Corruption, Attitude, Belief 1. Introduction This paper explores the capacity of the Nigerian Media to deliver messages that could bring about the reorientation of values that can engender change in the social and economic affairs of Nigeria. There are conflicting views in both academic and public discourse about the role of the media in Africa and Nigeria in particular, including the extent and direction of media influence in general. There are also differing views on the mass media within Western European and African scholars. [1], believes that: “The power of journalism should be regarded as a particularly important and interesting kind of power in modern societies”. The above perception fits contemporary western media studies. In contrast an African scholar, [2] argues that “in Africa the media have always been peripheral to the lives of most people in the continent”. [3], disagrees with [2], insisting that “the media are among the forces that have shaped, and continues to define the establishment of democracy in Africa”. Consequently, the role, feature, operations and function of the media differ from continent to continent on the basis of orientation and practice. 2. The Concept of Values 'Values' is operationalized here to describe the sort of articulated assertions about normative behaviors that predominate in public, media and political discourses. As such, values are beliefs about what is desirable and undesirable within any society or group. Often, values are associated with normative beliefs that require or preclude certain behavior, establishing boundaries to indicate what is acceptable against what is unacceptable within a society. Consequently, they become the yardstick used by society to measure whether behavior, attitude and beliefs fall in line with what is acceptable or unacceptable in that society. [4], agrees that “values are broad ideas regarding what is desirable, correct and good that most members of a society share”. Values are deep seated beliefs that influence