Exposure to Political News and its Influence on Voters' Choice of Candidates during the 2023 Presidential Elections in Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Voters worldwide are often exposed to news items during any election. Some of this news appears to influence their voting choices. Some voters may not be highly exposed to political news and what determines voters’ choices may vary according to different motivations. The level of exposure to political news of candidates during elections is not. Objective: Exposure to political news and its influence on voters’ choice of candidates during the 2023 presidential elections in Rivers State, Nigeria. Method: The study employed a survey design to gather information from respondents in Rivers State. The population of the study is 7,476, 800. The study employed the Taro Yamane sample size determination formula and multi-stage sampling techniques. It employed a questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Data were analysed using the Weighted Mean Score. Results: The extent of Rivers State residents' exposure to political news during the 2023 presidential elections is very high; the political news of the 2023 presidential was consequential to the voting choices of Rivers State voters and issues political parties raised in the news like the state of the economy, insecurity, education, infrastructure and corruption, were the major factors that motivated voters’ voting choices in Rivers State. Conclusion: The majority of political news about the 2023 presidential Rivers State voters were exposed to, was consequential to their voting choices. Unique Contribution: The study offered insight into how voters' exposure to political news such as improvements in the economy, security, education, infrastructure and welfare services influence the choices of candidates during elections. Politicians, political parties, supporters and media practitioners will find sight into items to be presented to voters during future elections. Key Recommendation: The media should continue to present critical items such as poor economic, education, infrastructure and insecurity raised during the election as a front burner in the news since such influence the voters’ choices.