Analysis of Media Stakeholders' Perception on Adherence to Journalists' Professional Codes of Conduct in Northern Nigeria

Respecting moral principles is still essential to maintaining journalistic credibility and safeguarding the public interest. This study examines how Northern audiences and stakeholders see journalists’ adherence to professional norms of conduct. The study evaluates how journalists, media regulators, and civil and society actors see ethical performance within the region’s complex sociopolitical milieu, drawing on social responsibility theory and the professionalization framework. The study used a mixed-methods approach, surveying 420 media audience in three Northern states from a population of 9 million adult residents and conducting interviews (KII) with regulators and media professionals. While nine media stakeholders from selected Northern states were interviewed using purposive sample techniques. Findings reveal that although journalists show a moderate awareness of ethical standards, while multi-stage sampling was adopted for ownership control, political meddling, business pressures, and personal concerns undermine adherence. The result from the test of hypothesis shows that R=.621 indicates a strong positive correlation between editorial independence and ethical adherence, while β= .47 indicates a strong positive predictive effect of training on ethical adherence. The study concludes that unstable working conditions, inadequate ethical training, and poor institutional frameworks all compromise compliance.