Osisanwo, A.2026-05-2120132141-97440189-2622ui_art_osisanwo_discourse_2013Ibadan Journal of Humanistic Studies 23, pp. 115-141https://repository.ui.edu.ng/handle/123456789/13982Existing studies on media discourse have studied from different angles the use of reported language in newspaper reports. The use of reported language relates to discourse representation, and has proved to be a reliable tool in determining the faithfulness or the level of objectivity and subjectivity of news items. Meanwhile, between 2005 and 2006, there were allegations of a third-term intention by the president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Yet, previous studies in the discourse examination of media reports on the political terrain in Nigeria have not paid sufficient attention to the reports on the Obasanjo third-term agenda. This paper, therefore, examines the authenticity of the allegation in the reports of two purposively selected Nigerian newsmagazines, TELL and The News, on the third-term issue and describes them from a number of perspectives. It is guided by Volosinov‟s and Fairclough‟s parameters used in the representation of discourse, and Halliday‟s register variables. The paper focuses on three, that is, mode, boundary maintenance and situationality out of the five parameters used in the representation of discourse. These parameters are interpreted in terms of the overall function of reported voices in media reports and the connection between them is discussed; the functions of the register variables in the reports were also examined. The analysis shows that both magazines adopted the quotation sequence pattern as Quoted-Process-Sayer to discursively shape the readers perceptions and authenticate claims. Depth analysis proves that the discourse representation modes‟ functions are not simply restricted to faithfulness but are further related to the magazines' or reporter‟s personal involvement in selecting and processing what to report.enArticle