ENEMS MICROSYSTEMS RESEARCH SPOT: Mass Communication

Showing posts with label Mass Communication. Show all posts

Sunday, 12 March 2023

APPRAISING THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT ON CHILDREN

APPRAISING THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT ON CHILDREN

(A case study of Lafia Town)

ABSTRACT

Television and advertising together present a lethal combination and has become an integral part of modern society. It is the most convenient route to reach not only consumers but also the students. Students are manipulated by advertisement promise that the product will do something special for them which will transform their life. The study was conducted to find out if children are portrayed positively in TV adverts; the study also aims at determining the role of TV adverts in the child’s socialization. The researcher used both primary and secondary sources to obtain feedback on various aspect of the study and questionnaire was used to collect data. The study has shown that television advertisements have a positive effect on children. It was recommended that advertisement should be used to establish basic awareness and build up knowledge on the minds of children.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO STUDY

Television advertisement represents one of the several stimuli to which children are exposed, like other kinds of stimuli existing within their environment. Television advertisement has a powerful tendency to influence children’s behaviour and general way of life. Thus this study, thus examines the kind of influences or effects advertising on television can have on children. Seventy-six years ago, in 1928 to be precise, a new dimension in communication and publicity was introduced into the Nigerian commercial and social life by the United African Company [UAC]. This new dimension was advertising. Through its West African publicity, the company was able to execute and implement its advertising objectives in the whole of West Africa with Nigeria as its headquarters.

During this period however, little attention was paid to the impact which advertising had on children, instead emphasis were laid on the eradication of the monopoly posed by foreign advertisement, creation of awareness among the people of the new service and the winning and retention of clientele (Nwosu 1987). Nigeria was not alone in this struggle; even the United States of America has its own share of society of research in this area of study. In this regard, Brown (1976) had noted the in-availability of studies in this field when he pointed out: “surprisingly, little published research exists in this area”. Investigators in America have examined the effects of television programmes on children, but they have not been concerned with television advertisement. However, much research in the United States of America has examined the effect of television adverts, but the focus has been on adults rather than children.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem associated with the effects of TV adverts on children can be social, economic, and psychological. According to Earl and Martins (1977), the social problems associated with it includes, tendency towards drug and violence, imitation of stereotypes seen on TV and a general tendency towards crime. In terms of economic costs, it involves the more money required to deal with its undesirable effects. Hence, also worrisome in this study is the scanty literature which exists in this area.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study seeks to ascertain the following:

a) To find out if children are portrayed positively in TV adverts.

b) The study also aims at determining the role of TV adverts in the child’s socialization.

c) To know the particular advert that interests the children most in television.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Are children portrayed positively in TV adverts?
Does TV adverts have any effect on child’s socialization?
What advert interest children most in TV advert?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study is therefore to outline and examine these factors in a TV advert which negatively affect the child’s development so that the family, government and society at large can control and educate them. The second significance is to examine how effective the various existing machineries aimed at children have been. Hence, the likelihood is that we shall see greater control by government, the media and the advertisers of TV adverts, (Wright et al, 1978).

To contribute to the knowledge already existing in this area of study can be said to be another significance or importance of the study. Finally, this work is also beneficial to the Nigerian Public Sector in general and also important to government, academic potential and future researchers on the issue of appraising the effects of television advertisement on children.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Although a lot need to be written on this research “appraising the effects of television advertisement on children” but however, the researcher intends to limit the scope of the study to Lafia because of the financial constraint and time factor.

1.7 AREA OF THE STUDY

This study titled appraising the effects of television advertisement on children was carried out by the researcher using Nasarawa town as a case study.

1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

Effects: Positive effects refer to those effects, which are in line with the accepted, societal standards and values or which tend to encourage or discourage the development of the child along accepted societal standards and value.

Television Adverts: TV adverts refers to a marketing tool or communication whose aim is to build preferences for advertised brands and services are transmitted through a visual and audio medium.

Children: Children can be defined as persons that have not attained the age of puberty.

Advertisement: a public announcement in a newspaper or on the radio, television, or Internet advertising something such as a product for sale or an event.

Saturday, 4 March 2023

THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN THE ENTHRONEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC SETTING IN NIGERIA

THE ROLE OF THE MASS MEDIA IN THE ENTHRONEMENT OF DEMOCRATIC SETTING IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study deals with the analysis of the role of the mass media in the enthronement of democratic setting in Nigeria. The research method used was the survey method, with the questionnaires and interview as the method for data collection. The study kicks off from the definition of democracy as the government of the people by the people and for the people. Using questionnaires given to twenty (20) respondents, the study analyze the press and its revolution and power a growth and development of the Nigerian press in democracy. Analyses of the responses show that mass media have a significant contribution to the enthronement of democracy setting in Nigeria. As a recommendation the press is urged to put up expensive and effective machinery to cover the nation as a whole and not just the cities and their inhabitants the press was also admonished to work towards national cohesion and to this it should consciously purse the goal of getting Nigerian to think and reason as Nigerian rather than alongside the dividends of ethnicity.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The conventional wisdom among Third World planners today is that the mass media should integrate with the indigenous modes of communication in promoting development. This wisdom has become intuitively logical because the traditional forms of communication are innate to Third World societies and, therefore, better suited for the dissemination of culture-centred development information to people at the grassroots. However, while the intrinsic nature of the indigenous forms of communication endows them with “a high degree of credibility and acceptance by the people” (Ranganath, 1977; Adhikarya, 1974), the attitude of Third World peoples toward the modern mass media are not yet clear.

This study explores Nigerians Attitude toward the role of mass media (i.e. radio, television and newspapers) in enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. Specifically, the study addresses some questions, these questions are necessary to discern what value people at the grassroots place on the mass media in Nigeria. Such knowledge will be crucial to the efforts by development support communicators to receive maximum influence from communication resources at the project level of development planning.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem that leads to the study of Nigerians Attitude toward the role of the mass media in the enthronement of democracy since 1999 can be perceived from the rapid change in the constitution and laws that guide the activities of the media in the country. In the view of some individual, mass media has not been able to meet up with their role of upholding democracy in the country. However this is not so in the view of others, many people believe that the mass media is not empowered to carry out their function of gatekeeping in the Nigeria economy.

These studies will emphasis the attitude of people towards the activity of mass media in protecting and upholding democracy.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

This research work seeks to examine the attitude of Nigerian to the role of mass media in enthronement of democracy since 1999.

This paper examines the role the media have played and continue to play in the socio-political and socio-economic reengineering of structures in a country faced with enormous problems which militate against its optimal performance as an emergent democracy. This study will seek to know the impact of mass media on enthronement of democracy and analysis the attitude of Nigerian to the this role of mass media

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Does mass media play any role in a democratic setting?
To what extent has mass media promoted democracy in Nigeria?
To what extent do Nigeria value the role of mass media in the democratic setting?
Does mass media contribute to the political development of Nigeria?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE TO THE STUDY

This study help us to access the power of mass media in influencing and bringing about attitudinal changes in people, especially to win support a candidate during election and to promote the enthronement of democracy in the country. It will also help political analyst and campaign managers to know the beset type of media to reach out to people during election as they fashion their campaign programmes to get maximum support and acceptance.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is limited to the Nigeria Mass media. This study focuses on the role of mass media in the Nigeria Democracy since 1999. The concepts defined in this project work are mainly related to the Nigeria media. However the concepts may be well applicable to the media of other African country and the world at large.

1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The following are the limitation that hinders the study of this research work extensively:

Financial Constraint: There are not enough funds to fund the study of this research work. The researcher has access to a very little source of fund.

Time Constraints: Due to the limited time available to carry out this research work, it is not possible to carry out the research extensively as anticipated by the researcher.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. ROLE: Role according to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (6 edition) is the degree to which somebody or something involved in a situation or an activity and the effect that they have on it.

2. MASS MEDIA: Defleui and Denhis (1981) defined mass media as the devices for moving messages across distance or time to accomplish mass communication.

3. ACCEPTABILITY: Agreed or approved of by most people in a society

3. CANDIDATE: A nominee or aspirants for any position or honour.

4. ELECTION: Is a process of selecting one person or more for an office, public or private, from a wider field of candidates.

REFERENCE

Ranganath, I. (1977). Government Media Relations in the Information Age Being a paper Presented at a National Seminar on Government and Media Relations under a Democratic Dispensation Ota: Ogun State: October 11-13; pp. 6-8

Adhikarya M.E., (1974). Overcoming Civic Literacy” in Media Reader: Perspectives on Mass Media Industries, Effects and Issues, 2nd Edition, Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing Company,

Defleui S.J. Denhis D.K, (1981). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future. 2nd Edition, Belmont CA: Wadworth Durodola O. Ekpo

Thursday, 2 March 2023

The Role Of Mass Media In Educational Development In Nigeria

The Role Of Mass Media In Educational Development In Nigeria (A Case Study Of NTA Enugu)

ABSTRACT

This examine the role of mass medial in educational development in Nigeria. The background centre on the role of mass medial in educational development in Nigeria finding out whether television plays an effective role in formal education. The researcher has attempted to carry out series of analysis and study to confirm that the NTA programme-“Science for schools” actually perform its educational role. This study confirms that the programme actually projects the educational contribution of this all important television programme, which is admired and enjoyed by most secondary school students inspite of their different handicaps.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Mass medial has assumed a very important position in the educational development in Nigeria. This accounts for the introduction of the universal free primary Education-UPE in 1996 and the establishment of new primary, secondary and post secondary school over the country.

The word-Education could be defined in various ways. In a very broad sense, education could be defined to include every agency which enables an individual to master his physical and social environment of which he is a member, it could be defined as an act of teaching, bringing up, instructing or enlightening.

For the purpose of this study, education will be defined as an organisaed and formal instruction which is given in educational establishments such as schools, colleges and universities.

Education has an important role to play in the economy of a nation. The most important economic function of education is that of ensuring that the nation’s need for a labour force is satisfied. Nigeria-a modern industrializing society-news, not just a great deal of man-power, but good quality manpower, the quality and quantity manpower to a large extent controlled by the educational system.

Education also has a political role to play in the Nigeria society.

The stability of any autonomous political unit depends upon two criteria consensus of opinion.

About the assumption underlying. The system, and the ability of the system to provide leaders from within itself in both cases, education has an important role to play.

However, formal education in Nigeria is no longer confined to educational establishment only. The mass media have, in recent times, taken a bold and positive step towards enhancing educational development in the country. An example is the Enugu Television station (ETV) University of the Air.

Mass media-Communication comprises the institutions and technique by which specialized groups employ technological devices, that is the press, Television, Radio, Films, theat disseminate information to large heterogenenous and widely dispersed audience.

This study is particularly concerned with Television and its contribution to educational advancement in the country.

1.1 THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Educational broadcasting/Television-WNBC/TV Ibandan in 1964.

Later in the same year, educational broadcasting spread to Kaduna, the seat of the Northern states.

In 1965 the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Service (Television-EWBC/TV-Started what looked like educational broadcasting with the help of the Eastern Nigeria Ministry of Education, but the programming then was mainly informed, comprising what Elihu Katz and George Wedell might describe as extensive Educations.

A typical Enbc/tu programme in this category was the “Tortoise club a programme for very young children.

This type of programming continued until the out-break of the Nigerian civil war in 1966, at the restoration of pea;e om 1970, Television stations did not function until 1972.

Later in 1973, NTA, Lagos revived its educational programme by introducing some foreign films on science. This programme was meant for children between the ages of ten and fifteen.

It was at this point that the idea of schools broadcast in science came up and was introduced in many of the Nigeria Television Stations in the country.

NTA channel 8, Enugu was one of the television stations that introduced schools broadcast in science in its programme schedule.

So in 1996, the station started a formal educational programme which they called “Science for schools” This programme was then ministry of Education Headquaters, Enugu. Later, the co-operation shifted from the ministry to the principal education officers, Mrs F. Nwakoby.

The format for the production of the programme was mainly provided by the center. But in the early part of 1977, the educational department of NTA channel 8 became autonomous with a graduate in science heading it.

And from then the format for the production of the programme became the responsibility of the department.

The programme is made up of lectures in chemistry and biology. It is broadcast on Mondays at 5.30 pm and lasts for thirty minutes. The production is serial, one subject matter leading to the development of another the scheme is drawn along side the school certificate syllabus in chemistry and biology. It has, as large audience, students in class three, four and five in secondary school who are offering chemistry and Biology the school certificate examination.

RESEARCH PROBLEM

According to the programme producers, the programme “Science for schools” is designed.

To enhance the teaching of science in higher schools. The students, through this formal educational programme, are encouraged to develop greater interest in science subjects that produces a gateway to higher hopes towards technological advancement in Nigeria.
To compliment and supplement classroom education.
To broaden and deepen knowledge in science
To encourage intellectual development structure.
To provide tutorial on curriculum subjects

In is noteworthy that apart from “Science for schools” produced for lower secondary schools students. It is broadcast on Tuesdays at 5.00pm and lasts for thirty minutes.

“Teaching Igbo” for primary schools pupils. This is aired on the days at 5.30pm and lasts for thirty minutes:- schools challenge” for secondary school. Students broadcasting on Wednesdays at 5.30pm and lasts for thirty minutes.

But this study concentrates on “Science for schools” and is designed to determine whether this programme has achieved the aims and objectives for which it was established. It is aimed at finding out whether the television is playing an effective role in formal education.

In studying “Science for schools” the researcher intends to find out, scienctifically whether the students who are the promme target audience are conversant with the programme and whether they are gaining anything from it.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To enlighten the educational systems in Nigerian through the mass media.
To make the students know the value of television.
To actualize the claim that day students have more access to television than boarders.
To know the total number of people that has access to television sets.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

To show that mass media has gone along way to enhance or facilitate education in Nigeria.
To show that television viewing Nigeria has multiplied ant at greater number of people has access to it.
To enlighten the masses on the educative aspect of the television and to allow them air their views through feed back.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Does media in any sense contribute to the enhancement of the societal academic pursuit.
Have the country discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.
Can watching television improve the knowledge of the people in the society?
Does mass media help to enlighten the students in their education.

HYPOTHESES

Hi: Media contributes to the enhancement of society.

Ho: Medial does not contribute to enhancement of society.

H2: The country has discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.

Ho: The country has not discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.

H₃: Watching television improves the knowledge of the people in the society.

Ho: Watching television does not improve the knowledge of the society.

H4: mass media does not help to enlighten the students in their education.

Ho: mass media does not help to enlighten the students in their education.

CONCEPTUAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

1. TELEVISION: As it is used in this study means an instrument used in the dissemination of information making use of audio visuals and intended to reach larger heterogeneous and widely dispersed audience.

2. BROADCASTING: This is an act of dissemination information to widely dispersed audience.

3. POPULARITY: As used in this work, popularity means to be known, pleasing and useful to the target audience.

ASSUMPTIONS

The use of mass media in educational development in Nigeria has contributed a lot in the widening of the peoples knowledge in the society and also the scope of mass media in the society, media equipment are things like the television, radio and other electronic sets which are meant to give out in formation objectively through their effective usage to educate the poor masses.

Television as the study is used as the center points have numerous realities in its contribution to the educational advancement in the society.

More useful information is dismissed through the Television sets. It has equally gone to the extent of entertaining the students and keeping them abstract in the happenings around the society.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The major problem encountered in writing this is lack of time in the sense that we have a lot of works at hand i.e (school activities) and because it involved through research work, it was done the way it should have been done.

Another problem is that there is no co-operation among the groups in the sense that out of ten students only two will be serious and this will also bring about reluctance.

The last is money, which is the root of everything, and also the students do complain of lack of money and this brought about education in the society.

THE USE OF BROADCAST NEWS COMMENTARIES AS A STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

(A study of Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA) Umuahia)

ABSTRACT

This research work is necessitated by my personal interest to identify how far the broadcast news commentaries have contributed to the social change programmes in our society. In other words, to ascertain whether the social change activities are making any impact on the life’s of the masses. This study is aimed at examining the news commentaries fall in between features and editorials in a print media. In some instance, the commentary is a news analysis; here the commentaries attempts to provide a closer look at a major news story. However a broadcast commentary is a philosophical piece, as print columns often are as well as personal essay on a physical or social issue in the news.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Broadcast news commentaries are aimed at instructing and refining the society. Some members of the society are not highly sociable and might readily misunderstand certain societal norms and values and therefore require some enlightenment.

News commentaries can be seen as a set of note or critic remarks or a continuous flow or a remark on an event based on one’s opinion. Commentaries can be seen in Radio, TV, where as in a newspaper it is called feature commentaries, it can also be referred to as editorials in a print media. It can be used to disseminate a state or federal government policy that can bring about social change in the society.

In broadcasting, news commentaries must be relevant to the domestic and foreign policy of the nation. In other words, the commentary is not expected to be intimidating and defamatory to any individual rather, it should be remark and an explanation on particular issue of important. The content of a news commentary cut across all aspects of human endeavors like, politics, Economics, agriculture, Environmental sanitations etc. For earned a broadcast news commentary carried by BCA entitled ‘the need to clean our environment through sanitation” points out that most people in the state, Irrespective of their degree of education and sophistical on urinate, defecate and throw away refuse with careless abandon. The commentary further added that clean up precede such events as national day celebrations ad a visit by foreign or local dignitary.

News commentaries, have been said to be an instrument for social change not only by reporting on changes in the environment but also by creating or shaping the impressions of various aspects of the environment through selective presentation and through reemphasizing certain things, in the words of Allen (1971:32). He called this “the cultural norms”, the role these cultural norms is on enforcing the societal norms, the mass media may initiate actions by exposing condition which are not at various places with public moralities.

Wilbur Schram (1979:24) in his book mass media and national developments, shows the mass media as agents of social change”. He says that the populace must first become aware of a need which is not satisfied by present customers and must subsequently invest or borrow behavior closer to meeting the need.

Writing on the uses of broadcasting and news commentaries, Aspihau (1998:10) says that “broadcasting can persuade and effectively influence large audience, thereby contributing to the dal wellbeing and substantially, to the thinking of the nation”

Nweunel (1999) in his book called “Mass Communication in Nigeria” research on the relationship between various media of Mass Communication and said, that it is now a general his book called ‘Mass and after decades of between various media of socio-economic variables belief among development.

Communication on scholars that broadcasting radio in particularly could be the most effective media for disseminating information on various social change programme from the government and other institutions to the masses living in the developing nations of the world. He went further to say that, the information available from the survey of the literature on the dissemination by the use of radio broadcasting for development and other social change programme in Nigeria, suggests that radio is presently utilized as an effective means of inducing social change in our society. In other words, it will be logical that the mass media generally have much impact on a developing society. On this premise schema and. Roberts write when we turn to development, it is clear that without broadcasting, the course of change will be slow indeed.

Since, broadcasting and news commentaries are transmitted through the radio, it shows that the programme has been effecting change on the attitudes of the people.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Conceptually, the mass media is established by the federal Government, state government of Nigeria, and it is expected that they will create ‘awareness to the public about issues through the use of broadcast news commentaries and at the same time educate them on how to go about it. The need therefore arises to determine whether they are playing the necessary role in effecting social change through broadcast news commentaries Therefore, the problem is to know whether news commentaries from BCA brings about social change and shaping the people’s behaviour

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study is designed to achieve the following objectives:

To see how broadcast news commentaries brings about social change.
To compare BCA commentaries with other media ho us s
To establish the relevance of news commentary in our society.
To ensure the effectiveness of broadcasting corporation of Abia in its increment, of social change.
To see how news commentaries could be used as a means of social change.
To look into the problem and difficulties encountered by the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia BCA as a media house, and how they can be solved.
To find out whether broadcasting services and news commentaries as disseminated by BCA act as a means of social change.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

To act as a springboard to elicit solutions to the research problem; the formulation of some research questions becomes necessary. And for this reason, a number of research questions are hereby given below;

How new commentary as a vital programme of any station does bring social change?
Has BCA through its programme been assisting both state and the federal government in their crusading function, to restore sanity in our lives?
Have the broadcast news commentaries programme encouraged you to embark on any industrial project?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study, Broadcast news commentary as a strategy for social change is to ascertain which of the two main broadcast media “Radio and Television” is more effective in persuading and influencing social change.

It is also to find out which of the two is more demanding by the public and other social agent. People stand a better chance to gain from this study as they would always need the best satisfaction from any one of the media they may be exposed to.
The researcher as a final year student will gain a lot from this study also when she joins the media to demonstrate what she has learnt.
Finally, this research study is for the benefit of the entire public whose task is to pay attention to the broadcast news commentary for a better change.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

It deals with how news commentaries from BCA can cause a change on the society either positively or negatively and how it can effect a social change.

It equally covers all the areas within the sphere of BCA coverage and its environs, because everybody within Aba State is a witness to how news commentaries influence people’s behaviour.

1.7 AREA OF STUDY

Umuahia is chosen as the area of study because it is where BCA is situated. Umuahia is the capital city of Abia state in southeastern Nigeria.

Umuahia has a population of 359, 230 ACCORDING TO THE 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia indigenes ethnic group are the Igbo.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Broadcasting: The distribution of audio and video content and/or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communication medium.

Broadcasting service: This means sending out services, or it is a method of transmitting radio, or internet or television signals to a number of recipients (listeners or viewers. Ike (2005:25)

News Commentary: Collection of comments on recent happenings or a set of note or a remark on an event be on opinion.

Strategy: a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan.

Social change: This refer to an alteration in the social order of a society.

ROLE OF TELEVISION IN UPLIFTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARD IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined role of television in uplifting educational standard in Nigeria (A case study of OSBC and NTA, Osogbo). Mass media especially television has been major agent of socialization and education in society through some educational programmes like Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Brain Test, Quiz T.V, Take a Step, Debates and many more apart from paying attention to government and non-governmental educational organization like Universal basic Education. Today education is not limited within teachers and taught without social environment and mass media is one such potent force in the social environment of education. Mass media prove that education is really comprehensive not confined within four walls of the classroom really, television as the educational medium for the mass and mass education. However, for the purpose of this study. Survey research method was employed with the use of questionnaire.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background to the Study

Mass media especially television is regarded as the eye and hear of the people because media look for information on behalf of the general public. Television helps the populace to be aware of the various events near and far away.

Television is now inseparable with the- society because of the numerous roles they play in our society including educational function.

The mass media especially television is a very powerful socializing agent to reach large heterogeneous and widely dispersed audiences.

It is also observed that it can reach millions of people over huge areas very quickly even from the other side of the world by spreading news, information, entertainment and propaganda, persuade.

Indeed television represents a powerful tool of socializing people and students in particular through their different programme which increases the level of literacy in the society by providing educative programmes for the people. Television do not only transmit information and messages but also provide visual oriented (Picture) of government activities like Universal Basic Education programme, quiz, debate, and other edticative and academic activities that will enrich the people.

Television equally teaches the individual or public the norms and values of society sand reinforce same. Recent developments in television have drastically affected educational procedure for improved quality of education offered to students; television resources in instructional delivery in schools will serve dual purposes and more efficient classroom instruction. Coastock, O. et. al. (2008). Below are some of other role of television in education as highlighted by Buren, T. (2000).

1. Socialization: Television helps to socialize children on their cultural values in their domain especially how to knew about past, great personalities, festivals, ceremonies, dressing and behaviour. Through programme like, and some print content dedicated to culture and education.

2. Religion: A lot are learnt today on television about one’s religious especially on radio and television anchored by religion analysts while religion leaders are invited to educate and sensitize their followers. Such programmes carries titles like “religion of faith”, “time for paradise”, “words of God” e. t. c

3. Subject: Various subjects like mathematics, English language, Yoruba, and technological-based subjects are disseminate on radio and television to teach children. This can have titles like “My T.V Teacher’, “TV-education show”.

e.t.c –

4. Brain Test: Children are also educated and tested through brain test competition shows like T.V quiz, Who wants to be a Milifonaire e t. c 5 Sex Education: Sex education are also presented to children on television and radio especially how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and diseases like HIV/AIDS such programme are: Abule Oloke Meje, and many more.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Television being an audiovisual medium influence youth especially students on their day to day activities. It teaches moral as well as bad behaviour, as people especially youths are exposed to various educative programmes. The research sought the role of television, in. uplifting standard in Nigeria with a focus on OSBC, Osogbo and NTA, Osogbo.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

i. To examine whether television has affected the youths positively or negatively.

ii. To know how television serves as an instrument of educational advancement.

iii. To highlight the areas of television programme that stimulates group discussion among youths.

iv. To know whether media contribute to societal educational pursuit. v. To make the students know the value of television.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions are outline in order to dig out the real mind of the people on the topic of the study.

In what ways has television affected the youths positively or negatively?
How can television serves as an instrument of educational advancement?
In what areas can television programme stimulate group discussion among students?
Do media contribute to societal educational pursuit?
Have the country discovered the uniqueness of media in the encouragement of education in the society.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The objective of the study is to examine and analysis the impact of television on youths education.

The work will benefit mass outfits and media practitioners on the need to include in their day to day activities some of the programmes that can promote and improve education such as quiz, debate, brain test e.t.c.

Future researchers would as well benefit from this work as it will complement their research effort.

Institutions will through the result of this research discover the best way to use television and the benefits capable of acquiring.

Government will also see the importance of mass media in achieving educational objectives. Such as the media coverage given to the launching of Opon-Imo (Tablet) in Osun State.

At the end of this research youth will benefit immensely to know the best way to use television and what type of programme can add to them academically.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research has been narrowed down to the role of television in uplifting educational standard in Nigeria with a focus on Osbc, Osogbo and NTA Osogbo.

Yet the study discuss extensively on the concept of broadcasting, television, television programmes, impact of television programme and others.

However, to effectively discuss the subject matter of this research, effort ‘shall be trade on the demographic factors of both OSBC and NTA Osogbo staff and management such as age, gender, academic background, work experience e.t.c will be studied before the restructuring and administration of questionnaire.

1.7 Limitation to the Study

It is not an overstatement that a work of this nature cannot be carried out without some hard experience, however below are some of the constraints to this work.

There are many limitations ranging from not knowing where to start, not knowing who to consult or approach for materials not knowing what next to write in various segment of this study and not actually knowing who to put me through in achieving my work and others are:

1. Stress from other academic activities is one of the limitations to the research work

2. Financial constraint to travel to different places.

3. Duration for the research work is relatively short

3. Materials that are available on this topic is relatively small as the concept is new or people are not written from that angle.

1.7 Definition of the terms

Impact: This refers to the contribution of television on educational upliftment in society.

Television: Television is one of the means of communication which combining both sound and visual sent through a station or through a wireless means to the receiving set such as OSBC and NTA Osogbo.

Education: It refers to the knowledge acquire by an individual through television media.

Standard: It refers to the improvement in the educational system in the society.

Thursday, 5 January 2023

ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN PROMOTING MODERN JOURNALISM PRACTICE AMONGST JOURNALIST IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

In the past, a reporter had to run as fast as possible back to the newsroom after interviewing and tried to beat the competition from print. With the advent of the digital age, the role of the journalist changed. The emergence of information communication technology such as the internet has made it possible for journalist to find out about events without actually being there. Journalists can report news across the world over the internet.

Throughout history, developments in technology and communication have gone hand-in-hand, and the latest technological developments such as the internet have resulted in the advancement of the science of communication to a new level. The process of human communication has evolved over the years, with many path-breaking inventions and discoveries heralding revolutions. The invention of pictographs or the first written communication in the ancient world brought about written communication. These writings were on stone, and remained immobile. The invention of paper, papyrus and wax, culminating in the invention of the printing press in the 15th century made possible transfer of documents from one place to another, allowing for uniformity of languages over long distances. The latest revolution is the widespread application of electronic technology such as electronic waves and signals to communication, manifesting in the electronic creation and transfer of documents over the World Wide Web(Gross, 2010, p78).

Social media which are a form of electronic communication have become the highest activity on the internet. They refer to social networking websites developed to specifically help people share their views and stay in touch with their friends, relatives and well-wishers. Social media represents a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information content which brought about the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers. Social media are also internet sites where people interact freely, sharing and discussing information about each other and their lives, using a multi-media mix of personal words, pictures, videos and audio (Bruce and Douglas; 2008, p.27).

In the early 1990s, chat rooms and bulletin boards were forms of social media; in that they helped people connect with others and share interests. A little later, dating sites hooked together those looking for partners, and Classmate.com.let people connect with people they had known in high school and college. In the early 2000s, a site called Friendster was set up where people invited their friends to join and in turn, those friends invited other friends. The site was popular for a while but it suffered from technical difficulties and fake profiles and began losing members. Some of those members went to MySpace, which had actually started in 1999 but became better known in 2003.Its roots are a little muddy because it received financial and logistical support from another company called eUniverse, and most of the early users were eUniverse employees but Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe are given credit for much of the innovations and success of the site which built up to 115 million users worldwide. Members post bios, photos, blogs, videos, and other things that strike their fancy, and some TV programmes to air on MySpace. In 2005, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation (parent of Fox Broadcasting) bought MySpace for 580 million dollars. A competitor to MySpace, Facebook was started in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg while he was a student at Harvard University; it grew up rapidly about 2007. At first Facebook was solely for college and high school students, but Zuckerberg opened it to everyone and like MySpace, it encourages all types of member postings (Gross, 2010, p78). Apart from the above mentioned social media tools, there are also others. These include; Twitter, YouTube, BlackBerry Messenger, Flickr, Word Press, Blogger, Badoo, Live Journal, Wikipedia, Type Pad, Second Life and Lulu. All these social media appear in many forms including blogs and microblogs, forums, and message boards, social networks, wikis, virtual worlds, social bookmarking, tagging and news, writing communities, digital storytelling and scrapbooking, data, content, image, video sharing, podcast portals and collective intelligence.

Journalism on the other hand is the deliberate and conscious efforts to gather information, collating and analyzing data for the purpose of informing, educating, and entertaining the people with a view of making an appropriate decision (Akinreti, 2007, p.123). Journalism is also an investigation and reporting events, issues and trends to a large audience. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience about topics ranging from government and business organizations to cultural aspects of society such as arts and entertainment. The field of journalism include; editing, photojournalism and documentary (Lynne; 2010, p.50)

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The impact of social media in today’s world of communication, especially journalism cannot be over-looked. Since its arrival social media have certainly changed the way journalists work, how stories are developed and disseminated. Social media have had positive impacts, without doubt, but there are also concerns about their impact on productivity and the disruption it could have on journalists’ working patterns. Social media have created a dependency among those working in the media and many are unable to do without them. Social media have become journalistic lexicon and it seems sourcing information has overtaken self-promotion as a primary social activity. While journalists are growing more sophisticated in their use of social media, and are for instance, using a great variety of tools to source for news, some journalists are less positive about some of the ways social media affect their journalistic activities, their engagement with their audience, their productivity and the quality of their work. Based on these contrasting views, the question this research seeks to answer is; What is the role of social media in promoting modern journalism practice amongst journalist in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to examine the role of social media in promoting modern journalism practice amongst Journalists in the Federal Capital Territory.

The following are specific objectives:

To know if journalists in the Federal Capital Territory are exposed to social media networking tools.
To find out the type of social media tools journalists in the FCT prefer.
To discover whether social media have enhanced the productivity of journalists in the study area.
To ascertain the role of social media in promoting modern journalism practice.

1.3 Research Questions

Does journalists in the Federal Capital Territory use social media networking tools?
What are the types of social media tools journalists in the FCT prefer?
Has social media enhanced the productivity of journalists in the study area?
What are the roles of social media in promoting modern journalism practice?

1.4 Research Hypothesis

H₀: Social media does not play any significant role in promoting modern journalism practice among the journalist in the Federal Capital territory.

1.5 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is limited to the role of social media in promoting modern journalism practice among journalist in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be of immeasurable importance to journalists, media organizations, news agencies, editors, lecturers and students in the field of journalism and mass communication as well as other researchers who will want to embark on same study as this.

It will also help journalists to interact with their audience and identify their information needs. The study will also help journalists who rarely embraced social media to do so in order to increase their productivity.

The study will also contribute to wealth of knowledge therefore serve as a reference point to students and other researchers who may be interested in carrying out further studies on the role of social media in promoting modern journalism practice.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Social media: The term social media refers to the Internet-based social networking websites developed to specifically help people share their views and stay in touch with their friends, relatives and well wishers.

Media: Media in this study are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media networking tools which journalists use to disseminate information to a large heterogeneous audience.

Journalism: This is the practice of writing, editing, and disseminating information to the public.

Friday, 25 November 2022

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN CREATING OF AWARENESS DURING 2015 GENERAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN CREATING OF AWARENESS DURING 2015 GENERAL ELECTION IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The emergence of the Internet as the new mass medium of the 21st century now changes the mass media substantially. Information can be distributed at high speed, low cost, and broad scope and as a result, there is egalitarian access to the production and the consumption of news (Prat and Strömberg, 2011).

The recent election of Muhammadu Buhari as president of Nigeria has been hailed internationally as a historic transfer of power for Africa’s most populous nation with social media playing greater role or influenced the fairness of the election. Social media with all their flaws had the power of immediacy. They’re also very participatory. In an election where you have citizens who are participating, they were also providing the news and information surrounding the elections. It was an empowerment of people through their votes, and also through their ability to disseminate information. That is not to say that traditional media didn’t play a role. But the social media role was central. The world is becoming increasingly connected via the power of the Internet; Facebook launched internet.org an initiative to gain even the most remote parts of society access to the World Wide Web. Political movements have begun to see social media as a major organizing and recruiting tool and the reverse can be said for society. Social media (done right) gives you all this because it’s inherently a two-way communication system. Rather than getting brand messages, you get recommendations from friends in the form of re-shares and recommended posts, which de-commercializes the brand message.

Social media is that space, the many tools helping to amplify the voices of average Nigerians, taking ordinary voice sand making them extraordinary by bringing them to homes, offices, and places most of them would have probably never reached under different circumstances. It started out as a playground for mostly young jobless people. Today, it has become the battle ground of what would arguably be the most competitive election in Nigeria‘s history.

The advent of internet and technology has exposed majority of the global population to different interactive platforms on which different kind of information is exchanged which might significantly have effect on human behavior, decision and judgment (CES,2012). Social media are new information network and information technology using a form of communication utilizing interactive and user-produced content, and interpersonal relationships are created and maintained.

According to Eugene, 2015. The popularity of getting political news from social media platforms is greatly increasing. A 2014 study showed that 62% of web users turn to Facebook to find political news. This social phenomenon allows for political information, true or not, spreading quickly and easily among peer networks. Furthermore, social media sites are now encouraging political involvement by uniting like-minded people, reminding users to vote in elections, and analyzing users’ political affiliation data to find cultural similarities and differences. As social media gains more popularity and scope, its impact on voters‘ political and cultural perceptions cannot be underestimated as social media practically influences the way users interact, communicate and make decisions on social, cultural, and political issues in today‘s world.

The social media has become a powerful medium which may affect voting behavior because of its potential to provide direct and cheap access to the production and consumption of current information at any part of the world without editorial filtering (Sunstein, 2001). Not only do social media provide information about political affiliations, candidates and their party manifestoes, it also provides a platform through which voters across cultural divides can relate and interact with themselves on issues about these candidates. Social media can help taint the reputation of political figures fairly quickly with information that may or may not be true. Information spreads like wildfire and before a politician can even get an opportunity to address the information, either to confirm, deny, or explain, the public has already formed an opinion about the politician based on that information. However, when conducted on purpose, the spread of information on social media for political means can help campaigns immensely. Open forums online have also been the root of negative and positive effects in the political sphere. Some politicians have made the mistake of using open forums to try and reach a broader audience and thus more potential voters. What they forgot to account for was that the forums would be open to everyone, including those in opposition. Having no control the comments being posted, negative included, has been damaging for some with unfortunate oversight. Additionally, a constraint of social media as a tool for public political discourse is that if oppressive governments recognize the ability social media has to cause change.

Today‘s social media has made the world a-global village‖, with the quick transfer of information overriding the challenges of time and distance (Friedman, 2007). Social media has gradually become one of the important means of influencing the society and this influence is based exclusively on its social aspects of interaction and participation.

Nearly every political party in the country used social media to campaign and advance its plans, message and manifestos to supporters including advertising, mobilization and organizing in all the states of the federation, and even fundraising. Facebook, YouTube and especially Twitter were used to let voters know how each party or particular candidate felt about important national issues ranging from security to power. Hence social media became powerful enough to influence voter decisions and choices as many voters who had fixed their minds and conscience on voting a particular party or candidate began to change their minds based on certain information or idea they got online about the party or candidate. Information gotten by a particular voter was also not static, as the same voter would use several internet tools and buttons to broadcast same message to other voters like him through medium such as blogs, Facebook, Nairaland, chat rooms etc. in order to influence them.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The use of emotional appeals in political campaigns to increase support for a candidate or decrease support for a challenger is a widely recognized practice and a common element of any campaign strategy (Brader, T. 2006). Campaigns often seek to instill positive emotions such as zeal and hopefulness about their candidate to improve turnout and political activism while seeking to raise fear and anxiety about the opposition. Zeal tends to reinforce preference for the candidate and party, while fear and anxiety interrupt voter behavioral patterns and leads individual voters to look for new sources of information on divergent political issues (Marcus et al, 2000).

Sources of information available to a voter vary widely including the traditional media, TV, radio and newspapers. However, with the advent of online social media forum, most voters can access information, debate on the information and also give feedback on his own views, opinions and expectations from the party and candidate. Although the social media has helped in increasing the awareness about 2015 general election. Rumors, falsehood, propaganda and derogatory information about individual candidates or parties are commonplace online and spread faster than anticipated, often with disastrous outcomes. This is largely attributed to the lack of editorial filtering, and the anonymity of most online users. The internet encourages anonymity of its users, which means that those who write and comment often use nicknames or aliases.

This has a huge influence on voter behavior, as most voters who read stories online have a tendency to believe such stories without crosschecking facts and take decisions based on this propaganda. This is a widely known fact among political parties and they use it to their advantage in bringing down their opponents. Previous research has found that it is possible to influence a person’ attitudes toward a political candidate using carefully crafted information about such candidate online, which in turn may influence the voter‘s behavior towards the candidate. Social media can also be used by various parties to propagate false news and propaganda about the opposition in order to disfavor such party or candidate in the eyes of the electorates while exonerating theirs. This has a huge influence on voter behavior as many voters make decisions based on such news they read online.

Furthermore, social media has made voters privy to any kind of information about 2015 general election as there are no longer any isolated places or hiding holes. The private and public lives of society‘s most influential figures including politicians have been made public online. This is because in today‘s world, once a politician declares for a post, his entire life including his educational background, his family, his job and any past mistakes or excesses are made public on social media platforms for people to comment, discuss and publicly judge. Many politicians have been found in compromising positions with their words or phrase taken out of context and magnified to huge proportions by opposition parties in order to discredit them. Many a times, people go to the extent of recording private conversations or actions of these candidates and make the recorded audio or video public on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter quickly, with a view to elicit response and vicious backlash from voters and other online users. The belief is that it will go a long way in influencing voter‘s behavior and turning such voter against the candidate since the voter can now judgmentally make decisions about the candidate based on what he said, did or other information about him or her. Even though, such information are refuted sometimes by the concerned party or individual, it remains valid in the minds of many voters who may have made up their mind already or simply are not aware of the true situation.

1.3 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will help beam the searchlight on the impact of social media on creating awareness to voters during elections as a whole based on the information available by Facebook and Twitter. It will also enlighten relevant stakeholders such as political parties, candidates, and even the civil society on how social media can bring about awareness and campaign opportunities if properly utilized. This research study will help stakeholders understand that maintaining a good and healthy profile online with a cordial relationship between the party and voters can positively influence voter‘s behavior. Lastly, this research work will add to the body of knowledge on the already existing scholarly materials on the impact of social media in creating awareness to the society.

1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study will examine the role of social media in creating awareness with special reference to the actual effect of Facebook and Twitter on voter‘s and the factors determining the behavior and attitudes that an ordinary voter adopts based on available information gotten on the social media.

1.5 AIM AND OBJECTIVES.

The aim of the study is to find out the role played by social media in the 2015 general election awareness creation Facebook and Twitter. Hence the specific objectives are as fallow:

To find out the role played by social media in creating awareness in 2015 general election.
To determine the level of influence social media has on the success of 2015 general election.
To find out factors that influence/drive awareness creation of the social media during 2015 general election.
To identify the lesson from the role social media play in 2015 general election

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What are the roles played by social media in creating awareness in the 2015 general election?
To what extend did the social media contribute to the success of the present administration in the 2015 general elections?
To what extend did politicians employ the social networking sites of Facebook and Tweeter in campaign for the 2015 general elections?
In what ways do social media need improvement to play major roles in elections in Nigeria?

1.7 BRIEF METHODOLOGY

The study used survey research design. Surveys allow for the study of people‘s opinion on a given issue of public interest. According to Onwukwe (2011), ―survey research is concerned with the collection of data for the purpose of describing and interpreting a certain condition, practice, beliefs, attitudes, etc. The purpose is usually to describe systematically the facts, qualities or characteristics of a given population, events, or areas of interest concerning the problem under investigation.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Awareness: Is the ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects, thoughts, emotions, or sensory patterns.

Election: The formal process of selecting a person for public office or of accepting or rejecting a political proposition by voting.

Facebook: Is an online social networking service that enables users to chart share and send pictures, and other multimedia items.

General Election: Is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. (Wikipedia 2015)

Internet: An interconnected group of computer networks allowing for electronic communication.

Social Media: Are computer mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange information, ideas and pictures/videos in virtual communities and online networks.

Social Network: Is structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations) and a set of the dyadic ties between these actors.

Twitter: Is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 140-character messages called “tweets”.

Case study: Yin (2003) defines a case study as an empirical inquiry that uses multiple sources of evidence to investigate a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, in which the boundaries between the phenomenon.

CSO: Civil Organization and Society

INEC: Independent National Electoral Commission

NGO: Non-Governmental Organization.

THE INFLUENCE OF ROCK CITY FM ON POLITICAL MOBILIZATION PROGRAMMES ON THE RESIDENTS OF ABEOKUTA-NORTH LGA.

THE INFLUENCE OF ROCK CITY FM ON POLITICAL MOBILIZATION PROGRAMMES ON THE RESIDENTS OF ABEOKUTA-NORTH LGA.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The mass media as a communication tool hand and are still exerting great influence on a wide range of political and social issues globally. On the one hand, media can be used as political instruments for building a nation and promoting the legitimacy of a regime by shaping the nation’s political culture and influencing its public opinion. On the other hand, media can function as watchdog of government performance. Realizing that mass media can play very important roles in influencing politics, scholars in both political science and communication studies have conducted considerable research to explore the interaction between media and politics. Black’s Politics and News (1982), Horowitz’s Power, Politics and People (1963), Seymour-Ure’s The Political Impact of Mass Media(1974), Well’s Mass Media and Society (1972), Collins and Murroni’s New Media New Politics (1996), Wheeler’s Politics and the Mass Media (1997), Sproule’s Propaganda and Democracy (1997) and Moy, Patricia, and Scheufele Media Effects on Political and Social Trust (2000) are examples in this regard.

Apart from the studies in these areas, theories have been created to explain the power the media has in the society, some of these theories, Lasswell’s propaganda theory (1938), McComb and Shaw’s agenda-setting theory (1972) and Tuchman’s framing analysis theory (1978) are the most relevant ones in the study of media effects on politics. They all directly study the interaction between media and politics, and each study assumes that media can play a powerful role in influencing politics both within one nation and between nations.

The media is made up of both print and digital, encompassing both broadcast media and social media, the media play a huge role as versatile means of communication in every society. Radio’s usefulness for example is primarily journalistic education, cultural enlightenment, people mobilization, societal propaganda and entertainment. Radio also promotes development economically, increases political participation and the general awareness on national issues to inspire unity in the society.

The unique ability Radio has is that unlike the print which has an appeal primarily to the literate class of the society Radio meets the needs of the illiterate (not so educated) class of the society and also the literate class. Radio with its appeal played important roles in sending across political messages. This role has made it contribute immensely to the education of the mass populis politically, by enlightenment, awareness, consciousness and in some cases a room for political discussions. The role of Radio in politics has always been maximized by politicians during campaigns towards elections especially during democratic rule in Nigeria, allowing the general public the opportunity to listen to, manifestos of politicians, criticisms by aspirants or political activist when the aspirant is running for re-elections and other programs Radio house may run in a bid to educate the public to make rational choices responsible to sustain the growth of the country.

Media cannot be eradicated in any political system especially in a democratic society. They make up the fourth estate of the realm while the other three were constitutionally founded the media is not, it is independent, free of governmental influence and primarily responsible to the Public. The media creates awareness amongst the public by letting them know the problems and issues the state is faced with and their possible solutions or consequences if any. Media dictates the agenda of the day by putting ideas and thought before the people for them to think and talk about.

In Nigeria, the media has been instrumental in politically transforming the minds of the public. According to Akpan (1987, p.22), media information has a tremendous energy for change. Change in political context refers to the opportunity for improvement in the political sphere of the people and taking away ignorance. In politics, the electorate need media information to ensure full participation in elections knowing what is required of them. Furthermore, Ezeokoli (1988) in her article ‟Mass Media and Social Political Transformation”, noted that the politics of any nation depends heavily on the mass media as platforms of articulating and marketing of ideas and issues on national problems to the people.

This study will therefore examine the contributions of Radio in mobilizing and stimulating political participation of the people of Abeokuta-North LGA towards electing a new democratic government in this 2015 general election.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM

In democracies globally, the media primarily function as the watch dog of the people. They mobilize and inform the people creating awareness on political culture of the time. The mass media has a role in educating the public on the system of politics especially where the orientation of the citizen of a nation is poor towards politics, which affects their perceptions of political legitimacy of a government.

The low level of political participation has affected the process of national growth and political development in Nigeria. Ofoeze (1998) explained that Nigeria stunted growth politically has its location in the crisis of political participation. This is so because of the level of electoral ignorance as to the power which the citizens have in deciding who they put in power, due to the antics done by the military, killing electoral participation through their interventionist coup de tat. The incumbent’s proclivities of rigging electoral votes have also made political participation low.

In recent times, the media in Nigeria has evolved from its role as a channel for communication to a tool of continual enlightenment of the public improving public lifestyle and reducing ignorance. The role of radio, as an instrument of political mobilization cannot be over emphasised. Radio continued participation in political affairs has raised interest of politicians, as politicians are ready to use radio to pursue their own personal interest. Radio due to its universality of context can reach the people on a wide scale affecting democratic growth of the nation.

The media can be considered windows, through which the political landscape of a country can be viewed, both from within the country and by external observers. In other words, the media can be used as explanatory factors for politics. Unlike many of the liberal-democratic societies, where great attention has been given to the roles of mass media in affecting the nations’ political life, the media’s roles have been marginalized, if not ignored completely, in the study of Nigerian politics and society at large. Although there are a number of available studies on the media’s role in Nigerian politics, few of them provide systematic and updated analysis of how dynamic the media has been in reforming and increasing the political participation rate of the Nigerian people.

The media is constantly developing, becoming widely used for marketing purposes in politics. Thus further research is needed to provide a better understanding of how radio information is both promotional in encouraging political participation, for the electorate and the political parties who want the electorates to vote their candidates in. It is for this purpose this study is set out to answer the question; what is the impact of Rock City FM radio station on political mobilization of the people of Abeokuta-North LGA in Ogun State?

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of the study is to see how well media outfits, using Rock City FM, help in creating awareness on political issues in Abeokuta-North LGA.

To find out if Rock City FM played an important role in creating awareness during the elections.
To find out if Rock City FM information on the elections was taken as a credible source of information.
To determine the extent to which the political programs aired on Rock City FM encourage political participation amongst its listeners.

This research seeks to determine how well the media (radio) has carried out its function as an instrument of political mobilization and information disseminating.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research question will aim to guide this study:

To what extent did Rock City FM create awareness on the electoral process?
To what extent were campaign and electoral information on Rock City FM perceived as credible by the electorate during the elections?
How well did Rock City FM mobilize and inform its listeners during the elections?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will see to what extent the media (Radio) has an effect in mobilizing and increasing political participation amongst the people in Abeokuta-North LGA. It also will let us know if the media (Radio) has an effect on the mindset and perception of the people of Abeokuta-North LGA towards political issues in light of information gathered and their role as an electorate in determining their leaders.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study will look at Rock City FM Radio Abeokuta, Ogun State and the people in Abeokuta-North LGA as the primary reference of the study. Also it will focus are areas that concern radio station fulfilling its role as a social informant and also as the watch dog of the people in the electoral process. It will also look at how political discussion on programs being aired improves the political orientation of the people.

It will also seek to know the role of radio in reducing distrust in the electoral process, how it provides effective political education on the electoral process to encourage the residents of Abeokuta-North LGA in going out to vote on Election Day. Finally will seek to uncover how radio through its programs has encouraged and motivated political participation in the electoral process

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Politics: in this study refers to the process necessary to make binding policy decision for the community and to increase patronage in government activities.

2.Media: refers to radio as a channel through which government, institutions, and political interest groups communicate with the citizens of a nation.

3. Political Mobilization: refersto the process of becoming attentive and active towards the political demand of the nation ensuring they take part in political activities, as electorate in exercising their rights to vote making awareness for the need participate actively and fully in the electoral process.

4. Political Participation:This refers is participation of people in selecting their leaders by participating in the election process of selection.

5. Radio Programs: This are the on air programs on politic during the electoral period of 2015.

6. Electoral Process: Refers to the seasonal exercise of the selecting and voting in leaders into government office and positions necessary to the sustenance of democracy and political awareness.