THE USE OF RADIO BROADCASTING IN DEVELOPING RURAL AREAS IN NASARAWA STATE

THE USE OF RADIO BROADCASTING IN DEVELOPING RURAL AREAS IN NASARAWA STATE:

A CASE STUDY OF “RURAL WATCH” NASARAWA BROADCASTING SERVICE (NBS) LAFIA RADIO PROGRAMME

ABSTRACT

This research work is on Radio Broadcasting as tool for rural development: A study of “Rural Watch” a Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) Radio programme. Survey research method was carried out for the study. Findings revealed that gender distribution shows that 68 (69%) respondents are males (31%) ar7e females: this indicated that the population of males out weight that of females. The majority of respondents listen to rural watch on NBS. The study also reveals that the programme has impacted so much on the people of Nasarawa state. The researcher recommended that rural programme should be researched to ensure that the content reflects the needs of the people. Finally, the study recommended that the time of broadcast of rural programme should agree with the time they are normally at home.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Rural development calls for massive and multi-pronged efforts, which should not only be seen to boost production but also create and spread employment and root out foundational course of poverty, illiteracy and disease. Rural development generally refers to the economic wellbeing of people living in relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas.

According to Comb and Ahmed (1974) rural development to a large extent involves the balanced between social and economic state of the rural dwellers, the essence of development lies not in a regimented system where none dares to disagree but in all inclusive dispensation in which everyone plays an equal role. The request for development should lead us in the direction for empowering those sections of the society who are in need of being empowered. This is the true meaning of Democracy and this is the area in which the broadcast media must play an important role. Effective communication with rural people and their active participation in live of their country are essential for every developing society. Radio broadcasting is one way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience of the masses. Radio is the most widespread and accessible media and because of its special qualities, radio can be a major force in bringing about development that is to any quantitative and qualitative improvement in the lives of the people. The advantage of this medium is that it can reach a large audience at a relative low cost. And because it reaches more rural people in the world than any other medium, its potential to bring about increase in knowledge and provide motivation for shift in practices is considerable.

According to Asemah (2011), research has shown that there are about 100 radio receivers per 1000 people in Africa, while there are no more than 10 television receivers for the same number and even those that are available, are concentrated in the towns. Research has also shown that radio is the most useful and efficient medium available to our rural population”’ scattered over the wide area and have no accessible reach. Radio broadcasting is therefore seen as one of the vehicles through which national aspiration can be pursued.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Often rural people in developing countries are excluded from the media-based political debate and lack of source of technical information. With the advent of the internet era, the digital divide between industrialized and developing countries has become a major issue of the global inequality. “Rural Watch” a Nasarawa broadcasting service programme is one of such programmes that is used to communicate with people in the rural areas.

This study seeks to examine the extent at which “Rural Watch” a Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (N.B.S) radio programme has help to bring development to the rural populace.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF STUDY

The objectives of study are:

i. To ascertain how popular the programme “Rural Watch” is among the rural populace.

ii. To examine the extent at which radio programme aid development in rural areas.

iii. To examine ways of improving the programme for better development among the rural populace.

iv. To evaluate the significance of radio to rural dwellers?

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be considered to enable the researcher achieve the objectives of the study.

i. How popular is the programme “Rural Watch” among the rural populace?

ii. To which extent can radio programme aid development in rural area?

iii. How can the programme be improved for better development achievement of the people of the rural populace?

iv. What is the significance of the radio to rural dwellers?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of significance to the researcher himself as a communicator, it would give him a better understanding and appreciation of radio as a medium and the roles it plays in the society.

The government will also benefit in terms of formulating media policies that could aid rural environment.

It will help the rural dwellers in appreciating the roles Radio plays in development and society well-being of the society.

This study will also be significant to students who may want to research on similar topic in future, as it would serve as a guide to them.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to the use of radio broadcasting in developing rural’ area in Nasarawa state with a particular interest in “Rural to Watch” Nasarawa broadcasting service Lafia (NBS) a Radio programme.

1.7 AREA OF STUDY

Nasarawa State was one of the six states created in October 1996. The state is endowed with abundant human and natural resources. Since its creation policy initiative marched with effective implementation have gone a long way in placing the state in an enviable pedestal. The establishment of the State Media Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) is fore-predicated on the above summation and aimed at effective information dissemination about the potentials of the State in particular and country in general. The blue print submitted by the indigenes of Nasarawa State that were staffs of PRTV Jos, to the first Military administrator of the State, Wing Commander, Abdullhahi Ibrahim in October 1996 for the establishment of the Broadcast Media. The name of the organization shall be known and called Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (N.B.S).

Prior to the establishment by edicts on 19 of November 1996, Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (N.B.S) started as an embryo State Broadcasting Media in February 1997 in Lafia the Nasarawa state capital. It was first located at a temporary State Secretariat along Shendam road. The station was operation on a 2 Kilowatt transmitter. From this period up to the 1999, the station’s signals could only be picked in a small percentage area of the state, the F.M station 97.1 covered by broadcasting operation licensed No.0014 on the 5th December 1997 with the advent of the new political Dispensation in May 1999 things changed for better of the station under the democratic P.D.P government led by Alhaji Abdullhahi Adamu (Sarkin Yakin Keffi) who was the first civilian governor of Nasarawa State N.B.S progressed tremendously in the empty building constructed by Military Administration in 1998 which now is serves as the permanent Site of N.B.S at Tudun Kauri. Makurdi road was turned into a useful venture when Governor Abduliahi Adamu equipped the F.M station with the latest state-of-the-art technology supplied by Mega watts Communication U.K Company through Systems Engineering and Security Company (SESCO).

1.8 DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS

The following terms need to be defined in order to narrow their meaning to the study:

i. Radio: According to Jibrin (2014:34), radio is a system of communication employing electromagnetic waves propagated through space.

ii. Broadcasting: Broadcasting is the relaying of information through the electronic media of radio and television to the audience simultaneously. Nwanwene (2000:5) says, “Broadcasting is a primary media for prompt delivery of information through carefully designed programmes.

iii. Rural: The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines the term “rural” as area relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the town. It is often viewed as a village or remote part of a state or local government area which is relatively less developed and less attractive than the cities and semi- urban areas. Colgate (2009) defines rural area as an area where people’s living condition is very poor.

iv. Development: Development is the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more advanced. According to Nnoli (1981), development is a dialectical phenomenon in which the individual and society interact with their physical, biological inter-human environment, transforming them for their own benefits and that of humanity at large and being transformed in the process.

v. Rural Watch: According to Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (N.B.S) this radio programme “Rural watch” tackles issue that concerns both the state and rural areas to enhance development. The programme dwells mostly in agriculture, health, education, politics, peace, unity, hygiene and issues that affect the rural dwellers.

vi. Signature tune: Various techniques are employed to make the programme attractive such as discussions, interviews and dialogue-in order to get peoples opinion certain things that affects them in the rural area.