BROADCASTING AND PRESERVATION OF CULTURE IN NASARAWA STATE

 BROADCASTING AND PRESERVATION OF CULTURE IN NASARAWA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Nasarawa State, located in Nigeria’s North-Central geopolitical zone, is widely recognized for its cultural plurality and diversity. Established in 1996, the state has over two dozen ethnic groups, including the Eggon, Alago, Gwandara, Mada, Tiv, Hausa, and Fulani, each with distinct languages, oral traditions, performance arts, and festivals (Wikipedia, 2023). This pluralism makes Nasarawa a microcosm of Nigeria’s larger cultural mosaic, offering a fertile ground for cultural studies and preservation strategies. However, the preservation of such cultural diversity requires deliberate mechanisms for documentation, promotion, and inter-generational transmission, especially in the face of modernization and globalization.

Broadcasting, particularly through radio and television, has historically been a major tool for cultural communication in Nigeria. From the colonial era to post-independence Nigeria, broadcasting has been used for public education, news dissemination, cultural programming, and national integration (Ojebode, 2011). In Nasarawa State, state-owned broadcasting outlets such as the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) provide platforms for cultural programming, drama, music, and festival coverage, which collectively support cultural identity and heritage preservation (Nasarawa Broadcasting Service [NBS], 2024). Through these programmes, local dialects, folklore, and traditional music are not only celebrated but also transmitted to younger generations.

The Nasarawa State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism explicitly outlines cultural promotion as part of its mandate. In collaboration with broadcasting services, it often engages in documenting and showcasing traditional festivals, dances, and indigenous crafts as part of cultural tourism promotion (Nasarawa State Government, 2024). Such collaborations demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between media institutions and cultural custodians in preserving Nasarawa’s rich cultural legacy. Without this intervention, many traditional practices risk being eroded due to urbanization, Western cultural influence, and language extinction pressures.

Empirical evidence from Nigerian scholars further highlights the role of broadcasting in cultural preservation. For instance, Odesola and Bernice (2024) argue that educational and community broadcasting are vital in maintaining indigenous languages, revitalizing traditional performing arts, and countering cultural erosion. They emphasize that community-focused programmes, such as local radio dramas and folk music shows, help instill pride in cultural identity and ensure that heritage is not lost amidst modernization. These findings align with global best practices that regard broadcasting as a tool for cultural continuity.

Furthermore, the emergence of local community radio stations in Nigeria has expanded the scope of broadcasting for cultural preservation. Community radio fosters participatory communication by involving local people in programme production, thus increasing relevance and ownership of cultural content (Uche & Ngige, 2018). In Nasarawa, community-based broadcasting has the potential to highlight lesser-known traditions and languages, particularly those of minority ethnic groups that are underrepresented in mainstream media. This participatory model enhances inclusivity in cultural documentation and transmission.

The challenges of globalization and digital media also necessitate an increased focus on local broadcasting. While global media content exposes audiences to external cultures, it simultaneously contributes to cultural homogenization and marginalization of indigenous practices (Salawu, 2015). Broadcasting services in Nasarawa must therefore balance exposure to global content with deliberate promotion of local culture, ensuring that audiences retain a strong connection to their roots while engaging with global trends.

Moreover, the role of broadcasting in cultural preservation goes beyond entertainment. It also includes cultural education, public enlightenment, and tourism promotion. By broadcasting local festivals such as the Eggon Aren Eggon festival or the Alago cultural day, media not only preserve traditions but also attract cultural tourists to the state, contributing to socioeconomic development (Okeke, 2017). This dual role of preserving heritage while promoting development positions broadcasting as a central instrument in Nasarawa’s cultural and economic strategy.

At the same time, infrastructural, policy, and funding challenges remain significant obstacles. State broadcasters often lack adequate resources, technical facilities, and archival systems to properly document cultural materials (Ekwelie, 2016). In many cases, programmes are short-lived or poorly preserved, limiting their inter-generational impact. Additionally, there is a need for stronger government support and policies to ensure sustainability and innovation in cultural broadcasting.

Broadcasting plays a pivotal role in the preservation and promotion of culture in Nasarawa State. It functions as a medium for transmitting indigenous languages, showcasing festivals, educating the youth, and promoting cultural tourism. However, to maximize this role, deliberate strategies such as tailored programming, institutional collaboration, adequate funding, and modern archiving systems are needed. By strengthening broadcasting, Nasarawa State can safeguard its cultural diversity against the pressures of globalization and modernization, ensuring that its heritage remains vibrant for future generations.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite the existence of state-owned and private broadcasting platforms in Nasarawa State, indigenous languages, oral traditions, and performance forms remain under serious threat. The increasing dominance of national and global media content has contributed to cultural erosion, as many young people prefer to consume programmes in English or Hausa, leaving minority languages with limited platforms of expression (Salawu, 2015). Language shift, particularly among urban youth, has become a significant challenge, as local languages are increasingly excluded from family communication and educational settings. As a result, cultural values transmitted through oral histories, folklore, and traditional performances are gradually being sidelined in favor of more dominant media narratives (Okeke, 2017).

Moreover, the challenge of youth migration further compounds the problem. Many young people migrate from rural communities to urban areas within and outside the state in search of education and employment opportunities. This migration often exposes them to cultural influences that undermine their connection to indigenous practices (Ojebode, 2011). Broadcasting, which could serve as a bridge for transmitting cultural identity across generations, has not been adequately leveraged to counteract these pressures. Limited cultural programming, coupled with the preference for commercial entertainment content, means that many indigenous practices remain underrepresented in mainstream media (Uche & Ngige, 2018).

Another pressing issue is the absence of comprehensive archiving and documentation systems in broadcasting institutions within Nasarawa State. Valuable audiovisual materials, including recordings of traditional festivals, oral poetry, and interviews with cultural custodians, are either poorly archived or not preserved at all. This lack of systematic preservation poses the risk of permanent loss of intangible heritage (Ekwelie, 2016). In addition, institutional gaps such as inadequate funding, outdated technology, insufficient training for media personnel, and weak cultural policies further limit the capacity of broadcasters to meaningfully engage in cultural preservation (Odesola & Bernice, 2024).

In light of these challenges, there is a knowledge gap regarding the extent to which broadcasting has contributed to the preservation of culture in Nasarawa State. Few empirical studies have specifically assessed how effectively state and private broadcasters document and promote local cultural diversity. This absence of systematic evidence makes it difficult for policymakers, cultural stakeholders, and broadcasting institutions to design strategies that address existing challenges. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the role of broadcasting in preserving indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural practices in Nasarawa State, identify institutional strengths and constraints, and propose actionable recommendations to strengthen the cultural preservation mandate of the media.

1.3 Research Objectives

The main objective of this study is to examine the role of broadcasting in the preservation of culture in Nasarawa State. Specific objectives are to:

1. Describe the current range of cultural content broadcast in Nasarawa State (radio and television).
2. Assess the effectiveness of broadcasting programmes in promoting local languages, festivals and traditional arts.
3. Identify institutional, technical and social constraints that hinder broadcasting’s contribution to cultural preservation.
4. Propose policy and programme recommendations to strengthen broadcasting-led cultural preservation.

1.4 Research Questions

To meet the objectives above the study will address these research questions:

1. What kinds of cultural content (language programmes, music, drama, festival coverage, interviews, archiving) are broadcast in Nasarawa State?
2. How do audiences (including elders, cultural custodians, youth) perceive the effectiveness of broadcast programmes for cultural preservation?
3. What operational or policy barriers limit broadcasters from adequately documenting and promoting local culture in Nasarawa State?
4. Which interventions (training, funding, community partnerships, archiving systems) can enhance the role of broadcasting in cultural preservation?

1.5 Research Hypothesis 

H₀: Broadcasting activities in Nasarawa State do not significantly influence the preservation of indigenous languages and cultural practices.

H₁: Broadcasting activities in Nasarawa State significantly influence the preservation of indigenous languages and cultural practices.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study is significant because it contributes to both theory and practice in the fields of media studies, cultural policy, and development studies. By providing empirical evidence on the role of regional broadcasting in preserving cultural heritage, the research deepens theoretical understanding of how media functions as a tool of cultural transmission and identity formation. Broadcasting has been shown to influence not only what people know but also how they perceive their cultural belonging (Salawu, 2015). Therefore, analyzing the broadcasting landscape in Nasarawa State adds to academic discourse on the intersection between media and cultural sustainability in multicultural societies.

For policymakers, particularly the Nasarawa State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the study offers practical insights into how broadcasting can be harnessed as a cultural development tool. Evidence from the research can guide targeted investments, including the provision of funds for cultural programming, training of media personnel, and acquisition of modern archival technologies (Nasarawa State Government, 2024). Such policy-driven interventions will help address the structural and institutional gaps that limit the impact of broadcasting on cultural preservation. Policymakers can also use the study’s findings to design cultural frameworks that strengthen the integration of media in safeguarding indigenous traditions.

For broadcasting institutions such as the Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) and private radio and television stations, the study is valuable in highlighting strategies for content development and programme sustainability. Broadcasting stations can adopt the recommendations to increase the visibility of indigenous festivals, music, drama, and oral histories

The study is equally significant for cultural organizations, community associations, and academics. It will provide documented evidence on the state of cultural preservation through broadcasting in Nasarawa State, which can support advocacy for language revitalization and community-led cultural initiatives (Uche & Ngige, 2018). 

Finally, this study is timely because it aligns with recent collaborative initiatives between the Nasarawa State Ministry of Information, state universities, and the broadcasting service aimed at promoting culture through education and media (Nasarawa Broadcasting Service, 2024). These partnerships demonstrate institutional receptiveness to research-based recommendations, making it more likely that the findings of this study will be implemented.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on broadcasting outlets operating within Nasarawa State (state radio and television, and significant local private/community broadcasters) and their cultural programming. Geographically, it covers selected urban and rural communities in Nasarawa State where cultural groups are present. The temporal scope will examine programming and activities over the most recent five-year period (to capture recent trends in digitization and community outreach), supplemented by historical context where relevant.

1.8 Operational Definitions of Terms

Broadcasting: Transmission of audio and/or visual content to the public by radio and television services; in this study it includes live coverage, recorded programmes, and online streams operated by state and local broadcasters. 

Cultural Preservation: Activities that maintain, document, revive or transmit language, music, dance, drama, festivals, oral history and other elements of intangible cultural heritage.

Indigenous Language: A language native to an ethnic group in Nasarawa State (e.g., Eggon, Alago, Gwandara) as distinct from lingua francas such as Hausa or official languages such as English. 

Community Broadcasting: Radio/TV services that are locally based, participatory and aimed at serving specific community needs, often including cultural content.



REFERENCES

Ekwelie, N. (2016). Challenges of cultural preservation in Nigerian broadcasting. Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, 8(2), 44–57.

Nasarawa Broadcasting Service. (2024). Official website of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS). Retrieved from https://nbs.na.gov.ng

Odesola, E. A., & Bernice, S. (2024). The role of educational broadcasting in Nigeria’s cultural preservation. Indiana Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(9), 15–22.

Ojebode, A. (2011). Broadcasting and cultural preservation in Nigeria: The challenges and prospects. African Communication Research, 4(3), 345–362.

Okeke, C. (2017). Media, cultural festivals, and tourism promotion in Nigeria. International Journal of Communication and Media Studies, 9(1), 20–32.

Salawu, A. (2015). Indigenous language broadcasting and cultural preservation in Nigeria. Journal of African Media Studies, 7(1), 33–49.

Uche, L., & Ngige, E. (2018). Community radio and cultural identity preservation in Nigeria. Global Media Journal African Edition, 12(1), 55–70.

Wikipedia. (2023). Nasarawa State. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Nasarawa_State

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

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

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:

1. To see how broadcast news commentaries brings about social change.
2. To compare BCA commentaries with other media ho us s
3. To establish the relevance of news commentary in our society.
4. To ensure the effectiveness of broadcasting corporation of Abia in its increment, of social change.
5. To see how news commentaries could be used as a means of social change.
6. 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.
7. 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;

1. How new commentary as a vital programme of any station does bring social change?
2. Has BCA through its programme been assisting both state and the federal government in their crusading function, to restore sanity in our lives?
3. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

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.

1. In what ways has television affected the youths positively or negatively?
2. How can television serves as an instrument of educational     advancement?
3. In what areas can television programme stimulate group discussion         among students?
4. Do media contribute to societal educational pursuit?
5. 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.

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

1. 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.

1. RESEARCH PROBLEM

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

1. 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.
2. To compliment and supplement classroom education.
3. To broaden and deepen knowledge in science
4. To encourage intellectual development structure.
5. 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

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

1.4   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

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

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

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. 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 SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME AMONG YOUTHS IN LAPAI COMMUNITY

THE SOCIO ECONOMIC IMPACT OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND CRIME AMONG YOUTHS IN LAPAI COMMUNITY

ABSTRACT

The study examined the socio-economic impact of unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai community, Niger state. The study indicated that youth unemployment has many negative effects to the society, economy, family, and individuals. From the response got from the questionnaires revealed that youth unemployment leads to poverty, low productivity, losses in foreign direct investment, low revenue generation, rural urban migration, illicit activities which increases crime, insecurity, anti-social activities such as armed robbery, prostitution, political thuggery, violence, kidnapping, restiveness and other social vices evident among the unemployed youths and this constitutes danger to the stability, growth and development of the state. The research concludes that, addressing the problems of youth unemployment, must involve all stakeholders. Suggestions from the analysis therefore, are that effective policy measures such as re-prioritization or revitalization of agricultural sector, reformation of educational system, provision of enabling environment and building of industries be pursued vigorously which will drastically reduce unemployment and poverty as well as eradicate the menace of youth unemployment in Lapai community in Niger State and Nigeria as a whole.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    Background of the Study

Globally, the world is experiencing mass unemployment of qualified and able-bodied youths and these have generated much concern for both governmental and non-governmental organizations, public and private sectors of the economy. The global economic recession of the 1980’s has caused rapid deterioration in Nigeria’s economic industrial output. In the 60’s and 70’s youth unemployment was not pronounced like today because the government then were proactively involved in providing jobs for graduates churning out from various higher institutions.

Over the years, youth unemployment has taken a centre stage in most socials and economic discourse in Nigeria because the youths remain the greatest asset and the life wire of any nation. Youth employment in any nation is universally acknowledged as the basic source of survival and economic development (Ajaji, 2008). The central issue in socio-economic development is how to create conditions necessary for rapid and sustained growth and productivity where, the ultimate goal is to improve people’s quality of life and standard through production of goods and services at affordable prices, provision of basic infrastructures, reduce poverty, create employment opportunities and conducive political, religious, social and economic environment. (Echeriri, 2007).

In Nigeria, youth unemployment is soaring high despite laudable programmes provided by federal, states and local governments to curb the growing concern of joblessness among the teeming population of the country. Several governments both past and present have tried to solve this issue but day to day it increases. President Ibrahim Babangida’s regime from (1984-1993) was the first administration to be confronted with mass unemployment which led to introduction of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to tackle the scourge of unemployment but to no avail. President OlusegunObasanjo’s administration (1999-2007) came up with the national Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) but could not solve this menace.

President UmaruYaradua’s administration (2007-2010) with the view of solving this problem initiated the seven (7) points agenda, yet no meaningful achievement was recorded and President Goodluck Jonathan (2011-2015) administration launched Youth Enterprise with New Innovations (YOUWIN) and Alhaji BolajiAbdulahji the minister of youth also organized a youth forum to help youths realize their goals in life, still there is high prevalence of youth unemployment in the Nigerian Sectors (Ikemefula, 2012).

The level of unemployment and crime among youths in Nigeria as well as Niger State and Lapai community in particular appears to grow in geometric progression every year, in contrast to its regional neighbours most of whom have far less resources. Anameza (2000), stated that Nigeria will have no prospect of measurable development or of improving the welfare of its people; unless it enhances the chances of employment for its graduates. The menace of unemployment has increasingly been recognized as one of the socio-economic problems currently facing many developing countries like Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Overall, unemployment in Lapai community has affected youths from a broad spectrum of socio-economic groups, both of well and less educated, although it has particularly stricken a substantial fraction of youths from low income backgrounds and limited education. From the foregoing, it is obvious that unemployment, especially the unemployment of graduates, impedes the progress of Lapai community in many ways. Apart from economic waste, it also constitutes danger for political stability (Ipaye, 1998). It is disturbing to note that Nigeria’s graduates have limited chance of becoming gainfully employed. It is even more disheartening that the country’s economic condition is such that, it is hardly able to absorb an optimal proportion of the production of its own educational system. Gone are the days when employers went about looking for employees. It is now the turn of employees to move from one office to the other seeking for non-existent jobs. These days, thousands of young people are found waiting to be interviewed for just one, two or few vacant positions in some organizations or firms. Most people who cannot earn their living are prone to social vices. They look at themselves as second-class citizens for being unable to contribute to the society.

Youth unemployment is a crucial issue in Niger state and Nigeria at large because the youth constitute a major part of the labour force and they have innovative ideas, which among other factors are important in the development process of the country. A large proportion of the youths however are unemployed. The negative consequences include psychological problems of frustration, depression, hostility and gradual drift of some visible unemployed youths into all manner of criminal behaviours (Okafor, 2011). Unemployment is generally is indeed a pathetic situation that calls for urgent attention, to address the socio-economic effects accompanied by it.It is on this background that the study is undertaken with the view of examining the socio-economic impact of unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai with the view of suggesting ways of improving and ameliorating youth unemployment in the community and Niger State at large.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Youth unemployment and crime in Lapai community is alarming as the rate is growing geometrically. Youth unemployment in the state is becoming unbearable as it threatens the growth of the state. It is apparent that youths in any society are the greatest assets of national development if given the opportunity of employment. Due to non-availability of ample employment opportunity in the state, the teeming youths with vibrant energy cannot contribute effectively and efficiently to the economic growth and development of the state but rather utilizes such energy in unacceptable means of satisfying their needs, wants and goals in life by engaging themselves in social vices such as armed robbery, kidnapping, violence, political thuggery, cybercrimes, fraud (419), murder, killing human beings and drug trafficking, with prostitution as the only means of survival. Our present society is not helping matters as it places much emphasis and values on materialism.

The problem of youth unemployment in Lapai and the state has also affected the local government area, individuals, families, communities, society and government, and has indeed hindered the socio-economic growth and development of Lapai and the state, thereby challenging the leadership and people of Niger State as it brings about poverty, high crime rates and deviant behaviours, malnutrition, poor health condition which later results in high death rates (Brown, 2011).It is these seemingly insurmountable problems that necessitate this academic work, to examine the socio economic impact of unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai community.

1.3       Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai community.

In view of this, the specific objectives of the research work are as follows:

1.         To examine the effects of youth unemployment and crime situation in Lapai community.

2.         To examine the effects of youth unemployment on the crime in the study area

3.         To find out the extent youth unemployment has affected the socio-economic well being of the individuals of Lapai community.

1.4       Research Questions

The following constitutes the research questions for the study.

1.         What are the effects of youth unemployment and the level of crime in Lapai community?

2.         What are the effects of youth unemployment on the level of crime in the study area?

3.         What are the consequences of youth unemployment in the study area?

1.5       Research Hypotheses           

Following the objectives of the study as outlined in section 1.3 and the research question as outlined in 1.4, the research hypotheses are as follows:

1.         Ho: There is no significant relationship between youth unemployment and crime in Lapai.

            H₁: There is significant relationship between youth unemployment and crime in Lapai.

.

2.         Ho:      There is no significant relationship between youth unemployment and crime the study area.

            H₁: There is significant relationship between youth unemployment and crime the study area..

3.         Ho: There are no consequences of youth unemployment in the study area.

            H₁: There are consequences of youth unemployment in the study area.

1.6       Significance of the study

The justification of this study lies in the fact that this is another effort to effect a social scientific evaluation of the extent and cause of unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai community.

This work will also provide  insight on the critical problem of graduate unemployment and its various ramifications in Nigeria. It will therefore provide information to non-governmental organizations (NGO) working on the area of unemployment and poverty alleviation.

It is felt that knowledge of facts and their relationship must come before any national policy decision could be made and meaningfully executed. Hence, the present study is a step towards that direction.

This study is also intended to encourage other researchers to carry out research on the urban unemployment questions.

1.7       SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The research deals specifically with the socio-economic impact unemployment and crime among youths in Lapai community and not unemployment on an international or global scale which is explicitly beyond the scope of this research.

The reason for choosing this area was that Niger state is represented by virtually many tribes due to its industrial and administrative nature.

Also, in the course of this work, the researcher encountered certain problems which constituted limitation to the study.

The major problem is the difficulty in dealing exhaustively with such an all pervading vice as a graduate unemployment in urban centres in Niger state. Very few want to be identified as unemployed as its affect them.

Secondly, the Librarian strictly observed a rigid protocol. The table for consultation with library offered the student the opportunity to use the library strictly followed by order. This strictness was exacerbated by the hesitation of the librarian in lending out some materials for consultation.

1.7       Definition of Terms  

Socio-economic: In the context of this study, refers to the social and economic realities of social problems in our society and the extend it affects the society. It is concerned with the study of the society.

Effects: It refers to the causes, implications, result, or outcome of a thing.

Youth: Official policy defines a youth as a young person aged 18-40 years who is passing through mental and physical developmental processes in preparation to face life challenges, a period between childhood, teenager and adulthood.

Unemployment: when a great many people are unable to find work, unemployment results. It can also be defined as the inability to obtain a job when one is willing and able to work. Also, it occurs when the supply of labour outstrips the demand for labour. It also means lack of sufficient employment in the formal and informal sector.

Youth Unemployment can be defined as the conglomeration of young persons with diverse background, willing and able to work but cannot find any. It is the situation when young persons aged 18 – 35 years who are actively looking for work but fail to find any one during a long period of time.

In this study, Youth Employment according to the opinion of my respondents is defined as a situation where the working age (human resources) are not resourceful, or engaged in the labour market both in public or private sector of the economy.

Armed Robbery: According to the Nigerian constitution and Police report, it can be defined as the use of guns or other dangerous weapons to inflict intimidation and fear into another person to gain access to someone’s house, shop, office, or social institution. It is the use of force and arms to steal from someone. But in this study, it will be defined as those unlawful or unapproved means where young men and ladies use violence, to inflict people and property and get what they want from them.

Kidnapping means the unlawful seizing or carrying away of a person by force or fraud in order to obtain ransom for his or her release. It is the taking away or transportation of person to hidden and isolated area usually false imprisonment against the person’s will either to kill or to receive money as ransom. In this study, according to my respondents, is the method of hiding people, used by poor young men to get their own share of money from the rich.

Poverty: means the state where someone cannot satisfy the basic needs of life such as food, shelter, clothing, money and other basic necessities of life. It is the state of being poor, inferior or insufficient in amount. Here, it means the condition where one lacks wealth, money or job as a result of no opportunity or certain factors of life.

Political Thuggery: This can be defined as sponsored thugs used by politicians during political rallies, campaigns and election to win their opponents and acquire a position or office. It also means using violent, brutal behaviour, intimidate and all manners of weapons to attack, or kill an innocent opponent for reason of political differences. In this study, it is a tool or means of killing, abduction, violence or threat to life used by politicians to overthrow their opponents and acquire power or political office.

PERCEPTION OF UNDERGRADUATE MASS COMMUNICATION FEMALE STUDENTS (CUAB) TOWARDS JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

PERCEPTION OF UNDERGRADUATE MASS COMMUNICATION FEMALE STUDENTS (CUAB) TOWARDS JOURNALISM AS A CAREER

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Journalism is the collection, preparation and distribution of News and related commentary and feature materials through such media as pamphlet, News letter, magazines, radio, motion pictures, television, Bill Boards the internet and Books.

Journalism according to World Book encyclopedia (Vol. 11) is the profession of recording events they maybe of interest to the public. It is therefore both World-wide in scope and as limited as the territory covered by the smallest weekly paper. Men and women who are engaged in this tremendous News gatherings task call themselves journalists and such modern journalists use every means of communication to report the News of the world to Newspaper, Magazine and the New Rooms of Radio and Television.

According to Lambenr and Lambenr (1964), perception is a composite of how a person understands, feel about and act towards the given object person or issues, events and objects.

The earliest known Journalists product was a News sheet in Ancient Rome called the ACTA DIURNAL published daily from 59BC, it was hung in prominent places and recorded important social and political events. Journalism in the 20th century was marked by a growing sense of professionalism. In our society today it has been observed that female student journalists have negative attitude towards taking Journalism as a career, but before going into that we look at history of the NUJ.

The Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ) birth was linked to the struggle for the independence of Nigeria. The struggle, it could be re-called gave birth to many protest groups, all yearning for the country.s independency from the British. The group came in various shades, some were political in nature like “The Nigeria Youth Movement” a platform for the Nationalists, others were Trade Union and Professional groups. It was the collective activities and efforts of the Nationalists and Journalists in the early 1950.s that compelled the British Colonial Government to grant Nigeria independence without shedding blood.

Apart from writing editorial comments and reporting the activities of the Nationalists, Trade union students and bodies involved in the struggle for independence on the pages of Newspapers, the journalists however, had no central body through which they could take any action like other groups. What they could not express as a body was done through Newspapers. When Journalism started in Nigeria, the industry was not totally professional affair. However, most of the persons who ventured into the field were those of great reputation and integrity; persons who had the calling, competence and skills to do so.

Eminent Nigerian statement such as Herbert Macurly, NnamdiAzikiwe, AdamuCiroma, Ernest Ikoli, LateefJakande, among others, all started as journalists, through which they made their indelible marks on National development. This goes to shows that journalism is not for quacks, charlatans or dropout, who have now invaded the industry, claiming to know what they do not know. In essence the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) of this present time should therefore, beef up their watch dog function to confront the menace with all seriousness. The union must wake up and come up with radical measures to check this situation that smears the integrity and reputation of hardworking journalists. The union should also devise means of encouraging real reporters to draw the attention of events organizers to the presence of fake Journalists in their midst. Media houses need to co-operate with the NUJ in tacking the challenges posed by the fake journalists.

They can do this by highlighting reports about quacks in the industry and punishing the impersonators apprehended. This is the only way to bring about the desired respectability to journalists and indeed respectability to journalists and indeed, the Nigerian journalism industry.

Having looked at the history of the NUJs, this Negative attitude of female student journalists is highly reflected in the Number of mass media houses. Almost all institution of higher learning in Nigeria offer Mass Communication courses leading to the awards of various degrees and certificates, including National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, Bachelor and Master Degrees. The increase in the Number of female graduates from all these institution are not reflected in the media of communication in the country.

Each year, hundreds of female students graduate as Mass Communicators. A close look shows that the Numbers of female Journalist students surpassed the Number of their Male counterpart. But in the field today, a good number of these female graduates are not seen working in the various media houses scatted all over the country. Reference to the convocation booklets from these schools revealed that good Number of female Mass Communication students graduated from those schools. In the year 1997, about 86 female Journalist graduated from the Ogun State Polytechnic, about 150 female Journalists graduated from Federal Polytechnic Oko, that same year the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu had about 120 female graduates in the year 2011.

Similarly with other Mass Communication schools in the country for instance in the year 2008, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka turned out about 58 female graduate from department of Mass Communication Between year 2008, Caritas University Enugu graduated over 50 female journalist. Presently, in my class we are 56 students in Number, 49 out of the 56 students are females while only 5 are male.

In other levels, the Numbers of female students surpassed the Number of Male students in the department of Mass Communication with great difference. In recent year, Media houses in the Western countries lack trained journalist in the various communication activities. Invariably, it has been the same in Nigeria and this could be seen in most cases of the media houses in Nigeria. There has been an imbalance in the number of female and male trained Journalists working with them. Those who are worried about this situation said that if there were more women that men seeking Jobs in the media houses and they all have the same ability and background, more men get the job (Women in communication, Pg. 8) she noted that women could only be awarded a job if they are hardworking and qualified, they must be awarded or offered a job in the journalism professions. It is against this background that this study seek to examine the perception of undergraduate mass communication female students of Crescent University Abeokuta (CUAB) towards journalism as a career.

1.2     Statement of the Research Problem

According to Omenugha (2004. P, 4) “one thing that is glaring in the Nigeria media is the near absence of Nigeria women as Newsmakers”. Though Nigeria is developing, it got to stage where the female journalists and their male counterparts should be competing in the media houses. The number of female journalists in the field is very fern compared to the number that graduates from journalism schools and universities. This study was undertaken to analyses the low participation of the female journalists, it was observed that good number of trained female journalists go into the profession but very few of them practice the career. Therefore the question the study seeks to answer is the perception of undergraduate mass communication female students Crescent University Abeokuta (CUAB) towards journalism as a career.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to examine the perception of undergraduate mass communication female students of Crescent University Abeokuta (CUAB) towards journalism as a career

The objectives of the study are;

1. To find out if the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from the profession.
2. To find out if the fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less hazardous jobs after their training.
3. To find out possible solutions to the female apathy to the journalism profession in Nigeria vis a vis counterparts in other countries.

1.4     Research Questions

1. In what ways does the hazard of journalism as a career scare women away from the profession?
2. Why does the fragile nature of women make them drop their profession for less hazardous jobs after their training?
3. What are the possible solutions to the female aparthy to the journalism profession in Nigeria vis a vis their counterparts in other countries?

1.5     Research Hypothesis

1. H1: Hazard of journalism as a career does not scare women away from the profession.

2. H1: Fragile nature of women do make them drop their profession for less hazardous jobs after their training.

1.6     Scope of the Study

As this study focuses attention primarily on the attitude of female Mass Communication students towards journalism as a career, it attempts an over view of a good number of professionals who have already made similar studies of women images in the media and their attitude towards journalism.

In this study, the researcher raised a number of assumptions, she assume that the way the image of women are being portrayed in the society as journalists have created an imbalance in the ratio of working male journalists to the female counterparts.

In essence, the researcher has deemed it fit to concentrate more on Undergraduate of Mass Communication female students of Crescent University Abeokuta (CUAB).

1.7     Significance of the study

This study will be of immense benefits to the female journalists because a lot of people are being baffled over the issue why women do not take up journalism as a career after studies. It has really agitated the minds of some professionals and has equally created a lot of controversy. The researcher, therefore has deemed it fit to find out the reason for such negative attitude of females towards journalism.

Some authors and researchers lives on assumptions mainly because of the way the images of Women are being portrayed in the society as journalists. This study has therefore provided an avenue for an in-dept study on the controversial issue of knowing the militants against the idea of women going into journalism as a career, how do these women see the practice of journalism, do they go into the study with the intention of practicing journalism or taking up just as a career.

This study will serve as resource materials for programmes design and implementation in the effort concerning women development and to female student studying  Mass Communication and Journalism. It will be useful reading and reference materials for others.

1.8     Operational Definitions of Significant Terms

In this research work, the terms used were operationally defined, the meanings reflect how the researcher wants the term to be understood in the context of this work.

1. Study: It is an act of considering or examining some thing in detail. It can also be said to be a piece of research that examines a subject or question in detail.
   1. Perception: This is a way of feeling or your – opinion about something or somebody.
   1. Female: It is a situation of being a women or girl.
   1. Mass: A large Number of people in a community, society and nation.
   1. Communication: Method of sending information to a large number of people, especially through Television, Radio, Computers, Newspaper, Magazine Etc.
   1. Students: These are group of people who are studying at a university or colleges.
   1. Towards: This is in relation to something or somebody or in the direction of something.
   1. Journalism: It is a new effort in reporting in which professional communicators use social research method together, interprete and vividly present information to the target audience. Journalists is therefore, the science of reporting.
   1. Career: It is the job or series of jobs that you do during your working life, especially if you continue to get more money.

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

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:

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

1.3     Research Questions

1. Does journalists in the Federal Capital Territory use social media networking tools?
2. What are the types of social media tools journalists in the FCT prefer?
3. Has social media enhanced the productivity of journalists in the study area?
4. 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.

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTENT IN ENHANCING NEWS CREDIBILITY AMONG PRINT MEDIA AUDIENCE

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC CONTENT IN ENHANCING NEWS CREDIBILITY AMONG PRINT MEDIA AUDIENCE

 A CASE STUDY OF EKITI STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The primary duty of every journalist is to inform, educate and entertain the public adequately and accurately. The method used in the information dissemination may differ from one media station to the other, but the aim is the same. Audiences utilize their senses of light, sound, taste, touch and smell to appreciate the message put across by the media. The print uses texts to glue readers to the pages of newspapers and magazines. While doing so, media experts are wary of the fact that wide pages of texts in newspapers or magazines without pictures to complement stories and break the monotony of paragraphs would result in speedy diminishing of interest for reading, no matter how interesting a story is. This aspect of news reporting is photojournalism.

According to the popular saying “one picture is worth a thousand words” demonstrates the power of pictures and the information they can convey. It is a known fact that people tend to believe their sense of sight more than other sensory organs based on the popular saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Okoro & Nnadiukwu (2000 p.73) define photojournalism as communication through pictures. They also add that it is the use of photographs in the narration, description, explanation or illustration of what has happened, is happening, or about to happen. Based on the power of photographs, words are secondary to pictures in reporting news events in this field of journalism. Okoro (2002, p.15) sees it as “information, education, communication and entertainment through pictures.” It means the visual presentation of happenings of the day with the help of the camera.

The use of photographic contents in print media (Photojournalism) is a sub-discipline of photography, which involves capturing of images to help tell a story. The use of pictures in journalism has been a topical issue. While some academic efforts tend to loud the complementary role of photographic contents, others cry out against its manipulation and deliberate lie through computer possibilities in recent times. For instance, in the study of Malizu (2011, p. 133), she expresses the growing concern over the debate on whether pictures lie or not. She says “that the camera cannot lie is true only in the sense that the images it captures must have existed in one form or another at some particular time, but it is not always clear if those images have been manipulated in some way to alter or to stage an event which never happened.” Malizu argues further that photography was never innocent from its beginning. Liu, Yao & Liu (2004) corroborate the claim when they affirm that “Even some of the most vulnerable news organizations of the world have had their reputations corroded by allowing these tampered photos to be published.”

However, photography has come to stay, considering its roles in meeting audience needs. Pictures serve the purposes of complementing stories in print media; presenting pictorial sequence of events, standing alone for news; and acting the story in form of feature photo (Asemah & Ottah, 2015). It is against this background that this study seek to analyze the impact of photographic contents in enhancing news credibility among print media audience – a case study of Ekiti state.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is no longer news that the use of photographs in print media occupies a very significant position in the industry. This is because it is effectively used to accompany a news story and tell the news better. But there are no adequate literatures on the frequencies and uses of pictures in newspapers and how it enhance news credibility. Also, studies on the various types of photographs used in print media are in short supply. Analyses on the relevance of photographic contents used in print media in general and suffered what one may call academic neglect. There is the need to understand in specific terms the frequency of the use of photographs in print media and how it enhances readership, understanding and enhancing the credibilitiy of news. Associated with this research problem is that there are divergent views on the functions of news photos in print media, more so that in recent decades, the use of computer has questioned the veracity of the claim that pictures do not lie. There is therefore the need to analyse the pictures used in print media to ascertain the level of editing and the extent to which such editing tampers with the natural (original) look of the pictures; as well as the sources of those pictures and whether they actually relate to stories featured. This work therefore, specifically seeks to analyze the impact of photographic content in enhancing news credibility among print media audience in Ekiti State.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY.

The general objective of the study is to analyze the impact of photographic contents in enhancing news credibility among print media audience – a case study of Ekiti State.

The specific objectives include

1. To ascertain the frequency of the use of photographic contents in print media
2. To identify the various types of photographic contents used in them.
3. To ascertain the relevant functions of the photographic contents in print media
4. To identify the sources of the photographic contents used in the print media and how it affects news credibility.

1.           RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions to guide this study include the following:

1. How frequent is the use of photographic contents in print media?
2. What are the various types of photographic contents used in print media?
3. What are the relevant functions of the photographic contents in print media?
4. What are the sources of the photographic contents used in the print media and how it affects news credibility?

1.5       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study was embarked upon so that people will understand and appreciate the impact of picture on ensuring news worthiness. In other words, it will help them know its effect on news credibility. This study shows clearly the benefits in photojournalism to our researchers, professional. In the field, street men and women and to students of mass communication. This will also help in the encouragement of the use of picture and illustration in magazine pages since its usage prove pragmatic on readers. This in other words, serve as a guide to editors who place any kind of picture on their news paper and magazine pages.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is to analyze the impact of photographic contents in enhancing news credibility among print media audience. The scope of the study is geographically limited to Ekiti state.