PROBLEMS OF BROADCASTING IN A DEPRESSED ECONOMY

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

We live in a world where information is as important as life. Also where broad casting is expensive, tedious and bottled up that only those who search earnestly gain access to the races of knowledge (information) and help make the world a global village.However broadcasting is one of the means through, which information, ideas, values, knowledge are disseminated to a large number of people via electronic media.These media include radio, television, cinema and films etc. the impact of broadcasting to the mass audience cannot be underestimated.It makes use of sound in the radio and combination of sound and visual element in television, cinema and film.Therefore people get to know what is happening in other parts of the world through broadcasting there have been an increase of electronic media.With technological development and innovation blowing across the horizon, the performance of broadcasting media has increased in recent times. Individuals in Nigeria now own and operate electronic media which has been seen as a gesture.The performance of broadcasting in any given country squarely depends on its economy. Therefore economy of any nation becomes strong bargaining force of its broadcasting outfit. It could be recalled that Nigerians enjoyed economic boom in the early 1970’s shortly after the war as a result of its oil exploration. But in the actual sense the Nigerian economy today is a shadow of its former self.The economy had been totally battered to the extent that every aspect of our sector is affected. We are running from economic increase and decrease due to the bad shape of our economy, unemployment, inflation devaluation and other economic woes are now before us today and broadcasting should be on integral part of this system is not left out. In Nigeria today, broadcasting cannot be measured in their counterparts in developed countries. It suffices it to say that the inability of broadcasting industries to buy new communication gadgets and replace their dilapidated equipment. Lack of inadequate finance, mobility to employ able, and professional exports to man’s strategic position in the industries .These samples were collected to pose a very great threat towards the performance and improvement of broadcasting in a depressed economy. The improvement or the survival of the broadcasting in eacy nation involves the maintenance of the economy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

It is general belief that when we know the problem and its cause, we have solved it half way. From the research carried out, the researcher was able to discover certain teething problems inhibiting broadcasting institution in the country.Such problems could be attributed to economic, polical, social and religious matters or dissimilarities. These problems or constraints include:a. The foremost problem of Enugu Broadcasting Corporation was the finding by the state government and this has led to the inability of the corporation to replace their dilapidated equipment.This government corporation had not been adequately subverted by the state government to enable them meet their working capital.Also, poor remunerations and non payment of salaries, as and at when due, to employees of the corporation had led to low morale among workers and had consequently resulted to low productivity.Training and retraining of staff on modern treads and development in broadcasting had not been adequately provided for in the Enugu State Broadcasting Corporation and had resulted in low quality of broadcasting.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

a. To investigate how lack of funds from the government had affected the corporation’s ability to replace dilapidated equipment.b. To ascertain if the subventions granted to the corporation had been in-adequate to the extent of preventing them, from meeting their working capital.c. To assess the present wage salaries bill of the corporation and schedule of payment with an aim of determining the cause of low moral among staff and productivity.d. To find out what had been responsible for the poor quality of broadcasting with particular reference to the frequency of training.

1.4 HYPOTHESES

This is a proposition assumed for the sake of argument. In other words, a theory to be proved or disproved by reference to facts.Hypothesis is conjectual statements made about research, which indicate hat when something happens the occurrence of it could make other things happen or occur.Hi: Depressed economy constitutes a problem to broadcasting.H0: Depressed economy does not constitutes a problem to broadcasting.H2: The falling of any broadcasting is based on the economy of its nation.H0: The falling of any broadcasting is not based on the economy of its nation.H3: The staff constitute a problem to the broadcasting corporation due to irregular payment of salaries.H0: The staff does not constitute a problem to the broadcasting corporation due to irregular payment of salaries.

1.5 PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this study is critical. Basically it seem to examine analyze broadcasting in Nigeria in terms of the poor state of economy.I was solemnly attracted to this problems because of much emphasis being laid, both by government and individuals in the development of media industries as one of the mainstays of our economy efforts will be made to find out from selected subjects and the extent of attention they pay for various media houses.Those things will be accomplished by going to the subject and certainly on how far they listen to radio and television broadcasting Enugu State service.If this is the case with what degree of certainty can be said that attitude of the target audience will be considerable change as a result of broadcasting media.Barnard Burelesom (1982) in his book. Introduction to mass communication, “he said that some kinds of communication on some kind of people under “some kind of conditions have some kind of problem”]It would also be a great advantage to the government to assess the problems of broadcasting.Moreover, the result of this researcher will be of enormous value to the media authority to solve the problems cucountening on the broadcasting service.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The researcher’s work would be useful in showing the negative effects of a depressed economy on the broadcasting media by drawing alternation to sensitive issues that undermine efficient broadcasting. It is also significant in the search of solutions to some problem that face the broadcasting corporation. There, the recommendations proffered here in, if accepted, some in as useful guide, to correcting some of the problems, and this infuse the needed efficiency in the broadcasting media.

1.7 THE SCOPE OF STUDY

The scope of study covers all segment of the society or the country because every body is a witness to the problem. The research cuts, that make up the country, if I decide to center it on a particular area, the views of the Easterners input not be that of the Westerners or the Northerners.Therefore the diversified views of broadcasting in Nigeria.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

(a) CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: In writing this project. I tired as much as possible to use simple language and diction to make the text readable and comprehensible by all and sundry. Below are the few words I shall explain for clarity purpose.Problem:- A thing that is difficult to deal with or understand, or serious pressing economic problems.Broadcasting:- This is an act of disseminating information, thoughts and concepts to widely dispersed audiences.Depressed: As it implies in this study, it means parts of the country where there are few jobs for many people. Economy: The relationship between production, trade and the supply of money in a particular country or region. Economy of any nation becomes the bargaining power of its broadcasting in term of improvement and performance.

(b) OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONSIn this operational definitions, according to Juyile Ayo (1979) the author of media and mass communication who says, that financial or finance is the motor that give impetus to any understanding, be it private or public. No matter how impressive a capitalized idea is without finance, implementation cannot operate or take place.Problems: There are problem face the broadcasting industry in Nigeria are many. One of such is poor funding by scale governments. Poor remunerations and non-payment of salaries to employees of the corporation.Broadcasting: However, it is owe of means through which information, ideas and knowledge are disseminated to a large number of people in a global village.Depressed: In a depressed economy like our country, private ownership of broadcasting media is a steam which only very few individual can realize, due to its cost and maintenance intensity unlike in a buoyant economy where individual and organization lunch broadcast.Economy: Economy of Nigeria is currently dependent on one commodity – which is crude.Petroleum oil: Over 9%of the total revenue of this country is derived from the sale of crude oil.

1.9 LIMITATION OF STUDY

This study is centered on the assumed problem of broadcasting in a depressed economy. Any thing shorter or higher than that is not within my study.I have looked into the possible assistance, which the media house could offer in an emerging broadcasting set-up.

1.10 THEORIETICAL FRAMEWORK

In a theoretical framework of this nature in a depressed economy like Nigeria, private ownership of broadcast media was a coincidence or dream which only few people can realize, due to its cost and maintenance intensity, unlike in a buoyant economy where individuals and organization launch broadcast industry. However, the economy of any action becomes the bargaining power of its broadcasting improvement and performance. It can be recalled that Nigerians enjoyed economic boom in the early 1970’s shortly after as a result of its oil exploitation. But due to the nature of press under this phenomenon, the authoritarian theory could be the best answer to this development. This is where ownership of broadcast rest wholly on the government and for the reason, government now dictates the pace.