TELEVISION AS A TOOL FOR NATIONAL INTEGRATION (A CASE STUDY OF N.T.A KADUNA)

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

Television as a mass medium of communication has become a very important and most effective medium of communication ever since it invention. It synchronous transmission of audio and visual signal enable it to exert enormous influence on the society there by making it more compelling and enable it to command great respect and attention than the other media.   It significance is that it has become a nerve linking the society and its activities together. This explain the reason why government of developing countries, especially Nigeria are enchanted by the power of television, thereby using it to publicize most of their programmes to promote unity and cultural upliftement of the people   Television creates awareness of different life style in a society. In doing this emphasis are placed on similarities in life style and this is beneficial to developing nations like Nigeria where “loyalties rarely extend beyond the village, tribe or religion” and where integration is usually seen as an identification with the larger whole that is the state.   Therefore, television as a tool for national integration plays the role of creating sense of identification through the propagation of common cultural values and symbol, by giving interpretations to events that will aid and promote unity of the nation. However the television medium should desists from interpreting events in such a way that it may give rise to disaffection, inflame tempers and course disunity among the people with diverse cultural norms, belief and values   It can therefore be held that television, due to the role it plays in limiting people with different culture, religion, tribe and even race reflects the value pattern of the society because it determines where and when information flows.   

1.1      HISTORY OF CASE STUDY 

Television broadcasting has since 1954 grown by leaps and bound through out the federation. Barely a year after the establishment of Western Nigeria Television (WNTV). Eastern Nigeria television (ENTV) now NTA Enugu, was established by the then governor of former Eastern region in 1962 the Northern  regional government joined inter – alia in the formation of the radio Kaduna television (RKTV) from which the F.R.C.N and N.T.A Kaduna evolved from.   Nigeria television Authority (NTA) Kaduna was excised from the former broadcasting corporation of northern Nigeria (BCNN) which was established by decree No 21 of 31st March 1962, the decree took effect from April 1st 1976.   The station has 10 kilometer each cover to down south of Kaduna, Malumfashi in Katsina state and part of Kano State. The transmitter operates on 4 bands 1 VHF, transmitter which is situated at No 99, Isah Kaita Road Kaduna, and was commission in 1993 and covers up to Kafanchan, Saminaka and Birnin Gwari. The transmitter could be said to cover three quarter of the land area of Kaduna.