THE IMPACT OF RADIO PROGRAMMES IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Communication is the process of sending message from one point to another and the content of the message is called information.  Information pervades the whole spectrum of life.  It is a treasure to a nation, community and the larger world.  Every sphere f life will remain static without well-packaged information.  Information to a large extent is an asset, a resource, a commodity with social economic and political consequences.

Communication is as old as mankind and it is the pivot on which human existence, continuity and national development revolves.  Different media are used in communication, which classified into print – such as Newspapers, Magazines, etc.; Electronics – such as Radio, Television, etc., oral – eg. use of gongs, etc.

The electronic media categories are the most prominent and significant.  They are younger than oral and print media being mainly the products of twentieth century.  Stella Okunna (1987) noted, “Radio appears to be more powerful.  It stands out as having the greater power of reaching the diverse people of the Nigeria nation” Radio as a medium of mass communication has wider scope of coverage and as a commonly used medium makes greater impact on the audience.  Radio is a mechanical medium of communication whose reception according to Okonkwo (1997) “is aural”.  Radio makes use of sense of sound and hearing to convey its message to the audience.  It is a faithful comparison everywhere one found a set to listen to while having a walk, at work, in the farm, in the market places, riding a car, on a motor-cycle, on a donkey, etc.  Radio is used countrywide even in rural areas.  This is attributable to the unique qualities of the medium – it is portable, easily affordable and easily – operated even in the absence of electricity.

In this study therefore, we have set out to examine the roles played by Radio Programmes in National Development with particular reference to Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Owerri as a case study.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria is a giant nation strongly backed up by a collective will to develop and forge ahead.  “In dreams”, writes Fred Amadi (1999) “begins responsibility”.  The responsibility of carrying the people of the nation along its developmental journey falls on radio – the media used countrywide.

It is believed that Nigeria nation has not less than 250 ethnic groups with different socio-cultural backgrounds.  This calls for a medium that can cross boarders, break through all barriers and make developmental impact on the audienc as according to Wilbur Schramm (1994) “for there to be unity and national development, there must be effective communication”

 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Language is one of the major barriers that hinder radio programmes from being consumed by the audience.  Nigerian is a multi-lingua nation and as such, differences in language reduce the listenership of radio programmes.  Unlike newspaper, which has the advantage of semi-permanence, radio programmes are transient in nature.

Developmental role of radio programmes will be a failure if appropriate time is not allotted to the programmes in order to get the target audience.

In addition, failure to programme introduces boredom thus, reducing the listenership of radio programmes.  In order to conquer boredom caused by monitoring, the IBC Radio Station introduces variety in programming.  Regional and ethnic sentiments reduce radio programmes from being ‘local’ to the diverse and heterogeneous Nigerian audience

 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study aims at examining the role of radio programmes in motivating national development.

To ascertain whether the radio programmes can be used in educating the people on the need for national development especially the rural dwellers, who holds the key to national development in every nation.

It is also aimed at informing the audience on the gain that is accruable in national development.

 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

The results and findings of this study will enhance programme production in various radio stations in the country.   In addition, the study will bring to the fore the effectiveness and importance of radio programmes in achieving the much desired national development.

This in addition will help in breaking the language barriers that hinder radio programmes from being consumed by the audience.  It will also help in reducing boredom caused by monotony.

  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

As a standard, our attention is drawn on research problems.  The research questions are stated below:

(1)         Can Radio Programmes help in National development?

(2)         Does IBC Radio Station especially the AM Radio Station, have programmes that can help in national development?

(3)         Is the role of IBC Radio Station pgoramme seen as positive of negative in the national developmental journey?

(4)         Can IBC station’s programmes elicity the desired action on the audience?

(5)         Has IBC Radio Station done enough in achieving national development?

1.6        RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

H1:     The quality of the programmes produced by the IBC Radio Station helped in developing the nation.

H0:     The quality of the programmes produced by the IBC Radio Station does not help in developing the nation.

H2:     The programmes have effect on its audience.

H0:     The programmes have no effect on its audience

H3:     The nature of the advertisement of the programmes makes the people to be aware of that programme.

H0:     The nature of the advertisement of the programmes does not make the people to be aware of that programme.

 ASSUMPTION

As usual with a study of this nature, the researcher hereby made the following assumption.

With the advancement of technology in mass communication field, there tends to be a growing awareness among societies.  Therefore, there is a belief that the people’s perceptions and understanding of media messages are considered high.

It was also assumed that people embark on industrialization as a result of mass media influence.

Finally, it was also assumed that most rural dwellers in Imo State speak and hear Igbo language in which the IBC Radio Stations Industrial Development Programme produced.

 DEFINITION OF TERMS

ELECTRONIC MEDIA

Conceptual:         All means of spreading simultaneous information to a scattered and heterogeneous audience (outside the print media) using vocal and visual means.

Operational:    All radio and television stations in Nigerian from the electronic media here.

RADIO

Conceptual:      Vocal means of disseminating simultaneous information to a scattered and heterogeneous audience.

Operational:        Medium that makes use of the sense of sound or hearing.

ROLE

Conceptual:          This means the task or duty of a person in a particular understanding.  It could also mean a part played by a person in a particular event.

Operational:        The total programmes of the Radio medium as a task of national development.

NATIONAL

Conceptual:         Having or sharing characteristics of a large community of people with political character and aspiration and also with a central or common language.

Operational:        Nigeria as community of people with English as a central language and other characteristics that defines it as a nation.

DEVELOPMENT

Conceptual:         To cause to grow more organized and more mature or unfold into a large status.

Operational:        Shifting Nigeria from the present status to a more organized nation in all aspects of politics, economy, religion, etc.

PROGRAMMES

Conceptual:         Electronic media messages broadcast or disseminated to the audience.

Operational:        Radio messages – includes knowledge, information, entertainment, education, etc. disseminated information to the people (audience).