THE ROLE OF RADIO AS A MEDIUM OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF IREE COMMUNITY)

CHAPTER ONE
1.0       INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces the subject matter of the project work, it also deals with the purpose and scope of the study, literature available on the topic or aspect of the work are also received project purpose, statement of the problem and definition of terms are issues touched in this chapter. It helps us to have a general knowledge of issues discussed in the project work.
1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The most valuable aspect of information is radio, it is the target of national growth and development. This is why no nation can afford to neglect radio news messages no matter the economic strength of the nation.
John WitZ (1993), a famous scholar in Mass Communication describe this subject as institution and techniques by which specialized group employ technological devices to disseminate symbolic content to enlarge heterogeneous and widely spread audience.
Charles Wright (1979) in his own account says Mass Communication is a special social communication involving distinctive operative condition primarily among which are: nature of the audience, subject of the communication and the experience of the communicator.
Another school thought says; it is a process in which communicators make use of mechanical media to disseminate information rapidly and continuously to arouse intending meaning to a large dispersed audience in an attempt to influence them in a variety of ways.
Mass Communication can simply be classified under (3) groups or categories, we have the television and radio production, public relation section (PR) and the print medium. But this study basically deals with radio.
Radio in its meaning is an electronic device that uses electromagnetic wave for the transmission of messages; information, communication and it possess some attributes which place it upon the television broadcasting. The radio broadcast also involve the communication process i.e. SMCR.
Furthermore, Radio is one of the most ubiquitous {everywhere}, the most effective and cheapest medium of Mass Communication to man. It provides opportunity for man to understand both his immediate and distance environment. Through Radio message or information are received by means of communication signal through waves. Hence, the British calls it wireless. Radio provides man with the chance to send spoken word, music, codes, and other communication signals through the waves to any parts of the world with the use of radio, we can communicate across space sea and distance points.
The effected of radio as a medium of information dissemination to the people cannot be emphasized.
Radio broadcast is one of several means of getting a message to a large number of people at the same time, because it transcends the bounding of space and time, and also leaps across illiteracy barriers.
Talking of electronic media in the world, radio is the focus of attention in the assessment drive of this research study.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This research work is aware that communication for rural development through rural broadcast programming is adoption of media use by the community for whatever purposes the settlers decides.
The people of rural area lack proper information relaying system in terms of government policies programmes and packaged messages that are rural oriented mush as the government is commuted to rural development through the use of radio to serve as a best means of communicating the rural people it has been very tough, difficult and cumbersome to involve people in the process.
Generally there are more of non-illiterates than literate elements at the rural communities who have no any concern to know what is going on in their environment. This also adds to lackadaisical attitude of some rural dwellers to be listening to radio broadcast programmes. This is so most of the aired programmes are not transmitted in the mother tongues which the rural dwellers understand not.
There is no doubt that, Radio broadcasting stations are launched to perform the specific role of informing, entertaining and educating the target audience. However, the listening time of every programme is mounted to them but people of Iree community lack the exactly aired time of each programme which also contributes to their problem.
The excessive speaking of English Language for Radio programmes for Iree community dwellers is equally seen  as an escapist approach of get6ting the people to participate in programmes.

RESEARCH QUESTION

• Of what type of programme do the inhabitants listen to in radio?
• Which language do the communities enjoy most when listening to radio?
• How does radio as a medium influence Iree community?
• Of what percentage of radio listenership do we have in the community?
• To what extant do rural dwellers have access to radio signal?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This research work takes a look at radio as a medium of rural communication often introduced to make the people at the grassroots mostly Iree community properly aware about the usefulness and effectiveness of information dissemination which can develop their habit in terms of difference programmes adoption so, so far these programmes have direct effect on them individually or collectively.
The aim of this work or research is to se the importance of radio as a community tool and to find out how people in the rural areas have been familiarizing with some of the government policies through the radio communication channel.
In this while, this is concerned towards formulating a guiding principal that could regulate the problem facing the rural communication development from the angle of radio broadcast programmes with a view of having a standing format that could enhance better development life time for the Iree community and its environs

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Rural communication in the developing country such as Nigeria is important step, taking to existing being living in the rural community by introducing some programmes that changes the system of the people's life style but with the aid of radio.
Radio, being adopted as a best of transmitting messages or idea of government to the people in the village and the villager’s feedback, the sender is arguably the best from of testing of the acceptability of the sent or encoded information.
This is the opinion of this research that the appraisal of radio  to some to serve as a medium of communication to the dwellers would go along way to enhancing quality production of sensible programmes, as well as making them more closer to the especially radio for the relevance of the community development.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

To allow for analytical appraisal of the role radio as a medium of rural development Area of Osun State is the focus. This restriction has been dictated by the need to attempt a  reasonable  depth of treatment as reasonable available.