AUDIENCE PERCEPTION ON TELEVISION PROGRAMMES ON GLOBAL WARMING
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AUDIENCE PERCEPTION ON TELEVISION PROGRAMMES ON GLOBAL WARMING
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background for the Study
The broadcast media’s programming section is in charge of developing and presenting shows centred on mass media functions. Some of the purposes of the mass media include monitoring, education, fact correlation, transfer of cultural heritage, socialisation, sensitisation, and amusement, among others (Omelukor, Olley, & Nwankwo, 2015).
The media must educate its audience about environmental issues. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines environment as:
“The complex of physical, chemical and biotic factors (as climate, soil and living things) that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival”
For decades, environmental challenges have become increasingly relevant as a result of global interconnectedness. This has prompted national governments and the United Nations to take initiatives to raise awareness and attention to environmental challenges such as pollution (water, land, and air), desertification, greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, and climate change, among others. These environmental concerns have prompted a slew of summits, conferences, conventions, and declarations.
The Rio Declaration on the Environment is one such example, adopted by 178 nations at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, also known as the Earth Summit. Principle 22 emphasises the critical role of indigenous peoples and communities in achieving sustainable development. They should be able to contribute meaningfully.
The view of indigenous people and communities has a significant impact on their engagement. According to the Guardian Newspaper on November 25th, 2014, a Twitter handle @garwboy states that climate change is an obvious myth-
-how much more evidence do you need? With this strong view of climate change as an environmental issue, environmental projects on climate change would receive little or no response from this audience.
The Earth Summit’s chapter 36 on education notes that “education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving people’s capacity to address environmental and development issues.” The media plays a more prominent role in promoting environmental education (Kushuwa, 2015).
Early research by Harold Lasswell, Paul Lazarsfield, and others appeared to demonstrate that media influences are both direct and forceful; this is known as the hypodermic model of persuasion.
The story has changed as more extensive research revealed that mass communications are mediated in complex ways and that their effects on the audience are influenced by factors such as class, social context, values, beliefs, emotional state, and even time of day, which can be broadly classified as perception (http://www.encyclopedia.com).
Perception refers to the processing, interpretation, selection, and organisation of information. Perception’s impact on communication revolves around how various people understand the same message.
Although the media can bring environmental concerns that constitute a threat to people’s lives today and in the future to their attention, the message can be heavily influenced by people’s perceptions. The audience’s perception of a programme/message can have a good or negative impact on the message.
1.2 Statement of Problem
According to certain research, the media has helped raise awareness about environmental issues. Solomon, Ifeanyi, and Onyekachi (2012) discovered that Nigerian mass media reporting did not significantly alter popular knowledge of climate change (an environmental issue).
As a result, the purpose of this study is to determine audience perceptions of environmental programmes in order to determine whether perceptions have had an inconsequential affect.
More specifically, because the study is being conducted in Delta State, a state in the Niger Delta region, a study: mass media and environmental sustainability of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (Izuogu and Umoren, 2017) posits that Niger Deltans are aware of environmental issues in the area, but this awareness has not led the audience to take precautionary measures; thus, the research seeks to determine whether the delay in taking action is caused by their perception.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The study’s aims are:
To know the perception of Asaba viewers on environmental programs.
To determine how audience perception affects environmental programmes.
To understand the relationship between audience perception and environmental programmes.
1.4 Research Questions.
How do Asaba viewers perceive environmental programmes?
To what extent does audience perception influence environmental programmes?
What is the link between audience perception and environmental programming?
1.5 Significance of the Study
According to Lee (2009), the media portrayal of a guy influences his actions and inactions. However, perception has a stronger impact on media material, which leads us to selective perception. Selective perception is the mechanism by which people perceive the media messages they prefer while dismissing competing opinions.
As previously stated in the Guardian Newspaper, the perception of the audience with the twitter handle @garwboy, who strongly believes that climate change is a myth, would completely overlook messages on environmental programs concerning climate change. This study is essential because understanding audience perceptions of environmental programs might assist the media re-strategize.
This subject is important for individuals because it teaches them to be aware of their surroundings in order to live a healthy lifestyle. This research would be extremely useful for future or related studies on viewers’ perceptions of environmental programmes. And for the government, this study will aid in the development of plans for making the environment safe and habitable.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focusses on people of Asaba, Delta State. There are six axes in the state capitol. These include Asaba, Oko, Okwe, Illah, Ebu, and Eze. The responses would be elicited during the course of this study.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Audience refers to a group of people who watch, read, or listen to anything. They are sometimes referred to as assembled spectators or listeners.
The environment is a combination of physical, chemical, and biotic elements (such as climate, soil, and living creatures) that interact with an organism or ecological community to influence its form and survival.
Environmental programmes are messaging aimed to provide environmental information. Examples of such programs are Earthfile on Channels T.V., Green Angle on T.V.C., and others.
Perception is the way something is viewed, understood, or interpreted.
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