THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT OWNED BROADCAST MEDIA IN A DEMOCRATIC RULE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The media is a vigorous instrument for modification and reconstruction still as the reformation, thus while not info no society will perform
effectively. African country as a developing nation desires a well structured and effective media to reshape and reconstruct its ideologies,
living patterns, and perception of events around us and act as checks and balances on the activities of the upper crust.
Therefore, to realize
this, there’s each got to reconstitute the media therefore on improve its performance. The media could be an important instrument in social
reforms and within the reconstruction of ideas and perceptions of events within the society. It’s also considered the life-wire of the society
that within the political sphere, the media appear like a really vital tool to democratic government and curse autocratic despots anyplace
within the world.
The media thus represent the channel through that information; ideal and news are disseminated to the final public.
These channels embody the newspaper, magazine, television, radio, posters, periodical, etc. The media as a channel of mass
communications could be a well-organized system of assembling and causation out info to the final public, this is often most typical with
the broadcasting (television), wherever its entire perform is centred on the transmission of stories, ideas, and services.
Television as
channels of communication play a tremendous role in reforming, educating, enlightening, and abusive still as setting agenda for the
individuals, with a severe limitation to the literate category of the society. Most activities and life-styles on exhibits these days are formed
and intentional by the mass media, through its diver’s functions, a number of that are to tell, educate, entertain, Lasswell (2010) and Advert
Wright (2012).
Thought in playing these functions many factors affect its effectiveness. These factors might arise from distractions within the
channels to the lack of the sender to effectively communicate to the supposed listeners to established contact still as paying serious
attention to the message being disseminated. Indeed, it’s usually accepted that folks sleep in a contemporary world of communication
wherever one cannot exist while not sharing ideas and knowledge for the advantage of the society, be it ancient motion or trendy.
The
present trends of social and political awareness throughout the world and particularly in Nigeria; the television has become an important
instrument to transfer the weather for reconstruction. For an example, throughout the struggle for Nigeria’s independence, the mass media
particularly, that of radio was the organ through that the nationalist dreams and aspirations were actualized.
This is often apparent to the
actual fact that African countries didn’t reach independence through the barrels of the gun compared to most African countries viz. Angola,
Mozambique, Algerie, etc. Again, throughout the third republic, the broadcasting media (radio) coated and rumoured elaborate info relating
to the political standing of the country.
It strived and effectively formed the angle and perception of African countries toward the difficulty
at stake. Although in African country most of the sturdy broadcasting media are closely-held and controlled by the government with the
management of most media by the government as an example, the radio, television, ministry of data, news organization of African country,
the voice of African country.
The government may at any purpose in time shut down any media firm that proves stubborn, thereby
disallowing the free expression of ideas and knowledge. There are some personal corporations closely-held and operated by people seeking
favor from the government., thus introduced what’s known as self-censorship, clogging freedom of expression as discovered by one of the
workers of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abuja that “freedom of speech is not any doubt the terrible foundation of each democratic
society.
For while not free discussion, notably political problems, on public education or enlightenment that is essential for the right
functioning and execution of the processes of accountable government cannot be possible”. With some live of management within the
media by the government, the aim of achieving objective coverage as a base of each democratic society is defeated, in most government
closely-held and controlled media in our society. It’s also noticed that there’s nearly poor performance in their general services in relevancy
news coverage, editorial policy, etc.
In fact, it’s quite true that in recent times, government-owned media have oversubscribed out their
place to the in-camera closely-held media as a result of what find yourself within the government media are additional or fewer items or info
presenting entirely solely government views, wherever because the ills of that very same government are expurgated go into the report.
Most listeners, therefore, need to urge the reality and wherever such doesn’t exist within the government media; they communicate the
personal media that appear to be fairly unbiased. Governments (especially in Africa) use the published media to publicize info to the
grouping, soliciting support from the people for his or her programs and mobilizing individuals to perform sure duties expected of them and
to support from the people for his or her programs and mobilizing individuals to perform sure duties expected of them and support their
policies [Ibrahim, Audusonet al., 1998; Tan and Alexis et al, 2010].
Television broadcasting in African countries emerged as a product of
democratic eort and was meant to foster the democratization method in the African country. This analysis examines the challenges of
state closely-held broadcast media in Nigeria’s democratic rule.
Therefore, an in-depth study to review this current trend in government
closely-held media by the approach of distinctive those factors militating against its eective performance concerns this analysis study. As a
result, the assorted issues encounter by the media, particularly that closely-held by the government why they appear to be playing below
normal within the gi circumstance.
This is why this research work is being undertaken. Also the alarming rate at that government closely held media are deprecatory and changing into ineffective in their skilled obligations has so created concern within the minds of
communication practitioners, students of mass communication and therefore the society.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The media is a dynamic instrument for change and reconstruction as well as reformation hence without information no society can function
effectively.
Nigeria being a developing nation needs a well-structured and effective media to reshape and reconstruct its ideologies, living
patterns and perception of events around us and act as checks and balances on the activities of the ruling class. To achieve the above,
therefore there is every need to restructure the media so as to improve its performance.
The inability of the government –owned media, like
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to function effectively, its effect on the quality of service delivery, news coverage, staff welfare, and
organizational setup, needs to be investigated. This study, therefore, will attempt to identify those problems that are common in
government-owned media.
It will look into how subjective reporting of events and how self censorship policy affect quality of service
delivery.
This raise the questions of whether the employment of unqualified and in experienced stats, lack of adequate equipment and
poor maintenance due to lack of funds, could be responsible for the serious problems experienced by this media houses. This study,
therefore will attempt to establish the impact of these problem on performance of the government owned media houses.
1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY
The major purpose of this study is to examine the challenges of government owned broadcast media in a democratic rule. Other general
objectives of the study are:
To investigate if government-owned media are rightly financed by the government
To ascertain the challenges faced by government-owned media (NTA) in Abuja
To examine the effect these problems on management staff and the public
To examine the impact of these problems on performance of the government owned media houses
To proper solutions to these problems encountered by the media houses.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Is government-owned media rightly financed by the government?
What are the challenges faced by government-owned media (NTA) in Abuja?
What are the effect of these problems on management staff and the public?
What is the impact of these problems on performance of the government owned media houses?
What are the solutions to these problems encountered by the media houses?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
H0: There is no impact of these problems on performance of the government owned media houses.
H1: There is a significant impact of these problems on performance of the government owned media houses.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will help us determine the factors which constitute problems to government owned media houses and also to know the extent
with which the problems have reached and the study will also suggest solutions to the problems.
As a result of the fact that the organization
might not have time and also the resources both manpower and other wise to research into this topic, this very work would therefore,
present a comprehensive and factual information or knowledge of their operations in the state.
By acknowledging the facts put up more
eorts to improve or automatically correcting the problems existing in the government owned media houses. On the other hand, as a
station owned and finance by the government, knowledge of the station’s problems is a step towards solving it.
The public in general will
benefit from the findings of this research and the solutions if implemented by the management of government television station, their
conditions and level of service will improve and the public will have cause to enjoy and identify with the station the more especially
students of mass communication will always find this work valuable as it serve as a reference materials for them.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study is based on challenges of government owned broadcast media in a democratic rule, a case study of NTA, Abuja.
1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or
information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on
the time devoted for the research work.
Do You Have New or Fresh Topic? Send Us Your Topic
THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT OWNED BROADCAST MEDIA IN A DEMOCRATIC RULE
INSTRUCTIONS AFTER PAYMENT
- 1.Your Full name
- 2. Your Active Email Address
- 3. Your Phone Number
- 4. Amount Paid
- 5. Project Topic
- 6. Location you made payment from