BROADCASTING MEDIA AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AMONG RESIDENTS

ABSTRACT

Sustenance of culture, value, norms, and other forms of socialisation is a core to human society and one of the easiest and effective ways to achieve it through mass media involvement.  Mass media particularly radio and television has been a major agent of socialization and tools for social changes especially now that people depend on message from mass media.  The research therefore, aims at examining broadcasting media as a tool for social change among residents of Ajeromi Ifelodun local government area of Lagos state. At least many of the people in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government have access to 5 channels and above and both radio and television have brought social change to Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government. Larger percentage of the respondents strongly agreed that radio and television have reshaped the socio-political economy of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government.  It is recommended that journalists should be training and retraining on their social responsibility role expected of them while government should also make laws and policies that will enable radio and television broadcast more of local contents than the western or foreign contents.

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Amongst all the mass media today, television attracts the largest number of viewers. Its audience is greater in size than any of the other media audiences. This is because television is able to attract the audiences of all age groups, literate and illiterate and of all the strata of the society Kundra, Shipra (2005, p-113). It is the most accepted fact that technological development in the field of communication has given us television as effective tool of mass media. Television is the most powerful persuasive mass communication tool. The way it is used for development processes determines the effectiveness of television. Dorr (1986) states that TV stands out from other media as it is generally used more and can present more lifelike content than most of other media. Television is the most powerful of all the media of mass communication. It is in fact, a revolution in communication process in a modern society. It has brought not only the whole world into the homes of the viewers but has earned their confidence in regards of its reliability. They have become vulnerable to its influence. People are regularly exposed to it Mahajan, Kamlesh (1990, p-226). The growth in television both in technology and reach in the last few decades has been phenomenal. It was basically conceived as a mass medium and a mass educator for its large population scattered in remote and culturally diverse areas. It is supposed to disseminate the message of development and modernization to create awareness for generating public participation. It is expected to support government plans and programmes for bringing about social and economic change and to protect national security as well as advance the cause of national integration Kundra, Shipra (2005, p-115). The development of television has created a hope in upholding unity in diversity in pluristic society like India. Television is the most powerful tool of mass media which is capable of reshaping the opinion of the people. Marshall McLuhan observes, “TV is the most appropriate medium for mass communication especially for the developing countries because its involving and absorbing nature TV involves the viewers as a whole. The emergence of satellite TV has brought about a global change”. As a whole, the purpose of any media is to inform, evaluate, direct, influence, teach, image projecting, orientation and create suitable environment for effective decision making. Media consumption captivates long hours each day in the lives of every man. Beyond providing entertainment, television vastly increases both the availability of information about the outside world and exposure to other ways of life. Dorr (1986) states that TV stands out from other media and is generally used more and can present more real content than most of the other media.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Television stimulates and reinforces ideas, beliefs and tendencies already possessed by the viewer. For example, television repeats and thereby reinforces the messages on family planning, importance of girls‟ education, marriage age, environment protection, energy conservation etc. Thus, it serves persuasive function. Television has more flexibility and mobility in its coverage due to audio-visual presentation. This is the reason why it has become a family medium. Family members receive messages in their own environment. It can show what happened and how it happened. It can show landing of a man on mars, functioning of heart or division of cell through animation. Above all, it can provide entertainment also. Thus, television as a mass medium informs, educates, inspires and motivates. Kundra, Shipra (2005, p-116). In a diverse country like India where population and illiteracy are the two most burning problems, electronic media provides extraordinary reach for disseminating information even in remote areas. India has diverse cultures, religions and traditions, therefore, audio-visual mass medium like television can play a very vital role in developing common understanding among the people and bringing them closer. It opens the prospective of educating villagers in the remotest areas and thus bringing them into the mainstream task of development, along with creating wider vision of the world.

It is based on the above premise that this study was undertaken to investigate the role of broadcast media in engineering social change.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of broadcast media as tool for social change. Specifically, the study will seek:

1. To determine the frequently usd media among the residents of Ajeromi Ifelodun.
2. To determine if the area of study have intentionally taken actions basd on the influence of the broadcast media.
3. To determine the rate of broadcast media accessibility in Ajeromi Ifelodun.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The study will answer the following questions:

• What is the frequently used broadcast media in Ajeromi Ifelodun?
• Has Ajeromi Ifelodun been positively affected by broadcast media?
• What is the rate of broadcast media accessibility in Ajeromi Ifelodun?

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study is limited to broadcast media and it is focused on social change. Moreso, the area of study is limited to Ajeromi Ifelodun local government.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study would enlighten the public on the positivies associated with broadcast media. It would also aid media houses find out how impactful their service have been as such encourage the media firms for more positive representation.

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