Mass Communication Project Topics

The Prospect and Problems of Private Radio Broadcast Media in Nigeria

The Prospect and Problems of Private Radio Broadcast Media in Nigeria

The Prospect and Problems of Private Radio Broadcast Media in Nigeria

Chapter One

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the study

  1. To find out problems and achievement so far of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria.
  2. To help structure the media system (radio) in such a way to bring into fulfillment the developmental roles which is the type needed in the third world countries like Nigeria for effective broadcasting.
  3. To know if private media radio owners mortgage their conscience in the attempt to satisfy and protect the media properties.

CHAPTER TWO 

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

 NEW MEDIA AND BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA

Public Service Broadcasting in Nigeria has continued to grow immensely in line with global trends despite strong infrastructural challenges. Communicating with a mass audience is not totally strange in Nigeria (Nwanne, 2016). The use of these new media technologies in the broadcast industry in Nigeria today can be largely attributed to the deregulation of the industry by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida in 1992. According to Udeajah (2004:164) the deregulation of the broadcasting sector was a landmark achievement in Nigeria as it gave constitutional backing to the private ownership of broadcasting stations which was formerly an exclusive right of the government. In Nigeria today, there is no doubt that the stiff competition in the broadcast industry is as a result of the private broadcast stations trying to effectively compete with the public or government owned stations with their modern sophisticated digital broadcasting equipment. The government stations on their part have started to take the lead by digitalizing their stations to modern world standards with a view to facing the challenges of modern broadcasting propelled by the new media technologies. This also affirms the stand of the National Broadcasting Commission in stipulating that by the year 2017, all broadcasting stations and equipment still in analogue, must be phased out of the country; as such, Nigeria transited from analogue to digital television viewing on April 30, 2016 in the city of Jos, the Plateau State Capital when it launched the pilot phase of the Federal Government’s digital transmission project that kick started the digitisation process in Nigeria. The reason for this may not be unconnected with the idea of the regulatory body to ensure that the opportunities which the new media technologies herald as well as the challenges they pose on the broadcasting industry are taken and maximized for the optimum use of the citizens of Nigeria.

CHALLENGES OF NEW MEDIA IN PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING IN NIGERIA

Despite all the outstanding roles of new media, certain barriers still militates against their effective and efficient use especially in Nigeria. It therefore becomes imperative to examine these barriers. Today, in Nigeria, a number of barriers are militating against the effective use of the unique benefits the new media in broadcasting. Some of these problems arise because of the features and characteristics of some of the new media technologies, some, are economic while others, arise out of ignorance.

Absence of Clear-cut Policies

It is the policy of many developed and developing nations to place much emphasis on modern Information and Communication Technologies as a way of remaining relevant in the global village of today. In the case of Nigeria, much effort is now paid to the development and usage of these modern technologies. Although the Information and Communication Technology Policy of the Federal Government states this, it is sad to say that it has remained a paper policy ever since it was adopted by the government. ICTs are now one of the characteristic of world powers and many nations are making efforts to develop this sector but Nigeria is still politicizing her policy. It is sad that the Nigerian government is yet to fully define the purpose, principles and values which should animate her communication system. Perhaps this is the reason why Stein and Sinha (2006:425) advised that making these social choices (having a clear-cut ICT policy) would allow these decisions to be incorporated into technology and industry as they develop rather than forcing expensive and inefficient changes later.

 

 

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research design

The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought the prospect and problems of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria

Sources of data collection

Data were collected from two main sources namely:

(i)Primary source and

(ii)Secondary source

Primary source:                          

These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.

Secondary source:

These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.

Population of the study

Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting the prospect and problems of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria. 200 staff of splash f.m 105.5, mokola hill, ibadan randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.

CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Introduction               

Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey.  This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Introduction                

It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the prospect and problems of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria

In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of the prospect and problems of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria

Summary

This study was on the prospect and problems of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria. Three objectives were raised which included: To find out problems and achievement so far of private radio broadcast media in Nigeria, to help structure the media system (radio) in such a way to bring into fulfillment the developmental roles which is the type needed in the third world countries like Nigeria for effective broadcasting, to know if private media radio owners mortgage their conscience in the attempt to satisfy and protect the media properties. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of Splash F.M 105.5, Mokola Hill, Ibadan. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up production managers, broadcasters, editors and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies

Conclusion

These are some of the most crucial issues that must be grappled with and whose resolution should challenge the imagination of African patriots. With a revised transition table for the military to hand over power to a democratically elected civilian administration in the country, the outgoing administration has already established the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to oversee the privatisation of the broadcasting. Part of the commission’s duties include receiving, processing and considering applications for the ownership of radio and television stations including cable television services, direct satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting; recommending applications through the minister to the President for the grant of radio and television licenses and; establishing and disseminating a national broadcasting code and setting standards with regards to the contents and quality of materials for broadcast (NBC, Decree, 1992). These are no doubt heavy responsibilities. In discharging its functions the commission must, at all times, place the interests of the nation first before any other. National unity, all-round economic development, freedom, equality and justice to all citizens and cultural preservation, promotion and protection must not be comprised under the exigencies of the moment. Thus, effort must be made by the Commission to create a conducive environment for private broadcasting within the defined limits of the principles and objectives of state policy in the country. To check the likelihood of concentration and centralisation of broadcast stations, as well as quality in content, the Commission should, apart from relying on legal instruments, accord priority to corporate rather than individual applicants. Such corporate applicants such as pressure groups, higher institutions and communities that have developed oriented interests other than profit-making should be encouraged. The Commission should also avoid abrogating unto itself all wisdom in handling its crucial responsibilities. It should liaise with relevant professional groups, learned bodies and higher institutions for expert advise. This is all the more necessary as the last decade of the twentieth century, which has been described as the decade of democracy, a concept so universally recognised yet so nebulous in meaning, has already occasioned both tolerable and intolerable experiences with serious lessons, sometimes too terrifying to contemplate, for Nigeria, for Africa and the rest of the Third World.

Recommendation

The following recommendations are made:

  1. Nigerian private own service broadcasters should fully embrace and adapt to the use of new media technologies in other to fully remain relevant in the industry.
  2. That for the dream of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on the phasing out of analogue broadcasting equipment to be realised in 2017, the commission must step up efforts geared at ensuring that broadcasting stations acquire standard facilities capable of putting Nigeria’s broadcasting industry in the same pedestal as its counterparts globally.
  3. To ensure effective and maximum utilisation of new media technologies in the public service broadcasting, efforts should be made by the relevant stakeholders to ensure that broadcasters in the public service are trained properly on how to use digital broadcasting equipment.
  4. Government as a matter of policy must ensure that there is total removal of all barriers militating against the acquisition of new media facilities for broadcasting in public service broadcasting.
  5. private own service broadcasters, directors, producers and other key personnel in public service broadcasting should be trained on the recent technological innovations with regards to the use of Internet, computer and satellites; and have a grounded knowledge of the New Media.

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