THE ROLE OF TELEVISION IN ELECTORAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF NTA)
| Format: Ms Word | 1-5 Chapters | Table of Content|
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
The television provides perspectives, educates and inform the masses on the electoral process before time. In contemporary society like ours, television is use as a tool in disseminating information to the people about the electoral process. Television broadcasting in Nigeria has assimilated the realities of modern broadcasting as they could be accessed on every social media channels with smart phones, iPhone and iPad. Historically, television broadcasting in Nigeria has been use as a medium of communication that seeks to enrich the life of average Nigerian by influencing positively its social, cultural, economic, political and technological thinking. It also provide news and information about national issues. Beside this, it serves as a source of political mobilization. Television broadcasting promotes cultural awareness and seek to preserve Nigeria’s rich culture.
Television is a mass media channel. However, it can direct public attention to particular issues because of the pictures it paints. According to Antonoff (2007), “television is the most widespread form of communication in the world. Though most people will never meet the leader of a country, travel to the moon, or participate in a war, they can observe these experiences through the images on their television.” Bittner (1989) remarks that television is popular because it combines sight and sound. He adds that many people spend more time watching television than they spend on other mass media channels.
The television as a broadcast media is essential to democracy, and a democratic election is impossible without the broadcast media. Television broadcasts are means of sending different types of messages to members of the electorate. Indecisive floaters and crossover voters may influence election results if they decide to be active participants in the very late hours of campaigning; and if their numbers are substantially outstanding. Television political communication should make political participation more effective by giving Nigerians enough information to make them eager to go to the polls. Voters’ participation or apathy has arisen from information shared during electioneering times on television programs. Thus, television messages can affect behavior either positively or negatively. The positive outcome is to encourage voters’ participation. The contrary outcome is to deepen citizens’ apathy. Television broadcasts literally influence the pictures in the minds of the voting public. Civic vitality is a necessity in democracy.
The television has been widely used as an instrument by politicians to advertise themselves to the electorates. Jingles, advert placement, political debates, electoral enlightenment are all done through the television. Other political progams such as focus Nigeria aired on NTA network and democratic license are all geared towards the education and political enlightenment of the Nigerian electorates. Television broadcasting in electoral education have become inevitable in Nigeria’s political system. This is plausibly correct because political and electoral programs have recently become the democratic watchdog of our political system, criticism, debates and discontents are all channeled through television.
To this end the role of television in electoral education cannot be over emphasized, as it remained one of the viable option towards the monitoring of our electoral system. This led to the study on the role of television in electoral education in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Citizen participation in elections may be influenced by the quality of information available to them on the media. Political socialization and communication are avenues of sharing some political information. We are living in a media world: a world saturated by the mass media. Citizens are literarily immersed in a sea of information concerning the various contestants, the voting procedures, the actual dates for voting and allied messages. Citizens can get information on elections from the newspapers, magazines, radio, the Internet and television. Each medium has its own peculiar characteristics and advantages. Media reports lead to public talks and actions and decisions on who to vote or not to vote for. This confirms Shields, Goidel and Tadlock’s (1995, pp. 415-430) opinion that mass media contents affect voting decisions. Some people tum to watch television to get more information on the electoral processes and on those contesting for public offices. Television political communication should make political participation more effective by giving Nigerians enough information to make them eager to go to the polls. Voters’ participation or apathy has arisen from information shared during electioneering times on television programmes. Thus, television messages can affect behaviour either positively or negatively. The positive outcome is to encourage voters’ participation. The contrary outcome is to deepen citizens’ apathy.
The problem still remains as to how to assess the extent to which the new media technologies have influenced the television in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
1.3 Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to guide the study:
- Does the Nigerian Television Authority enhanced electoral process in terms of accuracy in information dissemination?
- Are the private broadcast stations more abreast of the role of the media than the Nigerian Television Authority?
- Has the television broadcast media influenced the people on electoral process?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of this study is to examine the role of the television in electoral education in Nigeria. The specific objective are:
- To examine the influence of broadcast media (NTA) during political campaigns and elections in Nigeria.
- To ascertain if the exposure of citizens to television broadcasts by the NTA increased their participation in the election process.
- To investigate the role television broadcasts play in increasing voters’ participation in the overall electoral processes.
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The following research hypothesis were formulated by the researcher to be tested at 0.05 level of significance.
H0: The private broadcast stations are not more abreast of the role of the media than the Nigerian Television Authority.
H1: The private broadcast stations are more abreast of the role of the media than the Nigerian Television Authority
H0: The Nigerian Television Authority does not enhance electoral process in terms of accuracy in information dissemination.
H2: The Nigerian Television Authority do enhance electoral process in terms of accuracy in information dissemination.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study will enlighten our mind on the use of Television for socio-political integration of the people through fair political new management in the media. The study will also contribute to our political and socio-cultural development through an empirical linkage of credibility and sycophancy in Nigerian’s environment. It will again help the government in making policy that will cover the broadcast media during political campaigns and elections in Nigeria.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study on the role of television in electoral education in Nigeria will be conducted in the premises of Nigeria Television Authority Channel 12 UYO.
1.8 brief History of NTA Channel 12 UYO
The Nigerian Television Authority, Uyo was established in 1988 following the creation of Akwa Ibom State and in pursuance of the Federal Government Policy of locating one NTA station in every state capital in the country.
The station commenced test transmission in October 1992 with a skeletal staff of 19, deployed from NTA Calabar under the supervision of an Assistant Chief Engineer, Engr. EyoUmoh who was then assisted by Mr. Charles Udodom, an administrative officer then deployed from NTA headquarters, Lagos.
Full transmission commenced in 1993 with a 5kw Marconi transmitter on channel 12 under substantive General Manager, Mr.Ahmadu Aruwa who was later redeployed to NTA Jos in 1997.
In 1998, the station relocated to its permanent site along Aka Etinan road, Uyo from its temporary office at #7 Kevin Street, Uyo. Mr. Aruwa’s successor, Engr. Gregory Gbadamosi was later redeployed to NTA headquarters as Assistant Director Engineering in August 2000 while Mr. EsoEgbobamien took over as the manager in-charge from September to November 2000.
In November 2000, the manager of News/Current Affairs,Mrs. Christiana Obot,aone-time commissioner for information in the state was appointed the General Managerto become the first indigene/woman to head the station. The station was blessed to be amongst the few NTA stations to benefit from the allocation of new digital transmitters, which was successfully installed in 2001. With the installation of the new 5kw Rhodes and Schwartz transmitter, the station was boosted significantly and can now be received throughout the state extending to Rivers state in the West, Abia in the North and Cross River in the East. The station has been transmitting 24 hours in the last one year.
1.9 Clarification of Terms
NTA: this is an acronym for the Nigerian Television Authority – NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and it was based in Ibadan and was the first television station in tropical Africa.
Mass Media: Mass media refers to a diverse array of media technologies that reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place include a variety of outlets. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television.
Voter: This is a person who votes or who has a legal right to vote, especially in an election: Labour voters tend to rate the National Health Service as a top priority.
Candidate: A nominee or aspirants for any position or honor
Election: this is the process of selecting or electing one person or more for an office, public or private, form a wider field of candidates.
Voter Turnout: this is the total number percentage of an eligible voters who cast ballot in an election.
Voting Age Population: this is the total number percentage of an eligible voters who are qualified to vote in an election.
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