CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This study is on the effect of violence television programmes on Nigerian Youths using Osun State Polytechnic, Iree Students as a case study. The term culture has been defined differently by different people. The different definitions attached to culture are based on the differences in the orientation of the people. According to Ekeh (1989), culture is construct used in an attempt to analyze and integrate events and ideas in broad spectrum of areas of society.
Jekayinka (2002), states that from wider perspective, culture includes the total repertoire of human action which are socially transmitted from generation to generation. Obiora (2002), says the transformation of culture is gradual and not sudden. He (2002), contends that culture is a continuous process of change. It changes exactly the same way as the human being change. It is dynamic, learned, acquired, transmitted or diffused through contact or means of communication flow from generation to another. The Nigerian culture is observed to be fading out as a result of the acceptance and adaptation of the modernist’s solution on to underdevelopment. One of such theories which relates to this subtle method of assault international communication is given by Lerner (1956). In his concept of “empathy”, Lerner states that the inhabitants of third world nations must learn to empathize with the West for modern transformation of their societies to be possible.
Schramm (1964), on the other hand, developed an interesting model in which he equates the level of social development of communication to various nations. Access to these modern mass media (Radio, Television, films, telephone, and newspapers) is linked to individual modernity. Nigeria and other third world countries have reacted to these finding by inventing a substantial amount of their foreign exchange earnings to import radio and television transmitters and sets. The television programmes especially provides many powerful models for children and abundant opportunities for observational learning. The television programmes include:
1. Depiction of sex
2. Violence
3. Drug and Alcohol used
a. Vulgar Language – behaviours. Etc. that most parents do not want their children to imitate.
Studies have been found by early adolescence that the average Nigerian children have watched thousands of dramatized murders and countless other acts of violence on television (www.encarta.com). For many years, psychologists have debated the question of whether watching violence on TV have detrimental effects on children. A number of experiments both inside and outside the laboratory have found evidence that viewing TV violence is relayed to increased aggression in children. Nigerians as exemplified by trends in Iree Metropolis where Western exports of television entertainment, information are shown in NTA Iree, ESBS Television, Minaj Channel, Cartoon Network, ESPN “Expanded Sports Programmes Network” channel provided by various satellite transmission operators as DSTV, Multi – Choice, Music television, Euro – sports, etc. Have raised Nigerians eyebrows to such Western television programmes. Thereby, making them to behave like them, associate with them and even speaks like them. Even our generation that is shown on NTA Iree and the youth perspective on ESBS are presented by youth and replete with music video of Western origin dominated by rape stars as (Late) Tupac, Beyonce, Ashanti, 50- Cent, Sean Paul, Kelly Rowland, Celine Dion, etc. It is the researcher’s believe that violence television especially American television exports have a strategic “weapon” aimed to over power Nigerian youths.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The influence of Western television programmes on Nigerian youths have been said to be a serious problem facing Nigerians. Some of these problems are:
1. Inadequate policy to guard the youths towards violence TV programmes.
2. There is an erosion of the cultural values.
3. The imitation of Western cultures especially the American cultures.
4. The Nigerian youths are faced with brain wash. Therefore, if the above problems are not being taking care off, it will lead to a total destruction of the Nigerians culture. ree of success and or failure. Indeed, programming is constrained by time. It makes use of daily schedule for the day’s transmission or master schedule for 13, 26, 39, 52 weeks as the case may be.
Programming plays a dual role between the broadcaster who views it as a means of income and society which views it as entertainment and public service. Programming for specific audience is one of the areas of great problem to Nigerian broadcasters. The problem seems to arise primarily from lack of knowledge about the specified audience, the potentials of the radio, communication theory and the objective of broadcasting in the first instance. In order to increase rating and attain success, broadcast stations employ programming strategies which according to Eastman (1993) are compatibility, habit formation, audience flow control, programme resource conservation, and breath of appeal. Radio programming poses most challenges which include making the programme clear, logical, meaningful and easy to understand . According to Robert Hillard, Radio may represent a character in one setting and in a twinkling transport him – and the audience – to an entirely different one. This is done through the use of narration, sound effects and dialogue. Consequently, it is important to note that certain indices exist that undermine the quality of broadcast programmes specifically radio programmes in Nigeria. It has been discovered that government censorship and financial control of most broadcast stations affect the quality of programmes aired. A case in point is where incumbent government insists that airtimes be utilized in sychophany and praise singing broadcast of the government in power. Post and pre-censorship of programmes are in too.
There is a common saying in regard to mass media control in Nigeria and elsewhere which has become a cliche that “he who pays the piper dictates the tune”. This means that the owner of a mass media channel controls what the medium broadcast and how it broadcasts it as the case of Anambra broadcasting service Awka. Surely control through ownership is a fact of life in every society, but then the nature of this control usually varies greatly depending upon the political system, the orientation of political leaders in control of government and the political climate prevailing the caliber of Journalists and other professionals communicators. These forces exert control over the broadcast media in the sense that their individual or combine influences could shape the content, activities and orientation of the broadcasting media quite considerably, depending upon the magnitude of influences and these affect the quality of the programmes. The broadcasters, before giving information considers if the “piper” likes it or not. They shave out the parts that will not be pleasant to the “Piper” and not considering what the public (audience) needs to hear. This is a major problem that affects the quality of ‘events from government house’, a radio programme in ABS, Awka. Any information that is not accepted by the government who is the ‘Piper’ cannot be disseminated to the public. Aside from this, it has also been discovered that lack of qualified staff and use of obsolete equipment has become a huge stumbling block and hindrance to effective quality programmes.
Effective programming requires well talented and trained staff with the right orientation and sound judgment in the intricacies of broadcast productions. These include writers, directors, producers, presenters, engineers, maintenance staff, announcers, etc. Programming involves putting the right peg in the right hole. Therefore, the personnel required for programming affects it to a large extent . Thus when the staff lack talent or are not creative, programmes lose their integrity and attraction. It takes a creative mind to put out a fantastic performance. When a mind is creative, it has the ability of putting together research findings. The radio station of Anambra broadcasting service (ABS) Awka, is an example of one of the most broadcasting stations where untrained staff and analog or obsolete equipment are still much in use rather than the recent digital and computerized system. It is also plagued with the absence of quality transmitters that makes radio broadcasting programmes epileptic.
Oftentimes most of the content of programmes being aired are not entertaining, educative and informative. Programmes aired by radio broadcast should basically focus on development, that is such transmissions that can spur people to greater individual and national development. It should also focus on how to sustain the attention of their listening and viewing audience. It should include hooks, suspense and other attention-getting device. Programme for broadcast is meant to be supplement to formal school offering but it is not so in Nigerian context. However, the recent Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) guideline stipulating 60% local content of any programming effort though good is adversely affecting the quality of most indigenous programmes. Misuse of the broadcast media for political purpose has always constituted a serious problem in the country. Government and private broadcast media sometimes disregard the started objectives of their organisatiosn by allowing their channels to be used for political selfish ends by political lackeys. The ABS radio station is sometimes being hampered by lack of significant independence in programming because the prime viewing time has been taken over by network programmes which the ABS radio station is meant to hook onto. The scheduling of some of these radio station broadcast programmes does not coincide with audience activity. This is evident in the time scheduling to some programmes which does not suit with the timing of the listeners. For instance, ABS, Awka airs the radio programme ‘Events from Government House’ at 5.30am. This time is not convenient for its audience as they might not be awake by that time and so wrong audience who now listen to it may not understand the quality of such programmes. Lack of continuity of such programmes and effective feedback and lack of proper research on the subject matter are also cankerworms that have hindered the production of quality radio programmes.
Most times, radio programmes are haphazardly done, and because of this, quality programmes will never be the end product. The feedback system through phone–in-facilities has become the lazy way out of programme production. Producers are no longer keen in searching for qualitative artists to discuss programmes on radio. Instead they allow unguarded or uncontrolled outbursts from listeners who are privileged to have telephone in their homes but do not know what to do with them. Years ago, listeners where encouraged to write letters to producers of programmes and such letters have been constructive and of tremendous help in improving the quality of broadcast programmes. It is difficult to explain why a developing country like Nigeria will issue licenses to broadcast operators just to play music. This is true, but sad development. Broadcast Media should be channel towards development efforts and this pre-supposes the fact that recipients of broadcast messages should be part of programmes conceptualization and implementation. Every radio programme in Nigeria should be backed up by researchers.