CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
This work intends to assess the effect of news commercialization on news credibility in the broadcast media, with particular reference to Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune using them as a case study. The study intends to find out whether the commercialization of news affects its credibility and objectivity and equally to know if it encourages the “Brown envelope syndrome”, accuracy, balance, fairness etc. whether those who cannot afford to pay the media have the opportunity and chances to broadcast their events on air via Mass media of communication, such as the electronic broadcast media. This study, will also enable the researcher to known if the news managers, News editors and Reporters (journalists) persistently carry out their gate – keeping roles and at the same time still carry out their watchdog roles. In other words, whether they still maintain the ethics and laws of the profession or not or they are being influenced by the news sponsors and their money. The study will also endeavour to find if the audience / public have it in mind that the news they read in newspapers and watch in these broadcast media are owned and are paid for by the sponsors since they are not usually mentioned during news broadcasting and information dissemination.
1.2 Statements of the Research Problems
Critics have identified distortion of news, imbalanced report and the growing tendency for the public not to believe the media news (lack of objectivity) as major problems inherent in Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune for news and other information. This is the key problems the researcher wishes to establish is this research work. Objectivity as an ethical standard is one of the most pervasive in all of journalism. Objectivity in news gathering and presentation is the reporters’ aims and objectives.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The core aims and objectives of this study is to assess the credibility of broadcast news in both Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune since its partial commercialization brought the emergence of news commercialization. Policy of commercialization is not for private and cooperate organizations to be stake holders in media organization but for such means to be sources of fund for the running of the activities of the media, for the fact that government subventions is sacredly less to keep the organizations afloat. Therefore, the standard set up on news commercialization is another means by which funds can be raised within the media, for the upkeep of the activities. What is being argued here is that, the media should made commercial news known for the audience, for them to be aware that news they listened to at that point in time is sponsored, by an unidentified people. What the researcher meant is that the paid news and news not paid should be distinguished. Observations made are shown that there are limitations in gate keeping functions of the editor. “The gate keeper is any person or formally organized group directly involved in relaying or bans ferry information from one individual to another through any medium of mass communication.” Such person or individual has the ability to limit the information the public receive by editing the information, before it is disseminated. The researcher equally wants to find out whether the above mentioned is practiced, for the fact that news paid for are edited as the sponsor wanted.
1.4 Research Questions