ABSTRACT: The research investigating broadcast media as tool for social change among residents of Ajeromi Ifelodun local government area of Lagos state. 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 have been a major agent of socialization and tools for social changes especially now that people depend on the message from mass media. A survey research method was adopted coupled with questionnaire that were administered to respondents in order to elicit responses from them. The frequency and percentage method of data analysis was used while the data were presented with the aid of tables. Findings indicated the 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. A 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.
Keywords: Social Change
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Mass media particularly radio and television have been a major agent of socialization and tools for social changes especially now that people depend on message from mass media. The potential power of the mass media to help solve social problems, propagate cultural values and social norms among others make it a suitable source of information in the society. Television, radio and newspaper and magazine disseminate different messages to the people especially the adults in the society.
Mass media is an umbrella terms used for all means of communication to a wider and larger audience residing in different geographical locations (Ogungbamigbe, 2001) .Akinfeleye (2004) defines mass media as a means or channels through which messages or information are transferred or disseminate to a wider and larger heterogeneous audience who are residing in a diverse location such channels is usually categorized into two I.e. electronic or broadcast media represented by the radio and television while the print media is represented by newspapers and magazine.
Oyewole (2004) describes mass media as the organised means of communicating openly and at distance to many receivers within a short space of time. Therefore, mass media refers here basically to several mediums or channels used in an organized fashion to communicate information to groups of people, as a service to the public. However, for the purpose of this research efforts shall be made on the usefulness of broadcasting media as tool for social change and social development with a focus on Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
People formed different attitude and opinion about broadcast media influence through its messages, programme and activities based on their social, educational, religion, ethnics and political affiliations. Broadcast media like other media disseminates information to the public can impact positively or negatively but for the television to be able to carryout it’s duties effectively and successful it has to go through some criteria’s.
From the above statement the following are the problems the researcher looked into; the inability of the broadcast media to be able to cut through barriers of illiteracy. Television and radio as audio visual has potentials to enable it get the right information across to the people but the challenging aspect of it is the fact that not everybody in the society have access to broadcasting media signals.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The primary objectives for which this research aims to achieve includes the following:
- To know whether radio and television shape the socio-political economy of residence of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government.
- To know how the radio and television can be used in achieving social change and development.
1.4 Research Questions
In the course of this research work the following questions were raised.
- Do radio and television shape the socio-political economy of residence of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government?
- Do radio and television influence social change and cultural propagation in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is expected that at the end of this study, it will update knowledge within the framework of the study. Particularly, it will assist people’s views on the usefulness of mass media in general development, mobilization and creating awareness among people.
Media practitioners will also gain from the research findings as it will expose them to what responsibilities media are to play in society.
This study, hopefully will help to identify the roles played by the mass media especially television as an agent of social development in Nigeria.
This study also intends to help in determining whether the programmes, news, features and commentaries of radio and television have any effect on their audience.
The solutions and recommendations that were made after this study, it contributes to the growth and development of broadcast media as a powerful instrument for cultural heritage and socio cultural.
It will also serve as reference materials for future researchers who may want to expand or explore on study relating to this work.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study which investigates broadcast media as tool for social change was narrowed in scope to Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State. Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos was selected due to its proximity to the research coupled with the fact that it will be very difficult if not impossible to study all local government or communities in Lagos let alone Nigeria due to inadequate time available for this work, lack of enough fund, the nature and geographical structure of Nigeria and other considerable logistics. Despite the scope, the findings from the study will be generalized to all state of the federation.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF THE TERMS
The terms are conceptual because they are suitable for the research:
Broadcast media: It refers to both audio, audio-visual medium, that capacity to reach residence of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State with both sound and motion.
Social change: It refers to the kinds of change that arts and cultural efforts strive to make in communities and society.
Mass Media: This is an umbrella term that covers all media of communication that is capable of reaching large and wider audience such as radio, television, newspaper e.t.c
Agent: This is referred to as means, tool, instrument or way by which community are develop.
Social development: It means a social change and changing in activities and ways of life of people in community.
“BROADCASTING MEDIA AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AMONG RESIDENTS”
WHAT TO EXPECT: (Format: MS WORD, Chapter 1-5, Abstract, Table of Contents, Questionnaire and References)
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