EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OF MASS MEDIA ON ME DIA OBJECTIVITY (A CASE STUDY OF ESBS)
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.
The media of mass communication has two important broad sub – divisions, the electronic and the print media. The print media involves mainly the magazine and newspapers. These are regional and national informers which provides retrievable, researched and indepth news – stories of events.
Since its inception in 1859, courtesy of Henry Townsend, print media has always been owned by either individuals, groups of individuals, organizations or government, both state and the national. Due to the pluralistic nature of control of print media, the competition thereof, the print media has always been a vital instrument of enlightenment. Infact, it was instrumental in the struggle to gain independence for Nigeria in 1960. However, the individuals or groups that establish newspapers/ magazines have always used it to propagate their interests. But on the whole, it has played a major role in informing, educating and entertaining the society.
The other arm of mass communication media is the electronic media. It comprises of the radio and television. It ha not been as enterprising as it should be. Neither is it as competitive as the print media. This is attributable to the majority ownership and control of the electronic media by the government. This attribute is not a recent phenomenon. It can be traced to the political experience of the western region of Nigeria in the first republic, where:
“During the 1962 – 1965 political crisis in The western region, broadcasting was employed freely by the government of the day as an instrument for waging an offensive against opposition “.
Following the activities of major political actors then, the government saw its efficacy, then decided to only trust the electronic media into the care of its royals. It therefore toyed with the idea of tying the radio and television to what Modlyne Opara of ESBS called “it’s apron”. Though the constituent assemblies that smithed the 1959 and 1979 constitutions for the country did not approve monolithic control of the electronic media by the government, government went ahead in constitutionalizing its grip on the media. The president of the federal Republic of Nigeria was vested with the right to permit the establishment of the electronic media. The constitution states inter alia:
“……that besides federal and state governments, individuals and corporate bodies were also eligible to own and operate radio and television stations, provided that they received the presidents permission to do so”
It has been widely acclaimed that the government had to take such decision because the people were not emotionally and materially set for individual ownership of the electronic media, due to its vulnerability to abuse and the high capital required to establish it.
Also considering that :
“ At local, national and international levels, the media are powerful
brokers of information by their very nature and availability, the mass media have been recognized as …… Most potent tool……in the modern world”.
If we have to go by records, the government’s insistence on moving and controlling the electronic media is in contravention of the universal declaration of human rights article 19 of the UNO. This article states that :
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression, this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and seek receive and import information and ideas through any media
and regardless of frontiers”
Nevertheless, Nigerians of the contemporary time are increasing decrying government ownership and control of radio and television station because the station are increasingly losing its credibility. Yet experts suggested reasons why the government continues its claw – like hold on the radio and television. Adidi Ugo, a senior lecturer in mass communication department of the university of Lagos (UNILAG) attributes this fear by the government:
“ The factor under tying the restlessness of government.
To free radio and television from its contributions is nothing but
fear”.
But government has defense against this. It claims that private ownership would lay volatile Nigerian publics open to selfish manipulation. Hence it can only trust such huge responsibilities into the hands of its loyals.
