Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived influence of electronic media on sports development in Anambra state, with reference to provision of sports facilities, sports personnel development, funding of sports, creation of sports awareness, encouraging people’s participation and attracting sports sponsorship. Description survey research design was used in the study. In pursuance of the specific objectives, six research questions were formulated with three hypotheses. The sample for the study consisted 146 respondents made up of all the 21 sports Administrators in the 21 local government areas in Anambra state and the 125 Anambra state athletes who were in the camp at the time of the study. A researcher – made instrument titled Perceived Influence of Electronic Media on Sports Development Questionnaire (PIEMSDQ) with a reliability coefficient of .68 was used for data collection. The result of the data analysis, using criterion mean of 2.50 and t-test at .05 level of significance showed that electronic media influence the provision of sports facilities, personnel development, funding of sports, creation of sports awareness, encouraging people’s participation and attracting sponsorship for sports competition in Anambra state. The finding further revealed that there is a significant difference between sports Administrator and Athlete’s perceptions on influence of electronic media on provision of sports facilities, sports personnel development and creation of sport awareness.
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background to the Study
In sports industry today, the significant role media are playing in the development of sports all over the world is obvious. Apart from the fact that the media have increased sport awareness and spectatorship among people of the world, it has also increased revenue generation which has enriched various sport stakeholders. According to Smith and Blackman (1982) sports and mass media clearly rely on each other to prosper. The mass media profit from offering valuable commodity which is sports information to the public, in turn sports gain popularity and wealth by offering broadcast right. Sports influence peoples’ daily lives, playing a key role on their socialization and entertainment which greatly affect their health.
According to Ihediwe (1997), sports are highly formalized and organized physical activity of high intensity regulated by accepted rules and regulations and which require maximum physical or mental exertion. Ugwueze (2005) defined sports as all organized physical or mental activities with rules and regulation carried out indoors or outdoors whether at amateur or professional level requiring physical or mental exertion. In this study, therefore sports is defined as an individual or group activity, pursued for exercise or pleasure, often involving the testing of physical capabilities and taking the form of a competitive game such as tennis, football and basketball. Sports development of any nation, including Nigeria depends substantially on the status of their motivation of athletes among others.
Sports development, according to the Federal Republic of Nigeria Sports Development Policy (1989) is defined as the process of continuous improvement of the sport structure, institution and programmes in order to create a societal condition conducive to physical fitness for all and for effective functioning and self-actualization. Collins, (1995) viewed it as the processes whereby effective opportunities, processes, systems and structures are set up to enable and encourage people in all or particular groups and areas to take part in sports and recreation or to improve their performance to whatever level, they desire. In this study, therefore sports development is defined as the process of using electronic media as a system or structure to enable and encourage provision of sports facilities, personnel development, funding of sports, sports awareness, participation and sports sponsorship in a particular group or area to improve their performance. Many agencies including the media play significant roles in achieving sports development objectives.
. Hornby (2001) defined mass media as the means of communication through which a large number of people could be reached. These include newspapers, television, radio, films, handbills, posters, computer and internet. Details of sporting events, athletes and other individuals involved in athletics fill the pages of newspapers, magazines, books, and internet websites, as well as countless hours of radio and television. People in every city and community around the world form a long lasting bond with sports teams and athletes. Millions of fans set their daily schedules around the listening to; viewing of, and reading about sports. Currently, sports programmes or events, products and services are marketed through mass media. Alimi (2003) posited that media had been playing a catalyst role for the identification and the promotion of knowledge, information and understanding in a nation. In the global community, sports are used as a tool to promote good health, unify people of various tribes, races, and colour, promote international relations and good will, develop the entertainment industry and also to promote manufacturers’ products. With the age of sports globalization, technology has enhanced opportunities for international communication, interaction and market (Ugwueze, 2005).
Conceivably, the type of media that has had the greatest impact on development of sports is electronic media. According to free online encyclopedia (2011) electronic media are the broadcast or storage media that take advantages of electronic technology which include television, radio, Digital Video Disc (DVD) internet, Compact Digital Read only Memory (CDROM) and many other media that require electricity or digital encoding of information. According to Indiana University Policy (2012), electronic media is defined as any device that is used to store or record electronic information, including but not limited to hard disks, magnetic tapes, compact disks, videotapes, handheld electronic devices and removable storage devices such as floppy disks and zip disks. In this study, electronic media is regarded as the media such as television and radio that use electromechanical energy to enable and encourage provision of sports facilities, personal development, funding of sports, sports awareness, participation and sports sponsorship in a particular group or area to improve their performance.
In 1996, the Centennial Olympic Games which held in Atlanta Georgia attracted almost quarter million people and media representatives to the city to enjoy the gala. It was estimated that an additional 1.5 billion people watched the games through network and cable television (Marketing Matters, 1996). Verveer (2001) stated that the Sydney Olympic Games were broadcast to 220 countries and territories, making them the most-watched television sports event in history. According to Ping and Chiung (2009) the Summer Olympic Games and Winter Olympic Games hosted every four years, attracts billions of viewers and listeners who enjoy the competitions through electronic media, hence the relationship between sports and electronic media.
Heinemann (2003) describes the mutual interest of sports and electronic media as follows: the widespread coverage of sport via electronic media contributed to its popularization. Interest in a particular sport rises considerably, when its television coverage is extensive. The electronic media’s role in this particularly reciprocal relationship centres on the huge injection of money it provides to sports; this creates an ever-ascending spiral that has meant better media coverage of sports, better sports equipment and facilities, larger sports audiences, additional sponsorship opportunities and larger athlete and staff salaries. Electronic media benefits on the other hand, from using sports as a powerful promotion outlet attracting advertising contracts and the viewing public’s attention. Through electronic media, one can appreciate the outstanding performance of elite athletes. This process gets more people involved in sports, brings more media participation, and creating a positive circle. The symbolic relationship between sports and media creates nothing less than a win-win strategy, in that note, the more sports broadcasts, the larger the audience that gets involved in sports. These audiences are mostly made up of sports administrators and athletes, of which their efforts are mobilized for sports development.
According to Awoyinfa (2004) a sports administrator is anyone at any level of sports organization who directs the effort of other people towards the achievement of organizational goals sport wise. Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (2011) posited that sports administrators help to ensure the smooth running of a sports organization, which may range from reception work at local sports club to marketing or human resources at a major club. In this study, sports administrators are those who direct the effort of other people (athletes) for sports development both at state and local council levels in Anambra state such as coaches, sports instructors.
Free online dictionary (2012) defined athlete as a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise. Also a person possessing the natural or acquired traits, such as strength, agility and endurance, that are necessary for physical exercise or sports especially those performed in competitive contexts. Therefore, in this study, athletes are those who are proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise and have performed or represent Anambra state at national competitions. Electronic media have influence on these athletes towards sports development.
Perceived influence of electronic media in sports development cannot be overemphasized. According to Longman dictionary of contemporary English (2007), to perceive is to understand or think of something or someone in a particular way. It also means to notice, see, or recognize something. Free online dictionary (2012) defined perceive as to become aware of something through any of the senses, especially sight or hearing.
Moreover, according to Longman dictionary of contemporary English (2007), influence is the power to affect the way some one or something develops, behaves, and thinks without using direct force or orders. Free online dictionary (2012) defined influence as a power affecting a person, thing or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort. Also the capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behaviour of someone or something, or the effect itself. Therefore, in this study, the perceived influence is the power or ability to understand or notice the capacities that have effect on electronic media for sports development.
Kienka (1990) posited that the efforts of the mass media have been boosted by the establishment of sports unit by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) which gets and disseminates to the media houses the latest sports news from all over the world. This was because of the performance of Nigeria’s amateur boxers at the Los-Angeles Olympic Games in 1984, the World Cup soccer victories of Nigeria’s under 17 and 21 teams and the transmission of Nigerian leading athletes at the World Universities Games. Obe (1996) reported that the first football World Cup Champion that was covered by television took place in Chile in 1962, and the first Olympic Games covered by television took place in Japan in 1964. With this development, more people became interested in large number of sports, and many federations were sought to consolidate the position of their sports through television not only to promote the broadcasting competitions but also to earn income through transmission. Mensah (1996) posited that if one takes a retrospective look at the origin and growth of television stations in Africa, the first thing to be note is that they virtually came into existence after their independence. Sports have become an important form of entertainment nowadays, there are more TV channels now than ten years ago and as a result, the growth of television sport has accelerated. It is important to note that recently people have developed interest in sport through sports broadcasting and because of televised sports, fewer people attend live football matches. People prefer to watch live telecast comfortably at their homes instead of travelling to stadia. According to Val (2010) sporting events are becoming more popular with television viewers, enabling sports fans to develop a greater degree of understanding of a wider range of sports. Val (2010) went further to mention the roles of television on sports such as funding and sponsorship. The best spectator sports for television will be those that attract a large live audience at the event, consequently attracting sponsorship and funding, just like in any other venture.
In an earlier contribution Kienka (1990) claimed that in Nigeria, there is no data to support the level of sports development by the media, but the radio and television are said to have increased listenership and viewership respectively for their sports programme. Obe (1996) asserted that live radio broadcast of sports events signified the beginning of an important economic relationship that was developed between the media and organized sporting bodies. Ikhioya (2005) stated that the trend in the radio stations had so far given sports prominence in their news coverage with a lot of varied but interesting innovations introduced. This has forced the existing government owned stations to become flexible and innovative. According to Eric (2006) the media that has had the greatest effect on sports and the audience is radio. Perhaps no other form of the media at this time covers the different levels and varieties of athletes more than radio. Also radio has abilities or skills that other media cannot match. The first is the connection formed between the broadcaster and the audience. Secondly, the ability radio has that other media cannot match is being consumed where others cannot. Besides listening to the radio at home, people also listen to radio at work, as they exercise, or as they drive in their cars. Radio also helps to identify site of local facilities that could be harnessed for sports development.
Sports facilities constitute one of the essential determinants of sports promotion and development that should be given top priority in the country’s bid to make an impressive impact on the comity of nations (Kabido, 1996). According to Ikhioya (1999) availability of standard sports facilities, maintenance of facility repairs, availability of medical facilities and availability of standard sports arena for competitions is paramount towards promotion and development of sports. Emiola (1999) maintained that training and competing with modern and standard facilities and equipment are part of intrinsic incentives to athletes. In order to facilitate and encourage extensive participation high standards and safety, and improved performance, electronic media should encourage facilities in all parts of the state as one of the major priorities in the promotion and development of sports. Also, electronic media should ensure that athletes are exposed to the modern and standard facilities and appropriate training and competition kits. These will help to encourage the training of sports personnel such as organizing annual sports conference, seminars, in service training and workshop for sports development.
