TELEVISION IN TERTIARY INSTITUTION WORKERS IN AKWA IBOM STATE WITH REFERENCES TO THE UNIVERSITY OF UYO
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
Television is a new medium that would not only convey messages but convey it accurately with audio and visual details of the message. Ajibade (2010), states that “No news medium anywhere in the world exists in a vacuum. News media operate within clearly defined environments, which influence the development and growth of the mass media and are, in turn, influenced by the mass media. These environments include social, political, economic, technological and cultural factors that dictate the direction of growth and development of the mass media as social institutions”.
Like man, whose character and dispositions or attitudes are shaped by the kind of environment in which he grows up as a child, the Nigerian press is a product of various influences it has experiences from its formative years till today. The fortunes of the Nigerian press continue to be dictated by social, (political and economic factors, etc.) the main objective of this paper is to detail how socio-political and economic factors have mould the ‘character’ of the Nigerian television since 1959 the premier of the then Western Nigerian Television (WNTV) in Ibadan.
Television is a powerful tool for opinion molding, agenda-setting, public debate, integration, entertainment education, motivation cannot be ignored because it has the power to persuade its viewers because of its nature considering the quality of pictures and the aesthetics attached to it. That’s why everything we experiences shapes us and mold us to how we are now. And everything that we see on television influences the way we think to some extents. It is not only the shows and movies as well as documentaries that influence our personal ideologies. It is also the performance of such television station that influences our choices and decisions. It is against this background that this study shall intend to consider the effects of television of tertiary institution workers on Akwa Ibom State with reference to the university of Uyo employees.
The Historical Background of Television in Nigeria
The evolution of television in Nigeria followed a similar pattern as that of radio. The irony here is that while it was the Federal Government that started the first radio broadcasting station in the country, it was a regional government that first venture into television broadcasting. On 11 October, 1959, the then western region sent out the first television signals in the whole of Nigeria and Africa. The principals aim of establishing the western Nigerian television (WNTV) as was claimed by the proponents was to serve as surrogate teacher in improving the regional school systems that were handicapped by ill-qualified teachers or a shortage of them in certain subject areas.
The Eastern Regional Government followed by establishing its won stations on October 1, 1960, the day Nigerian gained political independence form Britain. The aim was also for formal and non-formal education. But sooner of later, the aims were abandoned and the station, just like that of the West, became fully commercial. The Northern regional Government established its own station and it came on air in April, 1962, as radio television Kaduna (RTV Kaduna).
Television stations were established in Nigeria with the ostensible reasons of providing adequate services in education, and social and economic development. However, it was soon realized that they had gone commercial and depended heavily on foreign programmes.
The establishment and running or managing television stations remained in the hands of federal and state governments until Decree No. 38 of 1992 that deregulated broadcasting media and established the National broadcasting commission. This paved the way fore private ownership of the electronic media of radio and television stations especially in the southern parts of the county. These days what people think about nearly every issue, be it politics, religion, government, fashion, culture, is almost exclusively influenced by television (Akpan e.d: 2008).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Deregulation of the broadcast industry in 1992 led to the increase in the number of television stations in the country. It is now agreed that there are private television stations in Nigeria. The significance of television is to informing, educating and entertaining University of Uyo employees is not in doubt and it is one way by which the University of Uyo employees keep in touch with the contemporary world even outside their respective homes. It can be assumed that before the advent of television in Nigeria; information of what is happening outside the few higher institutions that existed as at then would be difficult to discern by employees or workers. even after the advent of television and going a step further to furnish offices of the university of Uyo with television, there is still doubt as to how many employees in which television sets are placed in front of their tables or aside their offices are aware of what is happening beyond the walls of their academic institution and in the global world. As University of Uyo employees. It is imperative that they keep abreast of goings-on around them, in the country and the world at large. The study therefore seeks to examine the effects of installation of television in offices of tertiary institution workers in Akwa Ibom State with particular reference to University of Uyo employees.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of using television by employees of tertiary institution during the officials hours, to workers in Akwa Ibom State with a particular preferences to University of Uyo employees specifically the study sought to;
- find out the relationship between television of tertiary institution with employees as in the case of the university of Uyo;
- assess the television viewing habits of University of Uyo employees;
- find out the effects of the use of television by employee of tertiary institutions workers in University of Uyo during official working hours.
- Research Questions
