THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT OWNED BROADCAST MEDIA IN A DEMOCRATIC RULE, A STUDY OF NTA, ABUJA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The media is a vigorous instrument for modification and reconstruction still as the reformation, thus while not info no society will perform
effectively. African country as a developing nation desires a well structured and effective media to reshape and reconstruct its ideologies,
living patterns, and perception of events around us and act as checks and balances on the activities of the upper crust. Therefore, to realize
this, there’s each got to reconstitute the media therefore on improve its performance. The media could be an important instrument in social
reforms and within the reconstruction of ideas and perceptions of events within the society. It’s also considered the life-wire of the society
that within the political sphere, the media appear like a really vital tool to democratic government and curse autocratic despots anyplace
within the world. The media thus represent the channel through that information; ideal and news are disseminated to the final public.
These channels embody the newspaper, magazine, television, radio, posters, periodical, etc. The media as a channel of mass
communications could be a well-organized system of assembling and causation out info to the final public, this is often most typical with
the broadcasting (television), wherever its entire perform is centered on the transmission of stories, ideas, and services. Television as
channels of communication play a tremendous role in reforming, educating, enlightening, and abusive still as setting agenda for the
individuals, with a severe limitation to the literate category of the society. Most activities and life-styles on exhibits these days are formed
and intentional by the mass media, through its diver’s functions, a number of that are to tell, educate, entertain, Lasswell (2010) and Advert
Wright (2012). Thought in playing these functions many factors affect its effectiveness. These factors might arise from distractions within the
channels to the lack of the sender to effectively communicate to the supposed listeners to established contact still as paying serious
attention to the message being disseminated. Indeed, it’s usually accepted that folks sleep in a contemporary world of communication
wherever one cannot exist while not sharing ideas and knowledge for the advantage of the society, be it ancient motion or trendy. The
present trends of social and political awareness throughout the world and particularly in Nigeria; the television has become an important
instrument to transfer the weather for reconstruction. For an example, throughout the struggle for Nigeria’s independence, the mass media
particularly, that of radio was the organ through that the nationalist dreams and aspirations were actualized. This is often apparent to the
actual fact that African countries didn’t reach independence through the barrels of the gun compared to most African countries viz. Angola,
Mozambique, Algerie, etc. Again, throughout the third republic, the broadcasting media (radio) coated and rumored elaborate info relating
to the political standing of the country. It strived and effectively formed the angle and perception of African countries toward the difficulty
at stake. Although in African country most of the sturdy broadcasting media are closely-held and controlled by the government with the
management of most media by the government as an example, the radio, television, ministry of data, news organization of African country,
the voice of African country. The government may at any purpose in time shut down any media firm that proves stubborn, thereby
disallowing the free expression of ideas and knowledge. There are some personal corporations closely-held and operated by people seeking
favor from the government., thus introduced what’s known as self-censorship, clogging freedom of expression as discovered by one of the
workers of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abuja that “freedom of speech is not any doubt the terrible foundation of each democratic
society. For while not free discussion, notably political problems, on public education or enlightenment that is essential for the right
functioning and execution of the processes of accountable government cannot be possible”. With some live of management within the
media by the government, the aim of achieving objective coverage as a base of each democratic society is defeated, in most government
closely-held and controlled media in our society. It’s also noticed that there’s nearly poor performance in their general services in relevancy
news coverage, editorial policy, etc. In fact, it’s quite true that in recent times, government-owned media have oversubscribed out their
place to the in-camera closely-held media as a result of what find yourself within the government media are additional or fewer items or info
presenting entirely solely government views, wherever because the ills of that very same government are expurgated go into the report.
Most listeners, therefore, need to urge the reality and wherever such doesn’t exist within the government media; they communicate the
personal media that appear to be fairly unbiased. Governments (especially in Africa) use the published media to publicize info to the
grouping, soliciting support from the people for his or her programs and mobilizing individuals to perform sure duties expected of them and
to support from the people for his or her programs and mobilizing individuals to perform sure duties expected of them and support their
policies [Ibrahim, Audusonet al., 1998; Tan and Alexis et al, 2010]. Television broadcasting in African countries emerged as a product of
democratic effort and was meant to foster the democratization method in the African country. This analysis examines the challenges of
state closely-held broadcast media in Nigeria’s democratic rule. Therefore, an in-depth study to review this current trend in government
closely-held media by the approach of distinctive those factors militating against its effective performance concerns this analysis study. As a
result, the assorted issues encounter by the media, particularly that closely-held by the government why they appear to be playing below
normal within the gi circumstance. This is why this research work is being undertaken. Also the alarming rate at that government closely held media are appreciatory and changing into ineffective in their skilled obligations has so created concern within the minds of
communication practitioners, students of mass communication and therefore the society
THE CHALLENGES OF GOVERNMENT OWNED BROADCAST MEDIA IN A DEMOCRATIC RULE, A STUDY OF NTA, ABUJA
