ABSTRACT
The
purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of audience towards
political news coverage on television with focus on AIT and NTA Ilorin. Four
research questions were posed to guide this study. The Agenda setting and
Perception theory constituted the theoretical framework for this study.
Residents of Ilorin metropolis were sampled for the research. This study
adopted questionnaire survey as its data gathering method. The researcher
adopted the multistage sampling technique. Out of the five selected local
government areas in Ilorin metropolis, Simple random sampling technique (Ballot
method), was used to select two wards each from each local government. Also,
250 copies of questionnaire were administered to residents of Ilorin metropolis
for the questionnaire survey. The findings showed that residents of Ilorin
metropolis are highly exposed to political information through constant
exposure to news coverage on NTA/AIT Ilorin. Also, it was established that
residents in Ilorin metropolis has a positive attitude towards political news
coverage on NTA and AIT Ilorin because both stations give adequate attention on
coverage of political news than other news. Furthermore, this study showed that
residents in Ilorin metropolis have perceived that NTA & AIT Ilorin gives
more frequency to coverage of political news than other news. However, this
study established that political news coverage influences the political
behavior of citizen because it promotes participatory politics in the
democratic process by influencing their choice of voting in an electoral
process. Therefore, the researcher recommended that media organizations and
press bodies should organize seminars and workshops to sensitize and educate
journalists on the significance and effects of news content especially when
covering political and conflict news programmes in other to improve their
skills and professionalism. Also, the researcher recommended that the media
houses should ensure that contents of their news are absolutely free from bias,
factual and relevant to the larger society.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page……………………………………………………………………………...…i
Declaration
…………………………………………………………………………..…ii
Certification
…………………………………………………………………………....iii
Dedication
……………………………………………………………………………...iv
Acknowledgements
……………………………………………………..……………...v
Abstract
………………………………………………………………..……………….vi
CHAPTER
ONE: Introduction
1.1
Background to the study…………………………………………………………1
1.2 Statement
of Research Problem………………………………………………….5
1.3 Objectives of study ……………………………………………………………6
1.4
Research Questions ……………………………………………………………6
1.5
Significance of study ……………………………………………………………7
1.6
Scope of the Study ……………………………………………………………7
1.7
Operational Definition of Terms………………………………………………….7
CHAPTER
TWO: Theoretical Framework Literature Review
2.2 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………...9
2.3 Conceptual Review……………………………………………………………....15
2.4 Empirical Review………………………………………………………………...37
CHAPTER THREE: Method
of Study
3.1 Research Method………………………………………………………………...41
3.2 Population of Study …………………………………………………………..…41
3.3 Sample Size and Sampling Technique…………………………………………...42
3.4 Research Instrument ……………………………………………………………..43
3.5 Validity of the Research Instrument …………………………………………….43
3.6 Reliability of the Research Instrument…………………………………………..43
3.7 Method of Administration of the
Research Instrument………………………...44
3.8 Method of Data Analysis………………………………………………………..44
CHAPTER FOUR: Data
Analysis and Results
4.1 Field
Performance of the Research Instrument …………………………………...45
4.2 Analyses of
Data on the Research Questions………………………………………..45
4.3 Summary of Major Findings
………………………………………………………..55
4.4 Discussion of Findings………………………………………………………………56
CHAPTER
FIVE: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1 Limitations of Study……………………………………………………………..58
5.2 Summary…………………………………………………………………………59
5.3 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………....60
5.4 Recommendations…………………………………………………………….....61
Reference
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the study
Onyebuchi (2012), asserts that in this era
of digital technology and globalization of communication, the media have
crucial role to play in creating awareness and giving first class information
to the populace on issues emanating from the society and governance by their
elected leaders. Research has shown that successful countries are rated on how
well organized their system of government and political system affects their
citizens’ standard of living, Onyebuchi (2012: 12).
The way and manner a society is governed
directly or indirectly reflects on the behavioural pattern and perception of
its citizens. Agbo (2013), noted that in a democratic society, the media
especially the television station is one of the major sources of communication
between the government and its citizen. Agbo (2013: 16), also asserts that the
media through the television stations disseminate information, news items,
transmit political programmes, developmental projects and pitfalls of the
various arms of government in a particular country.
According to Akpan (2012: 16), private
owned television stations such as Africa Independent Television (AIT) have been
known for disseminating news and information related to politics and major
happenings in the political industries around the world. Hence, there is close
relationship between communicating political news and other political related
news contents. Akpan (2012), added that viewers not only listen to news, they
also analyse, select, make comments, give opinions and share comments on how they
perceive media effects on politics generally.
In
order to establish a robust and information rich society, adequate
communication is necessary and a media house that has distinguished itself will
definitely excel especially in the present political juggernaut around the
world. AIT is a subsidiary of DAAR Communications Plc which was established in
1994 by Chief Aleogho Dokpesi. DAAR Communications Plc is the foremost
Independent Broadcast Organization in the Federal Republic of Nigeria
pioneering private/independent broadcasting with the establishment of RayPower
100.5FM, AIT, Daarsat - The first fully Nigerian base digital multi-channel
direct-to-home subscription TV and an indigenous station FAAJI FM, (http://www.aitonline.tv/live).
The
Nigerian Television Authority,
also known as NTA is a Nigerian
government-owned and partly commercial broadcast was inaugurated in 1977. At
inauguration it had monopoly on television broadcasting in the country. The
NTA runs the biggest television network in Africa with stations in several
parts of Nigeria. Formerly known as Nigerian
Television (NTV), the network began with a takeover of regional
television stations in 1976 by the then Nigerian military
authorities, and is widely viewed as the authentic voice of the Nigerian
government (http://www.ntaonline.tv/live).
Konstantin
(1991), observes that the perception of audience regarding television news
content has long been of interest to communication researchers. Konstantin
(1991), explained that perceptions of credibility have been found to be
influenced by the content of the news reports and characteristics of the news
anchor, suggesting that perceptions of credibility may be influenced by
presentation variables. Konstantin (1991: 6) further noted that public
perception is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs in a system. It
can also be seen as the complex collection of opinion of different people and
the sum of all their views or as a single opinion held by an individual about a
socio-economic or political topic. Key component in the formation of public
perception is “framing”. Framing is when a story or piece of news is portrayed
in a particular way and is meant to sway the audience attitude one way or the
other.
Church
(2012), posits that in the past, the traditional media organizations have been
the basic means of connecting the public with news on social and political
world. For a longer period of time, such media have been observed as a means of
preventing the citizens from knowing some of the misdeeds of the government
especially in politics. As explained by Church (2012), politics in the modern
societies can be understood as a system, which organizes and governs the public
way of life and taking care of the overall interests of the citizens. The role
of the mass media in creating and strengthening the public opinion is pivotal.
Hence, with the advent of independent media houses in the process of
democratization, expressions and thoughts of the general public have been made
easy.
The
television today represents a channel of information dissemination, such as the
political happenings, events, quarrels and debates. Thus, the manner in which
the television station packages and transmits information has an influence on
the audience, since it is through the media the audience learn, judge, analyse and
make informed decisions about their political issues. Politics cannot exist
without the voice of the media, because only through it, the public get to know
the plans, activities and agenda of the political parties (Siljanovska and
Ejupi, 2013).
In
mass media, channels of transmission of news include: the press, radio,
television and internet. The media generally have specific
technical-technological characteristics with which they transmit their news.
The role of the mass media in creating and strengthening public opinion is very
important. The advent of independent media houses in the present democratic
settings has contributed to the growth and freedom of expression and
perception. In modern societies, getting authentic information is critical to
the quality of decision making by the citizens and the legislators. The growth
of the mass media and their capability to transmit information and messages to
a large population has turned the media world into a large social institution
(Gilens, 2009).
It
is against this backdrop that the researcher seeks to investigate the
perception of viewers/audience about political news coverage on television
stations using AIT and NTA as the main focus. Efforts shall be made to find out
the impact of television in the dissemination of political news and politics in
general.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
One
of the most common generalizations about politics is that today’s voters are
less informed and less engaged than voters in prior generations. This perceived
decline in political engagement echoes a decline in both exposure to news and
the quality of political news. According to Gilens (2009), television viewers
have been waning steadily for decades, the network programme as Gilens (2009),
asserts have lost a third of their viewers, and the content of campaign
coverage in these news outlets has shifted away from policy to scandals,
gaffes, and the horse race. It is no wonder, then, that citizens are viewed as
less equipped to make electoral decisions today than they were 50 years ago
(Gilens, et al., 2009). Despite the efforts of the private electronic media to
help in the growth and development of the country, by keeping audience informed
about political activities in the country through their political news and programs,
these media houses shortcomings such as lack of resources to verify stories
which can lead to spread of misinformation, it can lead to ruin of reputation
of an individual or a company through spread of rumors. Also, there is dependence on the disposition of the
audience, which may be favorable or unfavorable, positive or negative, good or
bad.
Thus, these short comings have prevented them from serving the audience
effectively.
It
is in this context that this work examines the audience perception of political
news coverage on Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Nigerian Television
Authority (NTA) in Ilorin metropolis.
1.3 Objectives of study
The
objectives of this study are:
1. To
examine the extent to which residents of Ilorin metropolis are exposed to
political news coverage on AIT and NTA Ilorin.
2.
To examine the attitude of
residents of Ilorin metropolis towards political news coverage on AIT and NTA
Ilorin
3. To
find out the relationship between political awareness of residents in Ilorin
metropolis and their perception of political news coverage on AIT and NTA
Ilorin
4. To
find out the influence of political news coverage and political behaviour of
the audience
1.4 Research Questions
The following Research
Questions are posed to guide the study:
1. To what extent are
residents of Ilorin metropolis exposed to political news coverage
on AIT and NTA Ilorin?
2.
What is the attitude of
residents of Ilorin metropolis towards political news coverage on AIT and NTA
Ilorin?
3. What
is the perception of residents in Ilorin metropolis towards political news
coverage on AIT and NTA Ilorin?
4. To
what extent do political news coverage and political issues influence the
political behaviour of citizens
1.5 Significance of study
This study will be of
benefit to the audience, as it will create room for the audience to air their
views on how they perceive political news coverage in general and particularly
from AIT and NTA and also deliver messages on political news for audience
consumption. Furthermore, it will benefit both government and private
electronic media owners; because it will help media owners to understand their
audience attitude and conduct towards their political news and on the other
hand help the governments know the public reaction towards their political
activities. Also, this study will be useful to political parties such as PDP, APC, CPC, PPA and others,
because it will give them insight on the media platform that
is best used for political campaigns. The electoral umpire, INEC stands to
benefit too, because this study will enable them reach a large chunk of voters
through political reporting on media platforms to create awareness, educate and
mobilize the public on how to
vote. Also, scholars who are interested in conducting similar studies can
benefit from this study as it will serve as empirical work.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The
scope of this study revolves around political news on AIT and NTA as well as
residents of Kwara state. Therefore, other media organizations apart from AIT
and NTA are excluded from this study. In addition, only political news is
involved in this study. Hence, other news apart from political news are
excluded from the study for proper delimitation.
1.7 Operational
Definition of Terms
Audience: It means group of people or individual
that view political news and programmes on AIT and other television stations.
Perception: This refers to the way Ilorin residents understand or think about
the coverage of political news on AIT and NTA Ilorin.
Political news: This refers to
information and report contents such as political happenings, events, quarrels
and debates on government activities around the world made available to for
public view on AIT and NTA Ilorin.
News coverage: This is the actual
style, language, positioning and viewpoints given to a story in any of the
various media of mass communication.
Ilorin
residents: This refers to voters in Ilorin, kwara
State.
Television station: This refer to in
this study as a channel of information dissemination, such as the
political happenings, events, quarrels and debates, through which the audiences
learn, judge, analyse, makes contexts and make informed decisions about their
political leaders.
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