ABSTRACT
In several quarters, there have been allegation
making round, that state governments use their state Broadcast media as
propaganda machinery. The focus is to investigate such allegation
using Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) radio/TV as a case study.
The study was based on critical theory by staurt Hall. The theory views
the means by which the “haves of society gain the willing support of the “have
nots” to maintain the status quo. The study uses empirical method
observing the five chapters structural arrangement, with each chapter assigned
a specific role to play for the overall success of producing a reliable result.
The researcher consulted relevant literature to raise secondary data while
survey method was used to generate primary data for analysis. The data
generated using questionnaire techniques were tested using chi-share goodness
of fit test formular. Data were presented in tables and extensively
discussed to enable the researcher draw his conclusion and make some
recommendations. The researcher though did not find Enugu state
government using it’s broadcast outfits as propaganda machinery, but strongly
recommends that the management of the broadcast stations should overhaul it’s
programmes in order to drop those perceived by the media audiences as
sycophantic, wherein presenters use them to sing praises for the state
government unnecessarily.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
page .................................................................. i
Approval
page ............................................................ ii
Dedication.................................................................. iii
Acknowledgements...................................................... iv
Table
of contents........................................................ vii
Abstract
..................................................................... x
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the study......................................... 1
1.2
Statement of the study.......................................... 4
1.3
Objectives of the study ........................................ 6
1.4
Significance of the study ....................................... 8
1.5
Research questions ............................................... 9
1.6
Research hypotheses ............................................ 10
1.7
Definitions of terms .............................................. 11
1.8
Assumptions of the study ...................................... 13
1.9
Limitation of the study .......................................... 14
References ............................................................ 16
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Sources of literature............................................... 18
2.2
Review of the literature ......................................... 18
2.3
Theoretical framework........................................... 31
2.4
Summary of the literature reviewed ....................... 32
References ............................................................ 34
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1
The research design ............................................. 37
3.2
Area of the study .................................................. 37
3.3
Population of the study ......................................... 38
3.4
Research sample and sampling techniques ............ 38
3.5
Instrument used for data collection ....................... 40
3.6
Data collection ..................................................... 41
3.7
Data analysis ........................................................ 41
References .............................................................. 42
CHAPTER
FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF
DATA
4.1
Data presentation and analysis.............................. 43
4.2
Hypothesis testing ................................................ 50
4.3
Discussion of findings ............................................ 54
References............................................................ 59
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS ON FURTHER STUDIES.
5.1
Summary .............................................................. 60
5.2
Conclusion ............................................................ 61
5.3
Recommendations on further studies ..................... 62
Bibliography........................................................... 64
Appendix ................................................................ 68
Questionnaire.......................................................... 69
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Broadcasting, according to Robert White (1999:485) was introduced as a
form of military communication in the 1920’s, the apogee of nationalism and
government propaganda. Dominick (1990:175) one of the striking facts about
broadcasting is that it was invented by young people for example, Marconi who
developed wireless transmitter was only twenty-three when he did that and
Reginald Fessenden made his first radiophone broadcast when he was thirty-four.
But, can the adult misuse or abuse broadcasting media because it was the
brainchild of the young people? So it could be misused by the powers that be.
Quoting Aiyetan (2002) Galadima (2003:260) “public office holders believe they
can do anything and get away with it as long as they can control media, or get
a good journalist to do the dirty job of lying with facts”.
Odumegwu Ojukwu, also observed thus:
When a
public office holder does something outlandish,the media sing his praises
instead of condemning him than
concentrating on more important national or state issues. (cited by Gdadima,
2003: 261)
In a vehement support of Ojukwu’s Observation, Ternakur
(2003:236) Citing Nwankwo (1987), describes the Nigerian mass media as
“government said” media is not out of place. Government reflects the will and
interests of the class that controls the existing mode of production, power
bloc and political machinery in their media outfits.
Neither the government nor their media workers ever agree that they
misuse the media. Every journalist disassociates himself or herself from the
term “propaganda”. But Casey (1960:232) “the problem every media of communication
faces is separating news from propaganda”. Under a free system, one can distinguish
between journalist and a propagandist. Both are interested informers. But,
journalists seek news and serve the producers of news and not the consumers of
news. In the Nigerian government - owned media, journalists are propagandists.
They use all known propaganda devices to achieve the aim of their pay-masters.
According to Junhao Hong,
(1997:223), “Chinese government uses broadcast media to conduct propaganda
campaigns”. The question is, is propaganda bad? In answer to this question,
Ebeze (2003: 219) “Propaganda is not composed of lies and tell stories. It
operates with many different kinds of truth, half-truths, limited-truths and
truth out of context.”
The author quoted Braque
(1999) “modern propaganda introduces new dimensions which tend towards
education and enlightenment.
Broadcasting media started
in Nigeria in the 1930s. Ebo (1994:43) by 1936, radio made its debut when the
first Radio Distribution Service through rediffusion sets became operational in
Lagos, Nigeria. But, what is today known as Enugu State Broadcasting Service
(ESBS) was first opened on October 1, 1960 when it was called Eastern Nigeria
Broadcasting Corporation (ENBC). Having operated for forty-eight years now, it
will be proper for a study of this nature in order to ascertain from an
independent source whether government has used it as propaganda machinery or
other wise.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH
PROBLEM
All over the world,
especially third world countries with less degree of free press, government has
manipulated the masses using broadcasting media. Broadcasting is volatile and
its potentials are unending satisfaction, as in print media. It has great
potentials in information dissemination, education enlightenment, political
socialization, and socio-cultural orientation. Most people form their opinions
based on what they learned from the mass media. Regrettably, observed schramm
(1971), quoted by Ebeze (200:221)
Forming an
opinion becomes more difficult when a person does not have access to adequate
information ……… this information will help individual to form an opinion.
When the masses are disinformed, or uninformed due to excessive
censorship or punitive control measures of state owned media by the government,
the public might react and take law into their hands. For instance, between
2000 and 2002, there were instances when aggrieved media audiences in Anambra,
Imo and Abia states resorted to jungle justice by invading and attacking
Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Awka, Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC)
Oweri, and Broadcasting Corporation of Abia (BCA) Umuahia. The attacks on the
broadcasting media stations were as a result of unprofessional reportage of
election news. The three mentioned broadcast stations are not alone in
unprofessional broadcasting.
Since ESBS is one of the
state governments – owned broadcasting media stations, it could be involved in
state government propaganda machinery, like others. Therefore, the problem of
this study is what the use of state
broadcast media as propaganda by state government can cause to opinion formation, information
need, education and political socialization of those who expose themselves to
state broadcast media. The tendency of disinformation and propaganda, the type defined
by Lasswell (1937) “Propaganda are techniques of influencing human actions by
the manipulation of representation” are prone to exist in a society where
government misuses the media.
Moguluwa (2004:159). Government must avoid any form of deceit and
misleading information. But, government often prefers negative propaganda while
seeking support from the masses to good public relations practice.
Propaganda machinery in information dissemination has a lot of negative consequences on the media
audience especially if it comes from state government via its media, so a study of this type can
not be ignored at this time
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Sycophancy
flattery and praise singing have been promoted to higher disturbing levels,
more especially in political broadcasting ……. State owned broadcast media
stations have perfected the crude and irritating art of praise singing for
governors and their officials (Umechukwu, 2000:13).
Infact, a sycophant
journalist is a source of irritation to media audiences who often see them
through the falseness of the media content packaged by the unethical singer.
Sycophancy, in every ramification, kills the spirit of investigative
journalism, especially among young reporters, who meet praise-singing and see
it as the mainstream in journalism practice.
Based on this seemingly observation, the objectives of this study
includes.
1. To
determine whether ESBS is involved in sycophantic formalism.
2. To
find out whether its audiences have ever risen to attack its premises and
stations for unethical reporting.
3. To
determine the level of government censorship of the broadcast media outputs.
4. To
find out how friendly is the station to state ruling political party’s
opposition groups.
5. To
determine the pattern of recruitment of journalists into the organization.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The benefits of this study
are numerous. The Use of state Broadcast media as Propaganda Machinery by State
Governments, demands serious empirical investigation because of it’s
significance. For example.
a. The
study result will confirm whether state governments use state broadcast media
as propaganda machinery
b. The
study will expose the level of state government involvement in the management,
and staff recruitment in the stations.
c. The
study will expose the level of sycophantic practise in the state broadcast
media.
d. The
result of the study will serve as reference materials for further studies in
management, government and mass communication
e. Both
state government and management of ESBS will find the study useful in many
aspects
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
A number of questions have
been raised and answers to such questions definitely shall provide solution to
the problem of state government misuse of state broadcast media organizations. The
belief of this researcher is that the following research questions will provide
focus and direct his attention to major issues in the identified problem, and
the questions are.
A. Do the
respondents observe ESBS as practicing sycophantic broadcasting?
B. Whether
the respondents can remember any time ESBS audience rose against its
unprofessional reportage of state matters?
C. Are
the respondents aware that state government do censor their broadcast media
news items?
D. Can
the respondents recall any time state broadcast media ever showed equal and
balanced coverage and reportage of opposition groups activities with state
government own activities?
E. Do the
respondents know the method and pattern of staff recruitment in ESBS
organization?
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Ho: Respondents do not observe that ESBS practice
sycophantic broadcasting.
H1: Respondents do observe that ESBS practice
sycophantic broadcasting.
Ho: Respondents cannot remember when the aggrieved
ESBS audience rose against it’s unethical broadcasting.
H2: Respondents can remember when the aggrieved ESBS
audience rose against it’s unethical broadcasting.
Ho: Respondents are not aware that state
government do censor their broadcast media news items.
H3: Respondents are aware that state government do
censor their broadcast media news items.
Ho: Respondents cannot recall when ESBS was
balancing event coverage between the state government and its opposition
groups.
H4: The respondent can recall when ESBS was
balancing event coverage between the state government and its opposition groups
Ho: Respondents do not know very well how media
workers are recruited in ESBS organization.
H5: Respondents know very well how media workers
are recruited in ESBS organizations.
1.7 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
In order to avoid the readers misinterpretation of certain words or
terms contained in the title of this work, the researcher defined the terms
conceptionally and operationally. Such words and terms are:
1. State broadcast media
2. Propaganda
3. State government
A. CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS
i. State
Broadcast Media: They are very
potent mass media which combine audio, vision and motion in transmission of
news and programmes.
ii. Propaganda: This is an expression of opinion or action by
individuals or groups deliberately designed to influence opinions or actions of
other individuals or groups with references to predetermined ends
iii. State Government: A type of
government, according to the Nigerian constitution, described as the second.
tier of government.
B OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS.
i. State
Broadcast Media: broadcast media of
the Enugu state of Nigeria which comprises Enugu state broadcasting service
[radio station and television station] ie ESBS Fm radio and ESBS UHF television.
ii. Propaganda:
It is any process in which the government of Enugu
state, military or civilian, uses to manipulate information and news via its
broadcast media to the audiences.
iii. State
Government: This is the
government of Enugu state of Nigeria, with its capital in Enugu.
1.8 ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY
The researcher’s interest in carrying out this study at this time is
informed of the fact of mounting criticisms against state governments misuse of
state government broadcast media. Infact between 2000 and 2005 across South
East Geo- Political Zone the state broadcast media audiences had cried foul of
unprofessional broadcasting. In Abia, Anambra and Imo aggrieved media audiences
rose against unethical political broadcasting and attacked both the media
workers and stations’ property in several occasions. Also at Ebonyi, it was
observed that state broadcast media was on extension of the state governor’s
wife kitchen. It was alleged that the governor’s wife could sit down in her
kitchen and give order for any presenter to be punished for saying what she did
not like.
Therefore, this researcher
assumes that:
i.
That ESBS, being a
state broadcast media outfit cannot be exempted from state government
manipulation.
ii.
That the station
must be involved in sycophantic broadcasting in order to please state
government.
iii.
Staff recruitment
in the station may has strong political undertone or biases.
1.9 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Uzoagulu (1998:167)
limitations of the study refers to shortcomings, difficulties and problems
found in the design and the execution of the research project which in the
views of researcher could affect the fidelity and generability of the findings.
In this study which is a part of class work, there are some obvious limitations
which include:
i.
Limited time frame
for indepth investigation
ii.
Lack of fund to sample
many respondents in the three geo-political zones of Enugu North, Enugu East
and Enugu West.
iii.
Problem of
accesing information as some of the ESBS staff refused to open-up and give
responses to some probing questions.
iv.
Lack of
co-operation by the members of public as some prospective respondents refused
to accept the researcher’s questionnaire copies for undisclosed reasons.
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