CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The media of
communication i.e.; the channel through which information is conveyed to the
general public. Such channel includes; radio, television, newspaper e.t.c.
The radio as a medium
of communication is one of the most ambitious. The most effective and cheapest
means of communication. Apart from its primary response of informing, educating
and entertaining the public, it provides opportunity for man to understand both
his immediate and distant environment.
Programming on the
other hand is the broadcast programming of a radio formed or content that is
organized for commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting of radio station.
According to Zuma 1
(2011), the radio is a nation builder instrument, it can be a important partner
in the drive to make rural area economically and socially viable.
As a means of
communication, the radio is unique in both its portability and ability to reach
people in urban and rural areas.
It can be use to
transmit music, speech and other information to a large audience.
For Daramola 1 (2001:
55), radio reaches every corner of the globe. The rural community most
especially relies on it for information because it breaks language barriers and
illiteracy. This is why it is an effective tool for disseminating development
information to the rural areas for adequate communication growth.
As it may be, this
study will examine the impact of radio programming on rural dweller using
Baruten as the study.
1.1.1 HISTORY
OF RADIO PROGRAMMING IN
The term “Radio” has
its root in the Latin word, “Radius” which means a spoken radius ray. Radio’s
etymology become obvious when it is realized that in physical sense, radio is
essentially the emission of ray or wave that bear signal called programs the
wave which are generated by a transmitter are propagated, an aerial or an
antenna that represent the central of a circles for reception by radio set
turned to the frequency on which the transmitter is radiating.
According to OLULANDELE et al, radio programming in began
in 1932, through the establishment of the radio distribution services. It was
as a result of the urge a determination of the British colonial authority to
link the colonies with the writer country to serve as an instrument of propaganda
for the
and the whole world. So the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) empire
service was introduced.
Radio programming in also
began as part of the departmental and post and telegraph; which was then Public
Relation Services. The post and telegraphs engineers used the station in
programming programs through wires connected to loud speakers located at
different points in .
After three years of
experiment, the country realized it could operate this system which heralded
the establishment of wired broadcasting that was named “Radio Distribution
Service” (RDS).
On June 16 1951, the Nigeria Broadcasting Service (NBS) was firmly
established by Governor John Stuart McPherson. It was later changed to Nigeria
Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and began operation in April 1957 by an act of
parliament.
However, the glamour for the right of reply Chief Obafemi Awolowo led to
the formation of radio and television station in the western region, Western
Nigeria Broadcasting Service (WNBS) and Western Nigeria Television (WNTV)
responded on October 31, 1959.
In 1975, the Murtala-Obasanjo military regime declared its intention to
halt the proliferation of radio station in by creating a centralized
organization in to cater for the whole country. The government enacted the
federal radio corporation of Nigeria Decree no 8 of 1978; which gave the Federal
Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), right overall existing radio station the
country with the re-organization, it assumed its new name and four zonal
offices were created in Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Enugu and the radio skill is
in existence today.
More so, many private radio station have been established as a result of
the promulgation of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Decree No. 38 in
August 24, 1992. This Decree gave right to the ownership of broadcasting
station by private individuals.
For Richard Aspinal, (1971) the use of wireless for popular programming
was a consequence of the world war of 1914 – 1918. The fighting services needed
improved equipment and large number of wireless signal. It was these near who
on their return to civil life held the demand for broadcasting services.
Early radio was very much a novelty for listeners and broadcaster alike.
The early receiving software bulky and difficult to tune the loudspeaker had
not been invented and listening was limited to headphones
In the studies there were no mixing panels, no magnetic microphones, no
electrical pick-ups and certainly no tape recording. The microphones had to be
shaken before use, like a bottle of machine gramophone records were played by
gramophones in front of open microphones.
But the radio has gradually metamorphosed into a digital state that
rural dwellers can carry every where even in their mobile phones, Ipods and
small radio sets.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
As Daramola (2001: 104) rightly observed, the radio as a medium of mass
communication bridges the gap between the government and the governed. It is a
two – way communication that provides companionship through human voice and
exhilarating music.
Therefore, it is undoubtedly clear that radio programming can act as a
catalyst for rural development because of its versatility of informing hundreds
of thousands listeners at different times of the day. However, this can be more
effective in the rural community through the use of local dialects. Thus, what
impact does radio programming have on the people living in rural community?
How do they perceive information disseminated by the various radio
stations? Through what ways do the media
messages mobilize them to participate in the development process of their
community and the nation at large? How credible are the content of radio programming?
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study seek to find out what impact does radio programming has on
rural dwellers using Baruten people as a case study.
This research will further ascertain the reaction of the people living
in rural community to radio message, how this message impact their way of life
most especially in the area of development and if radio programming as a medium
of communication; has been able to bridge its gap between the government and
the people of the community.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
For the purpose of this study,
the following research questions are formulated:
1. Have radio stations been effective in
disseminating development information?
2. What influence does radio programmes
have on rural dweller lives?
3. Does radio serve as a link between the
government and the rural dwellers?
4. What measures should be put in place to
ensure effective and efficient radio programming to the rural community?
5. What impact does radio programming have
on rural dwellers?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will enable the various radio stations to understand and
appreciate their strengths and weaknesses in order to know areas to improve for
effective information dissemination.
It will also assist radio owners and managers in describing better
policies of enhancing communication programmes in the rural areas.
More so, it will bring to conscious the relevance of radio programmes to
the rural community in order to enable them appreciate it and comprehend
message efficiently.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study is to determine the impact of radio message
toward the development of rural community.
Using Baruten as case study, this research will further state the impact
of the radio programming in rural dwellers obstacle to the impact of
programming in information disseminating and solution to ensure good
interpretation of radio message by the receivers.
The rural dwellers in this community constitute the target population of
the study which includes people of different occupation such as farmers,
artisans, traders, students, civil servants e.t.c.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. IMPACT : The blow of one thing striking
another
2. RADIOPROGRAMMING:
The plan of allocating programs according to the time of the day and duration
of each programs
3. RURAL
DWELLERS: People living
in the rural areas.
4. EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION: It is those
communications that provide change(s) in the receiver’s behavior or attitude as
were intended by the sender of the messages.
5. DEVELOPMENT: The action in process of developing or
being developed, it is also a new stage of event; it is a product in invention.
6. RADIO: The communication of audible signals
encoded in electromagnetic waves.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study is based on the
impact radio programming on the rural dwellers with reference to information
delivery the fact that radio programming is merit of developmental growth in Nigeria.
However, this study as any other study was subjected to a number of
limitations on its own, claim to excellence.
The following project factors are considered to an extent limited to the
study of this project work.
The lack of the relevant information that enable us to understand the
actual role of radio programming on rural dwellers.
Inadequate time due to the fact we have to combine other academic
responsibilities with its research work.
The irresponsiveness of few respondents that is likely to alter the predetermined
response rate of the questionnaires given.
1.1.2
HISTORY OF RADIO KWARA
The kwara state broadcasting corporation, ,
with broadcasting identification, “Radio kwara” started broadcasting service in
in 1956
as a relay station. It was than known as provincial broadcasting house.
The one fourth kilo watt {kW} medium wave transmitter which was then used
covered only eight kilometer radius of .
However, kwara state Broadcasting Corporation as constitution today
finally come into being with enactment of the kwara edict no 3 of 1979, but
with retrospective effect from April 10th, 1978, this was not of the
beneficiary by product of the first state creation in Nigeria.
On the creation of the state in 1967, a master plan was drawn up and
approved for the country base on the number and capacity of transmitter and
mode of transmission to be sited in each creation owning to the topography of
kwara state, it was decided that it should covered with both medium and shirt
wave transmitter.
In 1974, instruction work started in the
modern studio/broadcasting house the 10kw short wave and 20kw medium wave
transmitting station sites these facilities wave put in use is from 19th
December, 1976 however, following the directive of the federal government the
short wave transmitter was closed down in 1976. On 1st April, 1978,
in camphene with federal government is directive which transfers all radio station
on the state to their respective host states. The formal handing over of the
station by the NBA to the kwara state government was reframed by Mr. Horation Agedoti
of radio corporation,
in 5th September,1978, all the existing staff the wave given the
option of either staying with corporation or going to Federal Radio
Corporation. Those who opted to stay were retained.
At the time of takeout by the state government, the state had
broadcasting house situated at the present premises and transmitting station.
The two inherited ten kW transmitters were very old in fact only one of them
was working satisfactorily at the time of over in 1978.
In 1984, the federal government booted the transmitting capacity of
radio kwara through the directive that transferred the federal radio station in
to the
kwara state government. The station then had two {2} 50kw medium wave
transmitted at budo eko. With this development, the state government approved
the recommendation at the corporation to install the four imported 10kw medium
wave transmitter in the fringe area of the then kwara state for effective
coverage. Two of them were installed Egba. One at okike near okene {both now in
kogi state} and the forth at koro in new bussa {now in skew}.
All the three booked station were completed and commissioned.
In spite of the giant strides, in 199 the transmitting stations at bin
do eko witnessed a senior set – back when the 840 feet tower mast was struck
and destroyed by thunder storm. This problem became a senior challenge to cry
tend with; bearing in mind that the transmitting station had then became an
integral part of radio kwara and a dependable ally on the performance of its
statutory responsibility.
Effort to resuscitate the station between 2000 and 2002 resulted in the
provision of a new tower mast and a 50 Kw thomcast transmitter to restore
normal transmission. In spite of the effort by Alhaji Mohammed Lawal’s
administration, the transmitter remained insufficient. However, the government
of Dr. Bukola Saraki, in assumption of office in May 2003 renovated the station
with award of contract for the provision of modern studio equipment and
additional 50Kw Harris transmission totally over #300,000,000.
This singular development has made “Radio Kwara” not just one of the few
radio station with installed digital studies in Nigeria,
but one of the first stations in , to comply with the global
directive in conversion from analog broadcast to digital broadcast.
HYPOTHESIS
Based on the research questions, the following are derived:-
Hi: Radio stations have been effective in
disseminating development information.
H0: Radio stations have not been effective
in disseminating development information.
H2: Radio programmes have great influence on
rural dwellers lives.
H0: A Radio programme does not have any
influence on rural dwellers lives.
H3: Radio serves as link between the
government and the rural dwellers.
H0: Radio does not serve as link between
the government and the rural dwellers.
H4: The measures that should be put in
place to ensure effective radio programming to the rural community.
H0: Measures should not be put in place to
ensure effective radio programming to the rural dwellers.
H5: Radio programmings have great impact
on rural dwellers.
H0: Radio programming does not have impact
on rural dwellers.