A Survey Of The Viewership Of Television Prgrammes In
Nigeria (A Case Study Of Enugu Urban)
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
i
Dedication
i
Preface & Acknowledgement
ii
Abstract
iv
List of tables’
v
Approval page
vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the study
1.2
Statement of problem
1.3
Objective of the study
1.4
Significance of study
1.5
Research Questions
1.6
Research Hypothesis
2
1.7
Limitation of study
1.8
Definition of terms
1.9
References
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1
Literature review
2.2
Summary of literature
2.3
References for literature review
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research method
3.2
Research design
3.3
Research sample
3.4
Data collection
3.5
Method for Data analysis
3.6
Measuring instrument
3
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
4.1
Data analysis
4.2
Results
CHAPTER FIVE: FINDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1
Findings
5.2
Conclusions
5.3
Recommendations
Bibliography
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
4
Television broadcasting was first introduced in 1930s as an “expected
occurrence. Since then, television has been growing as a medium of mass
communication.
In 1959, Nigeria first television was established at Ibadan on the account
of denial of access to Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his party to defend his
party from the accusation of the federal government through National
Broadcasting Commission NBC).
Television as a medium of mass communication is composed of highly
heterogeneous audience / viewers with distinctive features, different socioeconomic strata and different interests.
Based on the heterogeneity of audience, it is obvious that preference of
medium as well as the content of the mass will differ among members of mass
media audience. While some use a particular station or programmed, others
depend on the other. Some may want to watch entertainment programmers like
News, current Affairs, Commentaries or documentaries depending on their
likes.
One of the obvious ways in which an audience is active is through the
use of selective exposure. It is the tendency of accepting to expose you to
5
communication that goes with your own value system, attitudes and
viewpoints. The concept of self-selective exposure helps the watches, what he
listens to and read; selevctive watching, selective attention and selective
reading and listening are the functions of selective exposure.
You can buy the newspaper of your choice, you can go to mollies you
like, you can choose from many television programmers and radio, and if you
find yourself watching something you do not like, you can tune to another
channel.
Different views have been presented in an attempt to determine why
people watch a programmed. This can be identified with the following,
selective exposure which include selective perception, selective retention and
selective interpretation and the escapism.
1.2
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Television has been acclaimed as one of the dependable means of
communication, and the role of television is to inform, educate and
6
entertain. Among other functions of television are socialization,
integration, debate and discussion.
However, some stations fulfill these objectives or aims more than
other stations. The extent to which television programmers are watched,
is partly a function of the disposition of the audience members toward
such a station. The Enugu Urban populace constitutes a considerable
segment of television audience in Nigeria.
The need for audience analysis of their nature, therefore, cannot
be over-emphasized.
There is the tendency for viewers to select the type of station or
programmers they watch.
Most audience research findings suggest that economic factors
and demographic factors influence television viewer’s original
disposition and some other factors have been identified as reasons for
different viewing habits of television audience.
This study will be concerned with determining television
programmers that have the widest viewer ship among the populace the
7
factor for the preference of one television programmer over others will
also be examined in the survey.
2.2
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study hinges on the viewer ship of television programmers by
the populace of Enugu urban as the case study. This study has a double
aim, firstly, it is an attempt to examine the attitudinal and behavioral
dispositions of the populace toward television programmers, and its
intended to inquire and find out what aroused their viewer ship habit to a
particular programmer or station.
1.4
SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
It is important to realize that for information to have any
substantial impact influence and effect on the society, also to make
people perform, accept, or reject certain innovations, the medium trough
which such information comes must possess credibility. Also, the
audience of the mass media is diverged, anonymous, and widespread and
8
comprises of various political, social, economic and interest groups of
which the Enugu Urban populace are among.
In addition, since the credibility of the media is a function of
perception of their audience, and when the public do not e believe the
information they receive from the news media or think the media are
omitting important facts, there will be increased reliance on informal
sources for information, and the consequences can be very serious.
Since the mass media and their audience are highly inter-related
and inter- dependent, every station should strive to command a
favourable attitude in the eyes of its audience. It is imperative also for
every broadcaster to know who his audience is. His rating among them,
what they think of him, his station and its programmers, whether the
rating of his programmers and station are high or low. He can improve
on his performance and this will enhance his image and the credibility of
his station.
The need of this study therefore is to find out the television
viewing habits / attitudes of the Enugu urban populace towards
television programmers. This habit / attitude survey is very crucial in
9
determining the effects of television programmed on selected audience,
because it is only after a subject had observed the effects of phenomenon
that the subject can form a reasonable attitude towards that phenomenon.
According to Parker (1974):
“The Saner each new technology is studied the greater the chances of
bringing to use the research results to influence policy in a meaningful
way”.
From this, it can be deduced that it is necessary to examine the
television viewing habits or attitude of the populace. Since it is when this
knows that the station should be in a position to plan and structure its
programmers to appeal to both its enlightened and audience.
From the findings of the research other electronic media will see
the need to structure their programmers in a way that would generate
positive responses from their audience. It is also hoped that this will
serve as a stimulant for further investigation by interested professionals.
1.5
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.
Does Enugu urban Area audience view television programmers telecast?
10
2.
Do residents in Enugu Urban pay more attention to a particular
programmed on television?
3.
1.6
Does television viewing have any specific impact on the audience?
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The writer intends to make the following postulations to keep
abreast with the objective of the research proposals.
HO
There is no viewing habit of television programmers by the populace in
Enugu urban.
H1
There is viewing habit of Television programmers by the populace in
trough state.
H0
Occupation and time do not determine the viewing habit of the populace.
H1
Occupation and time determine the view habits of the population.
H0
Quality of programmers does not affect the viewing habit.
H1
Quality of programmers affects the viewing habit.
1.7
LIMITATION OF STUDY
11
The researcher intends to make a study of the viewer ship of
television programmers but owing to certain circumstances envisaged,
the study of viewer ship in Enugu urban had to be taken. The study to be
limited to only Enugu urban include Time factors which was considered
in adequate for the study and also the economic constraints.
The researcher also noticed or believes that the Television
programmers and viewer ship is faceted with almost the same problems
of under-development through out the country. Therefore it is assumed
that since such is the case, a study within Enugu urban will be adequate.
1.8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
TELEVISION
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION:
a piece of electrical equipment with a
screen on which you can watch programmers with morning pictures as sounds.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: It is a system of transmitting and receiving
audiovisual broadcast programmed through the airwaves.
12
HABITS
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: Somebody’s way of doing things especially
that which cannot easily be given up.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: Audience dispositions towards television
programmers.
ATTITUDE:
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: A way of feeding thinking or behaviour
among human beings.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: The behaviour of audience towards
television programmers.
BROADCASTING
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: Dissemination of information, ideas,
opinion, etc through the airwave to the audience.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: The process of making and sending out Radio
and Television programmers to the heterogeneous audience through
electromagnetic waves.
VIEWING:
13
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: it is being able to watch and hear or trying to
watch something.
SELECTOR EXPOSURE:
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION:
It is the tendency of willingly exposing you to communication that accord with
your own value system, attitude and viewpoint.
SELECTOR PERCEPTION:
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION:
it is tending to see what you want to see in a message and reject a contradictory
one.
SELECTION INTERPRETATION:
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION:
Interpreting messages according to pre-disposition and bias.
SELECTIVE RETENTION OR RECALL
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION:
Trying to retain in your memory a massage or aspect of messages that appeals
to you, and to recall such messages or aspects when necessary’
14
ESCAPISM
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: AN ACTIVITY,
A form of entertainment that helps you avoids or forgets unpleasant or boning
things.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: Habit of escape from unpleasant realities
into a world of fallacy.
COMMUNICATION
CONCEPTUAL DEFINITION: The activity or process of expressing ideas
and feelings or of giving people information.
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: Sharing of experience and ideas, among
people. Mass communications therefore is the process of transmitting
information, ideas and attitudes to a relatively large and diversified audience
simultaneously.
15
REFERENCES
1. Betherfiead, J.B.& Napier, E.C.:
The American media Behaviour,
Stand ford university press, 1960.
2. Copper, N.C.& Dinnemans: The Effect of mass communication,
Am old publishers press, 1951.
3. Freedman L.& Seas M.N:
Selection Exposure, MacLean
Hunter ltd, 1965.
4. Mac quail. D.: Mass communication and
Society, an old publisher
Ltd, London, 1977.
5. Anyaegbudike .Y. Radio/Television production
& Broadcasting in Nigeria
Vigil publishers, Enugu, 2002
6. Money A.S.: Oxford Advanced learner’s
Dictionary, Oxford University
Press, 2000.
16
*** INSTRUCTIONS ***
Please Read The Below Instructions Carefully.
******************************
HOW TO ORDER THIS COMPLETE MATERIAL
If you want to order the complete materials (Chapter One
to Five, Including Abstract, References, Questionnaires, Proposal (where
applicable)) of the above mentioned topic, please visit
www.freeplace.org and click on “Order” (i.e.
www.freeplace.org/order)
******************************
HOW TO BECOME OUR PARTNER
To become our partner, visit www.freeplace.org and click on
partnership.
******************************
TERMS OF USE
This Material is for Academic Research Purposes only. On no
account should you copy this material word for word. Copying
this material “Word for Word” is against our “Terms of Use”.
That you ordered this material shows you have agreed Our
‘Terms of Use’.
******************************
17
Better is not good enough, the best is yet to come!
Endeavour to be the best!!
18