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ABSTRACT
The study focused on Port Harcourt Residents’ Perception of Television Programmes using MTN Project Fame as a case study. The study adopted the survey method in which a sample size of 400 respondents were used for the study. The questionnaire was employed as the research instrument and out of the 400 copies administered, 381 were correctly filled, returned and used for the study. Consequently, the following findings emerged among others: Port Harcourt residents are exposed to more of entertainment programmes they can vividly recall the programme, Project Fame, Port Harcourt residents think programmes aired on Television are more of entertainment programmes and Port Harcourt residents are influenced by the programme, project Fame both positively and negatively in some cases. As a result of these findings, the following recommendations were made amongst others: Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should measure the type of programmes aired in our society to create a balance between entertainment, educational and informative programmes especially entertainment programmes and audience members should also expose themselves to other TV programmes apart from entertainment programmes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE………………….………………………………………………………………i
DEDICATION ii
CERTIFICATION iii
ABSTRACT iv
ACKNOWLEDEGEMENTS v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vi
CHAPTER ONE 1
INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 5
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 7
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 8
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS 8
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 8
1.7 DELIMITATION 9
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS 10
CHAPTER TWO 11
LITERATURE REVIEW 11
2.1 INTRODUCTION 11
2.2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 11
2.2.1 Selectivity Theory 11
2.2.3 Uses and Gratifications Theory 16
2.3 CONCPTUAL REVIEW 20
2.3.1 Television as a Mass Medium 20
2.3.2 Television Programmes 26
2.3.3 Television Viewership 29
2.3.4 Cultural Imperialism 31
2.3.5 Perception 34
2.3.6 Project Fame West-Africa 37
CHAPTER THREE 39
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 39
3.1 INTRODUCTION 39
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN 39
3.3 POPULATION FOR STUDY 40
3.4 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 40
3.5 INSTRUMENT OF DATA COLLECTION 40
3.6 VALIDITY/RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT 41
3.7 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION 41
3.8 METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS 41
CHAPTER FOUR 43
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF DATA 43
4.1 INTRODUCTION 43
4.2 DATA PRESENTATION 43
4.3 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 44
4.3.1 Demographic Data 44
4.3.2 Psychographic Characteristics 46
4.3.3 Analysis 54
4.4 DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS 55
CHAPTER FIVE 61
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 61
5.1 SUMMARY 61
5.2 CONCLUSION 63
5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS 63
REFERENCES 65
APPENDIX A 67
APPENDIX B 68
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Television exerts a very powerful influence on the society and it is also a medium that has social influence more compelling than any other medium (Salaam, 2011) programs aired on television are a mixture of news, information, education, inspiration and entertainment. All these can further be divided into talks, interview, discussions, film, music, drama, etc. Zehl (2012, p.1) assert that when watching television, somebody vacation videos, a bloggers video podcast or even a move you probably feel that you could do just as well as even better than what is on the screen” The first television station in Nigeria was WNTV in 1959, this was followed by the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting service in 1960 and the Broadcasting Cooperation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN) and then to the era of deregulation. Therefore the emergence of private television stations like African Independent Television (AIT), Silverbird Communication, etc.
The deregulation of broadcasting performance scheduling as well as scope of competition in the sector brought about competitions between the old and new television stations so as to remain in the business and make profit. This resulted in the package of programs for audience viewership; cultural promotion and national development are amongst the many functions television programs performs. MacBrideEarl Ending (2014, p. 119) noted that the media is a cultural instrument which supply the cultural fare and shape the cultural experience of many people in the modern world. Abraham (2014) affirms that from the late 80s to the 90s, Nigeria was known for her rich and educational television programs that inform, educated, enlightened, persuaded, integrated and at the same time – entertainment viewer. At schools, children were seen in groups discussing most of the notable television programs while parents on the other hand are always glued to their television set after closure from work. Children and adults were treated on a Sunday with captivating programs like tales of moonlight which was a reason most children would always want to be at home by 6pm. Cultural, social and moral values were also always infused into television programmer, hence enabling children to learn morals things about their cultural heritage and societal values and norms. Though the television programmes aired in the 90s were not for 24 hours at that time, the period of six hours television broadcasting was truly fun for its various viewers. But today, the new television contents or programmers and the current trend seems to be more of music and dance infused with lot of degrading more values. It may not be wrong to say that what sells most television programmes nowadays are x-rated content, violence, war and erotic videos, reality programs and so on. All these tend to degrade the morals of the youth and the society at large. Little wonder Orlu-role (2013) affirms this when he wrote, in this number of hours, day or years of media exposure; the person is exposed to the good, the bad and the ugly. The child comes across scenes that contain certain immoral behavior such as smoking, drinking, use of illicit drugs, stealing, sex, lying amongst others. The danger is that children are not cognitively mature enough to distinguish between an acted scene and reality in that they watch than what they hear. This is why children like replaying the experience. They encounter in the media, many lives have been lost and many children and youths wounded over replaying what they saw in these image-dominated media (p.3).
Nigerian youths today spend more time watching global television programs such as musicals which are corrupted with nudity and suggestive dance steps, drama, action movies featuring gangsters, acts of shooting and killing including modes of walking which are unacceptable in the context of African culture. Salawu (2006) corroborates this view when he describes these channels (media houses) as veritable agents of cloning. He also posits that most people of the fringe culture without knowing it have un-writhingly become cloned African or westerns all in the name of globalization or modernization. In the same vein, Iyorza (2014, p. 309) went further to say teenage girls flaunt around their bosoms with rumps hanging out of their clothing. Teenage males strut around their pants sagging below their derriere, wearing many chains around their necks trying to resemble a rap artiste.
Also most Nigerian youths are affected by the accent and language of the pop stars, actors and actresses and the character in the advert they watch on television programmes. Though many have asked and wondered where we all got it wrong but that still remains a puzzle yet to be unraveled.
Some people have argued that those television programs that interest viewers in the past did so because there was not much competition as we now have. Their point is that back then; it was mainly NTA and some few others that were providing television contents to Nigerians. This study aims to find out what residents especially those in Port Harcourt; think about television programmes today, especially the programme, project fame. How these programmes are today compared to how it used to be.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The media is saddled with the responsibility of educating and enlightening the audience and television programs is one way this responsibility is achieved. But most programs aired by the Nigerian media today seem to portray more of sex, violence, war and erotic scenes. Culture and social values are no longer being promoted in most television programmes. It seems the youths who watch these scenes now behave the way they see the actor behave in the programmes. Our society is now faced with insurgency, sex and violence because television contents seem to have a way of affecting the behaviour of viewers. The content of the media programmes may have led to the social vices we see in our society. There are cases of rape been influenced by what they might have seen in these television programmes.
Iyorza (2014) agrees when he ascertained that most youths express all sorts of behaviour in public. Others may argue that television programmes are better than the way it used to be, they even argue that television programmes play a big role in shaping the society positively and enhances sustainable development. There are people like Ekhayeme (2011) who are of the opinion that through television programmes, we can observe how successful people behave and we assume that it is the proper way to behave in real world.
The media awareness network explains in its articles “the good things about television”, that television programmes can be a very powerful and effective learning tool for children, if used wisely. The article states that television can help young people discover where they fit into in the society, develop closer relationship with peers and family and teach them to understand complex social aspects of communication.
Given these different perspectives, the problem therefore borders on this question, what are Port Harcourt residents’ perceptions of these television programmes especially project fame which they are daily exposed to.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purposes of the study are to:
- Ascertain the types of television programmes Port Harcourt residents are more exposed to.
- Find out the extent Port Harcourt residents recall television programmes like project fame.
- Examine the views of Port Harcourt residents on television programmes like project fame.
- Find out from the residents of Port Harcourt if television programmes, especially project fame have any influence on their lives.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were set to guide the study.
- What type of television programmes are Port Harcourt residents exposed to?
- To what extent do Port Harcourt residents recall television programmes like project fame?
- What are the views of the residents of Port Harcourt about television programmes like project fame?
- Do television programmes especially project fame have any influence on Port Harcourt residents?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
For the purpose of this study, the Nulsio Hi and Ho Hypothesis were used.
- The effectiveness of television programmes on Port Harcourt residents.
- The ineffectiveness of television programmes on Port Harcourt residents.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research study is of importance because it would help television stations to know the types of programmes Port Harcourt residents are exposed to, it will also enable the producers of the programme, project fame to know what its audience think about the programme and how often Port Harcourt residents watch these programmes.
1.7 DELIMITATION
This study suffered some constraints. One of the major constraints is that the figures used for the study supplied by the National Population Commission, Rivers State were that of 2006 census hence the figures do not tell the accurate population of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area as at 2018. There was also initial apathy on the part of the respondents as they hesitated to receive or return copies of the questionnaire but with consistent persuasion, their interest and participation was gained.
There was also the constraint of respondents filling the open ended questions. To ensure that this factor does not adversely affect the outcome of this study, the researcher took time to explain the essence of the investigation and instrument items to them.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Perception: The understanding or opinion one has over something or an issue.
Resident: A person who resides in a geographical region or place.
Television: It can be seen as a medium for the broadcast and reception of audio-visual signals from a base station.
Television Programmes: A segment of content intended for a broadcast on television
Mass Media: It refers to channels of communication that are used to reach large, scattered, heterogeneous and unidentified audience e.g. Radio, Television, Newspaper, Magazines, Films, etc. which encompasses of print and broadcast media.