THE USE OF STATE BROADCAST MEDIA AS PROPAGANDA MACHINERY BY STATE GOVERNMENT

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

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.

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