CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Television Broadcasting In Nigeria: Background
The Nigerian Television Authority also known as NTA was inaugurated in 1977 and is the government owned body in charge of television broadcasting in the country. NTA claims to run the biggest television network in Africa with stations in several parts of Nigeria. Formerly known as Nigerian Television (NTV), the network began with a takeover of regional television stations in 1976 by the then Nigerian military authoritative, and is widely viewed as the authorities’ voice of the Nigerian Government.
The first official Director General was Vincent Maduka, a former engineer. Prior to his appointment Maduku was General Manager of Western Nigerian Television, Ibadan, which was African’s first television station.
By December 1979, there were scheduled television broadcasts from every state capital in the country. The decree establishing the NTA provides for one National Board and six Zonal Boards. The National Board has overall responsibility for policy and standards and remains the cooperate legal entity.
With the Director General as Chief Executive, he is assisted at the Headquarter by the Director of Engineering, News, Finance, programmes, legal and manpower resources. The Chairman of each Zonal Board is a member of the Central Board and the chief executive to the zonal Board is the Zonal Manager Director.
By the decree establishing the NTA, the Nigerian Television Authority became the only body empowered to undertake television broadcasting in Nigeria. All existing state television stations were thereby taken over and incorporated in NTA. The Authority was organized on six zone structures such that each zone consists of 3 stations except for one which is made of four stations.
The production centre exists in each state to contribute programmes to the zonal output. When all the installations have been completed, it should be possible for anyone in Nigeria to receive any of the six zonal programmes by choice. In 1997, when NTA was inaugurated, there were 7 stations with 3 in their final stages of commissioning whilst the other state had none at all.
The Guardian in it editorial of Sunday October 18,2009 stated that “the federal Government owned television network, the Nigerian Television Authority,(NTA) is arguably the largest of its type in Africa, but, it is yet to have the operational freedom required to maximize its potentials.” However, the NTA’s monopoly of the Nigerian airspace was broken in the mid- 1990s with the establishment of privately owned television stations and networks, notable among which is the Africa Independent Television(AIT).
Television as a medium of communication has gained reasonable acceptance among the Nigerian public but there is much generalization about the viewers that patronize TV stations and their programmes.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The rate at which TV programmes are created by the media and consumed by audiences warrants study. The degree to which the audience interacts psychologically with a medium or its messages could influence the preference of the audience and their involvement can be seen as a direct personal experience during message reception and can be an indicator of cognitive, affective, and behavioural participation. Therefore in view of this, the study intends to evaluate television programme contents and audience preference in Awka.
1.3 Objective of the study
This study is an investigation of audience perception and preference of TV programme content in Awka.
The following objectives are accordingly outlined:
(a) To determine the more preferred of the two television stations programmes.
(b) To determine audience perception of the programme.
(c) To determine the viewer’s assessment of the TV stations on selected attributes.
(d) To find out whether presenters of programmes have any influence on programmes preference by the audiences in Awka.
(e) To give possible recommendation.
1.4 Research Question
The following questions were designed to guide the study:
1.How does audience in Awka perceive the programme contents of the two television stations ABS and NTA?
- What are the programme preferences of television audience in Awka?
- What are the viewers’ assessments of the TV stations in relation to the contents of their programmes?
- What influence does a presenter of a television programme have on the audience?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The importance of TV programme contents can first be indicated through the value that people attach to television as a whole. Television is hugely important in people’s lives; they feel it is especially influential on young people due to the fact that it is a major source of information for them, and especially important for older people too acting as both a companion and a bridge to the outside world. While TV entertains its audiences, it is also seen to play an integral role in the shaping of societal values. Subsequently, this research will also try to find out the roles that the contents of TV programmes have played in shaping perceptions of television station by television audience.
1.6 Scope of the study/Delimitation
Television programmes have attracted attentions from audience as these programmes serve as a source of information to the audience providing a platform for them to reshape their preference. For the purpose of this study, the scope of this study shall be limited to only two television stations (ABS and NTA, Awka). This delimitation is to make the study manageable and enable the investigator (researcher) gather reliable information as regards the project topic under investigation. The study population is also limited to people living in Awka.
1.7 Conceptual Definition Of Terms
For the purpose of clarity and easy understanding of some terms used in this work, some key words are listed below and properly defined.
- Psychological: Related to the mental and emotional state of a person.
- Preference: A greater liking for one thing over the other.
- Programme: A planned series of event.
- Medium: An agency or means of doing something.
- Influential: Having great influence.
- Broadcasting: Transmitting by television or radio.
- Integral:
