CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction
1.1
1.1 Background
to the Study
Today living in a
sustainable environment has become an issue of international concern which is
making headlines both in the print and electronic media. Also, global warming,
climate change, green house gases effect, depletion of ozone layer, acidic rain
and other climatic and environmental
issues are now the hot and prioritized
topics in the global mass media and many local stations.
Both the governments
and the people depend on communication and updates from the mass media not only
for disseminating information but also in setting agenda for the development
and other allied activities. Hence, communication media become powerful tool
for disseminating information and diffusion of innovations.
Due to depletion of
natural resources and discourage the irrational usage of natural resources by
focusing on sustainable development.
Media play a vital
role in educating and enlightening the people and the governments to protect and preserved natural
resources in the interest of the future generations and the climatic chaos.
Sustainable
environment is attained by protecting the environment in a judicious use of
natural resources.
It should be noted that climate change is often used to
describe any kind of change in climate that may be natural or human induced.
Climate change
according to (Epoh: 2009) is any long term change in the patterns of average
weather of a specific region or the earth as a whole. It should be noted that
most of the environmental problem are caused by climatic change.
Both the Governments and the people
depend on Communication and Mass Media not only for disseminating information,
but also in setting agenda for the development and other allied activities.
Hence, communication media become
powerful tool for disseminating information and diffusion of innovations. Due
to depletion of natural resources and burning of fossil fuels, there is a great
threat to environment. It is high time to save the depleting natural resources
and discourage the irrational usage of natural resources by focusing on
Sustainable Development.
However, the
very survival of our plant depends upon the media. In this regard media plays a
pivotal role in creating awareness and bringing the positive behaviourial
change among people in mitigating the anthropogenic climate and environmental
change, such media effort come inform of weather forecast and others.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
This project will
examine the contribution of mass media in creating public awareness on
environmental issues. Also, it will study how media messages have influenced
the behaviour of public in dealing with environmental matters. It will also
determine the effectiveness of mass media during environmental matters. Also,
it will x-ray media strategy in eradicating and updating the public before,
during and after environmental havoc.
1.3 Research
Questions
v
To what extent has the Punch newspaper been able to
sensitize the public on climate change?
v
To what extent has the Punch newspaper change the attitude
of the public in dealing with climatic issue?
v
To what extent does the Punch newspaper allot space for
scientific information on the environment?
v
To what extent has the Punch newspaper highlighted the danger
and solution to climatic matters?
1.4 Purpose
of the Study
v To investigate the
perceptual and potential roles of mass media in promoting environmental
education and awareness.
v To examine the
relationship between the role of mass media on environmental education and the
level of environmental awareness among the people.
v To highlight the
most important functions of the mass media.
v To x-ray the
influence of mass media on the respondents decision making.
1.5
Significance
of the Study
The significant of the study is to reveal to the entire
world; the role expected of mass media concerning environmental sustainability,
since little is known about climate change, global warming, ozone layer, green
houses gases and their impact on human existence.
Also, to let
the public know that mass media is their eye, ear, nose e. t. c who will
perceive an event on their behalf and later communicate it to the public.
Therefore, mass media messages should not be taken for granted.
Future
researchers will also find this work very interesting to consult while working
on a similar topic.
1.6
Scope
of the Study
Although, this project is concerned
with the impact of mass media on sustainable environment. However, this cannot
be effective discussed, that is why this work is narrowed down to the Punch
newspaper, which shall represent the entire mass media in Nigeria, since it is
difficult to examine all media. Therefore, demographic factor of the Punch
staff, sampling number, education, experience, professional training, sex marital
status e.t. c must be visited before the distribution of the research
instrument.
1.7 Limitations
of the Study
This project work is limited to the
Punch newspaper to represent all mass media in Nigeria.
Available time for this work is
relatively short as other academic activities are competing for time.
Inadequate fund to finance this work
especially to cover as many mass media as possible that is while is limited to
the Punch newspaper.
Another limitation is the few
literature are available meaning that the work is relatively new, therefore
gathering material for this work was not an easy task.