CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Communication
is man most ubiquitous and life-long activity. It is also the most significant.
It has added to its transactional value a nexus of communal and group cohesion.
The world has shrunken into a global village because of communication’s immense
power and constantly evolving technologies says Marshall McLuhan.
The
origin of communication has been traced to the ancient Homosapiens i.e.
(Neanderthal man) and it has remained ubiquitous activity which enables us to
relate with others anywhere. For instance, numerous studies have confirmed that
an individual, in his entire life spends 75percent of each day communicating.
One of
such studies cited by Berlo (1960) says “each of us spends 10 or 11 hours a
day, everyday performing verbal communication behaviour. We must all
communicate, we simply cannot afford not to.
This
research therefore, look at the roles played by feedback in communication
particularly mass media form of communication which appears to be the most
important in our day to day activities.
Despite
the ever increasing importance and place of communication in literature a
widely acceptable and suitable definition of concept has remained an illusion.
This however is because it is a multi-perspective concept. Its various
definitions have only reflected each author’s perception of it, or his
ideological learning.
According
to Ugboajah (1985), in his book communication: An overview. To be is to
communicate, without communication, man is not different from lower animals,
our ability to carry symbols around with us, to interpret them and relate them
around makes us distinct (from the lower animals) without communication, man
will cease to exist as a social creature because communication is a social
affair.
1.1.1 CONCEPT OF
FEEDBACK
The term
feedback’ was coined by Nobert Wiener 1948 from the science of cybernetics in
physics, to refer to the method by which output energy is returned to a system
as input It simply means now information from Inc system is feedback to it and
how the system to it.
Akinfeleye (2000)
This is
easily illustrated with the electric iron which heats up to a preset
temperature (may be for a nylon shirt the heats cut off when the iron reaches
this temperature indicated by the red light which goes off. When the
temperature drops, the bulb light up again and heating resumes. This is
behaviour adjustment as a result of the new information supplied by the
temperature level. Such adjustment ensures the stability of the system i.e.
homeostasis. http://www.wikipedia.com
However,
communication is give-and-take. This means that a speaker will invariably also
be a listener, since his interlocutor is not a dummy. Whatever the listener
says or does in response to the speaker’s communication and to listeners says
or does in response to the speaker’s communication and to which the speaker
responds is called feedback. Akinrosoye I. (2007).
This
response could be verbal or non-verbal. Feedback that is not perceived and to
which the speaker cannot, therefore, respond is not a feedback, since it
constitutes a waste. However, feedback is only one element of interpersonal
communication, the other being feedforward. Because no definition in
communication is ever encapsulating to enjoy universal acceptance, some
definitions as given by scholars are discuss here under Obilade’s (1989) sees
feedback as: “Messages
sent to the source of the message
consciously or unconsciously and perceived by the speaker, causing him to
react.... If the speaker is unaware of the persistent signals of the listeners,
then feedback cannot be said to exist. In other words, the concept of feedback
involves perception by the sender of the message and the only measure of the
perception is a direct response and accurate interpretation of the audiences’
response”.
To this end this research examined feedback
as an effective tool for communication with a focus to radio and television
programmes OSBC and Its Audience as a case study.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
This
research work is very essential at this point in time because in spite of the
importance of feedback as an effective tool for communication process with a
focus on radio and television programmes, communication researchers have
refused to show interest in studying the concept of feedback, however, this
research will examine the problem of how audience of radio and television
programmes care to send feedback to the respective broadcast media and how
effective is the use of mobile system has been used in achieving a two way
interaction.
Similarly, with the advancement in
technology, this project will as well x-ray the problems and prospects of new
technology in fast racking audience feedback.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following questions will be asked by the researcher:
i.
To what extent do audience
of OSBC care to express their feelings about the contents of OSBC news and
programmes?
ii.
To what extent does
responses received by OSBC influenced their contents?
iii.
To what extent can mobile
phone be used in achieving immediate feedback?
iv.
Does socio media such as :
facebook, twitter e. t. enhance OSBC feedback?
v.
To what extent has OSBC
management bias in feedback received by the station?
vi.
To what extent do management
of OSBC care about audience feedback in the daily broadcast?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
i.
To xray the importance of
feedback in an electronic media
ii.
To know the type of
devices been adopted in OSBC in getting their feedback.
iii.
To examine the benefit of
mobile phone in sending and receiving feedback in OSBC station.
iv.
To find out, if OSBC has
adopted the use of e-mail, yahoo messager, G-mail, facebook, twitter, e. t. c
as a mean of feedback.
v.
To highlight {if any}the
problem been faced by OSBC in getting feedback from their audience.
vi.
To know if OSBC audience
really care to express their views on any issue or matter broadcast by OSBC.
vii.
To study how OSBC treat or
reacted to audience responses.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The
research work is significant in a number of ways which are under listed below:
Public: The significance of
the study is aimed at revealing to the entire world especially the media
practitioners and the audience of mass media particularly audience of radio and
television programmes and how essential is feedback in promoting and
strengthening the station.
Broadcast Media: The
study will help to bring the attention of audience and media practitioners the
need to adopt mobile phone and social media network such as: facebook and
twitter as an instrument of getting and sending feedback respectively.
Students: The research is
expected to draw large attention of other researchers, the need to focus
attention on issues concerning audience and media interaction.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In
relation to feedback as an effective tool for communication with a focus to
radio and television programmes, our scope shall base on the audience of Osun
State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) with the view to x-ray how OSBC value its
audience feedback and how audience also care to send feedback to OSBC during
its various programmes.
OSBC and
its audience were so chosen because it is not going to be easy to study all
radio and television stations and their respective audience. While the scope
will also revolves on how the feedback is important and what may hinder free
flow of communication in broadcast media. Some of the devices that are use for
effective feedback such GSM, email and social media.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
research work shall be limited to the feedback as an effective tool for
communication with a focus on radio and television programmes. The following
are the limitations that hinder the study of this research work;
i.
Financial Constraint: There are
not enough funds to fuel the study of this research work. The researcher has
access to a very little source of fund.
ii.
Time Constraints: Due to
the limited time available to carry out this research work, it is not possible
to carry out the research extensively as anticipated by the researcher.
1.8 DEFINITION OF THE TERMS
Feedback: This is simply the
means of getting message sent to the source of information based on earlier
received message. It could be positive or negative.
Social Media: These are internet
based interactive network which provide immediate or non delay feedback to the
users. Examples are: facebook, twitter, 2go, eskimi, yahoo messenger e.t.c.
Audience: According to this research, audience is used to mean the listeners
and viewers of radio and television programmes.
Mass Media: These are means of
getting information circulated to a large percentage of people residing in a
diverse territory such as radio and television.
Communication: A process whereby
ideas, information, facts, instinct ions, thoughts, opinions etc. are
transmitted from one person to another. It
can be verbal, non-verbal or written message, the use of a common system of
symbols signs, behaviours e.t.c. for the exchange of information.
