1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The seed
for the liberalization of the broadcast industry in Nigeria was sown in the
1979 constitution. Section 39 of the Document inter alia, stated that “...every
person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the
dissemination of information, ideas and opinions provided that no person, other
than the Government of the Federation or of a state or any other person or body
authorized by the president, shall own, establish or operate a television or
wireless broadcasting station for any purpose whatsoever” (Momoh, 2002:49).
The
important point in this context is the provision of the constitution that “...
any other person or body authorized by the president...” could “.. own,
establish or operate...” a broadcast station. Furthermore, it is worth noting
that twenty and three years later, that seed manifested in the Nigerian
Broadcasting Commission, NBC Decree 38 of 1992. Before that year, all legal and
constitutional instruments in force in the country effectively made broadcasting
an exclusive preserve of the Federal and State Governments.
However,
when it was promulgated on 24th August 1992, the Decree established the
National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, and empowered it to accept and screen
applications for the issuance of licenses for private participation in
broadcasting in the country. The commission was also mandated to renew and
revoke licenses where and when it deems fit, and also to generally monitor and
regulate broadcasting in Nigeria.
In 1994,
the commission granted the first set of licenses to some firms and individuals.
But private broadcasting operations per se started two years later in 1996 with
the emergence of Clapper Board Television on Channel 45 UHF. Later that same
year, Ray Power, the first private radio, began broadcasting on 100.5 mega
hertz on the frequency modulation band.
Since the
debut of the first private television and radio stations, the number of
broadcast stations in the country has raised to over 100, according to Dr.
Silas Yisa, the Director-General of the NBC.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The study seeks to examine
the Effect of Privatization of the Electronic Media on the Audience using Unique
F.M Ilesha as a case study.
The research will as well
highlight some of the challenges facing the private media today and the public
perception of government media.
It will
also x-ray if the arrival of private broadcasting media is beneficial to the
public or not.
Although,
mass privatization and deregulation has increased the number of channels
available for people yet this work will find out the social, economy, cultural
and political prospect and challenges of deregulation on the people.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- To examine the impact of the growth of private broadcasting media on broadcasting station improvement.
- To study if audience prefers private media to government owned media.
- To know the extent which privatization and deregulation has brought an end to government monopoly of broadcasting media.
- To know if deregulation of broadcasting media in Nigeria has increased broadcast frequency and channels available to audience.
- To examine if deregulation has fulfil the objective of National Broadcast in Commission.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i.
Has the growth of private
broadcasting media improved broadcasting station
in Nigeria?
ii.
Does audience prefer
private media to government owned media?
iii.
To what extent has
privatization brought an end to government monopoly
of broadcasting media?
iv.
To what extent has
deregulation of broadcasting media in Nigeria increased
broadcast frequency and channels available to Nigerians?
v.
Has deregulation fulfilled
the objective of National Broadcasting Commission?
vi.
To what extent has
deregulation benefited radio listeners?
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
research as being narrowed down to Unique F.M, Ilesha since it is not only
difficult but also impossible to study the effect of privatization in all the
36 state of federation compare to the time available for this work and other
necessary materials. Therefore, the research shall focuses on Unique F.M,
Ilesha.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The work
is significance because it will benefit the general public to know he reason
and benefit of privatization of broadcasting media.
Government: It will also enable the government through NBC/BON and need to
sanitize and regulate multitude of broadcasting station.
Medial house: broadcast media will
see the need to repack their programme as they are competitions among broadcast
outfit for both audience and Adventism.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Time: there is a limited
time in carryout this work.
Material: A relevant material
on this work is relatively scarce as many previous researchers do not focus
much at tension on privatization of media.
Finance: at the time of
carrying out this research there was no enough money to explore internet and
travel as many as possible to the study area.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Impact: This means effect, role or functions of something on something on
somebody.
Privatization: Is the act of
allowing private investors into broadcasting industry to set up either radio or
television station.
Broadcast media: these are electronic media of communication to larger and wider
audience receiving the signal simultaneously.
NBC: National Broadcasting Commission
NBC: National Broadcasting Commission
