ABSTRACT
The
research was geared towards examining the role of television in electoral
education in Nigeria with a particular focus on OSBC and NTA Osogbo and
electorates in the 2014 governorship election in Osun state. Without doubt
television plays a very prominent role in political and socio-economic
development of society. The power of television lies in its ability to transmit
in audiovisual signal. It is very rich in educating,
enlightening, mobilizing the electorates for political participation. Electorate
can easily understand any political information such as how to vote, how to
dress at the polling unit, how to using PVC readers among other things. Quantitative research design was used in which
cross-sectional survey method was adopted while the data collection instrument
was questionnaire. 150 copies of questionnaire were
printed and administered to the respondents in the areas. The data were
analyzed using table, frequency and percentage method. Findings of the study
have shown that the role of (TV) mass media in political activities
particularly in mobilizing and educating electorate cannot be over emphasized.
Mass media especially radio provides avenue for the illiterate citizen to get
information about political activities, it did educate and sensitize masses on
various activities such as registration, how to handle voter’s card, what to
wear during election, how to participate in political rally and campaign, to
the activities on election day, coverage of election result, coverage of post
election activities like violence and tribunal. In short it brings electoral
activities to the door step of the electorate. It was
recommended that there should be more television stations especially in
rural areas to serve different taste and language.
