Influence Of AKBC Radio News Commentaries On Students Listenership

Project and Seminar Material for Accountancy / Accounting

Abstract

Radio plays a very significant role in the society and that cannot be overlooked. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of AKBC radio news commentaries on students’ listenership. Survey research method was used through questionnaires to find the listening habit and attitude students have towards radio. Students of University of Uyowere the sample size for this research work; a total number of 400 copies of questionnaire distributed to the students. From this research work, it was discovered that students have an easy access to radio in the campus, but they face difficulty while listening to radio on campus. The commentaries pattern adopted by radio stations influence students attitude to listenership.

Table Of Content

Preliminary Page(s)

Title Page
Declaration
Approval
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of Content
Table Of Content

Chapter One

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background To The Study
1.2 Statement Of The Problem
1.3 Research Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Research Hypothesis
1.6 Significance Of The Study

Chapter Two

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 History Of Radio Development
2.2 History Of Broadcast Commentary In Nigeria
2.3 Overview Of News Commentary
2.4 Strengths And Weaknesses Of Radio
2.5 Radio Listenership
2.6 Advantages Of Listening
2.7 Attitude To Radio Listenership
2.8 Theoretical Framework
2.8.1 Uses and Gratification theory
2.8.2 Individual differences theory

Chapter Three

3.0 Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population Of The Study
3.3 Sample And Sampling Techniques
3.4 Instrument For Data Collection
3.5 Data Analysis Techniques

Chapter Four

4.0 Results And Discussion

4.1 Results

Chapter Five

5.0 Conclusion And Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendation
References
Appendix

Chapter One

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background To The Study

Radio is an essential mass medium that virtually every member of the society benefits from. Kuewumi (2009) asserts that Radio has radicalized the face of human communication and ultimately become a fixed point in the daily lives of humans whereby people are informed, taught, nurtured and reformed by way of relaxation, re invigoration and resuscitation. This he argued, makes radio as a medium of mass communication being constantly sought after by its ardent listeners. Radio is the wireless transmission of signals through free space by electromagnetic radiation of a frequency significantly below that of visible light, in the radio frequency range, from about 30 kHz to 300GHz.(http://www.historyofradiowiki. org)

Egbuchulam (2002) defined radio as: a mobilizer and a formidable factor in the new world order in economy, technology and politics. Radio is best described as the cheapest, safest and the most effective medium of communication available to man.

According to Onabajo (1999), in the developing world as in Asia and Africa, radio is cheap; it does not cost much compared to television which is expensive. It is also portable i.e. it can be easily transported from one place to another. It is credible as it transmits messages that its listeners hold important. Radio can also present news as it happens, brings the voices of news makers and artists into the homes of listeners. It also provides dramatic shows and other entertainment, which listeners can visualize even in the absence of visuals. For that reason, radio enjoys the advantage of simultaneity. It requires little effort of its consumers to comprehend its message. It is a good companion that entertains and informs its listeners.

Kuewumi (2009:148) has this to say about radio: “imagine a world without radio; it will be like a garden without flowers and trees. Radio daily feeds us with information, teaches us and calms our nerves. If radio is well understood and its potentials realized, hardly will there be any one that will live without a radio. Many anxious moments will be healed.”

Radio is a vehicle for projecting personality through which it attracts and holds an audience. It is an efficient instrument for getting a message to a large number of people at the same time, because it transcends the boundary of space and time, and also leaps across illiteracy barriers (Onabajo, 1999).

Egbuchulam (2002) asserts that radio has been a major communication tool for improving the quality of people’s lives, bringing to their doorstep news, entertainment and education through its programmes. Despite the world wide enchantment with the internet and web-based learning, radio still retains the advantage of being able to serve dispersed, isolated, and disadvantaged communities aspiring to overcome the barriers of illiteracy and physical distance in many countries.

Listeners use and relate to radio in very different ways compared to other media. Listeners use radio for various reasons one of which is for emotional support, to keep their spirits up through programmes, and the result will determine to a large extent the attitude listeners would have to programmes. People listen to radio to be informed, entertained, educated, follow their favourite football team, and follow fashion trends or popular music, among others.

According to Oliveira, Portela, & Santos (2012), it is assumed that listeners make their own interpretations of a radio programme – if the presentation includes something they can relate to, something familiar. The encounter between the radio programme and the listener is regarded as a meaning making process within a cultural context. This meaning making process is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the radio programme topic, design and the socio-cultural variations in experiences, knowledge and cultural dispositions.

“The figures of those who listen to radio continue to increase thus indicating an increasing affinity for the free and participatory opportunities offered by radio stations” (Bamgboye, 2013). Radio plays an integral role in providing its listener with news, music and other programmes, while also acting as a voice that represents them as well as the society at large.

It is therefore no argument that radio serves as a means of communication. In the aspect of information, radio provides information in terms of news that is, the day-to-day information within and outside the country. Radio also encourages its listener to know more about entertainment, education, and politics; they can also participate through phone-in programmes, talk shows and motivational programmes. Radio generally helps to broaden the knowledge intellectually and morally.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Deregulation of the broadcasting industry in 1992 led to increase in the number of commercial radio stations in Nigeria; this in turn posed a big challenge to radio proprietors, producers and directors to have a well packaged content that will gratify Nigerians, with about 70% of the total population of Nigeria as youths (Ismaila, 2013). The significance of radio in informing, educating, and entertaining students in the educational institution is not in doubt, and it is one way by which they keep in touch with the contemporary world.

It can be assumed that before the advent of radio, information on what is happening outside the school premises especially in the educational and social world was (would be) difficult to discern by students. Even after the advent of radio and going a step further to establish campus radio stations, there is still doubt as to how many students are aware of what is happening beyond the walls of their school premises, and in the global world.

As students, especially of higher institutions, it is imperative that they keep abreast of goings-on around them, in the country and the world at large. This study therefore seeks to examine the radio listening habits of university students and their attitude towards programmes as a result of the news commentaries.

1.3 Research Objectives

The main aim of this study is to assess the influence of AKBC radio news commentaries on students’ listenership. The specific objectives are outlined below;

To identify the extent to which radio is accessible to students of University of Uyo?
To identify the environmental factors that affect students’ radio listenership?
To ascertain the satisfaction that University of Uyo students derive from listening to radio commentaries?
To determine the influence of demography (gender/discipline) on University of Uyo students’ radio listenership?
To ascertain the attitude of University of Uyo students to radio commentaries on AKBC?

1.4 Research Questions

To what extent is radio accessible to students of University of Uyo?
What are the environmental factors that affect students’ radio listenership?
What is the satisfaction that University of Uyo students derive from listening to radio commentaries?
What is the influence of demography (gender/discipline) on University of Uyo students’ radio listenership?
What is the attitude of University of Uyo students to radio commentaries on AKBC?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following hypotheses was formulated to be tested at .05 level of significance

HO: There is no significant influence of AKBC radio news commentaries on student listenership in University of Uyo
HA: There is a significant influence of AKBC radio news commentaries on student listenership in University of Uyo

1.6 Significance Of The Study

The foregoing objectives apart the present study must be seen to be significant or relevant to mass communication at least on two grounds. First, it focuses on Nigeria media consumer on news-commentaries which is a medium essentially designed for news broadcast and its obligatory effort interpreting news to its listeners through commentaries.

The second point of relevance of this study is its typology. Being an audience research this study seeks to emphasize that communication without feedback is incomplete. We might wrapup this relevance of feedback in the words of Qualland Brown “In any communication system feedback from receivers to a communicator is a necessary ingredient from maximum efficiency. This is the only true indicator of the effectiveness to reach the people and it provides the only safe basis for alteration of any format”.

Chapter Five

5.0 Conclusion And Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion

In conclusion, it is no doubt that radio plays a very significant role in the lives of young people, as it informs, educates and entertains its audience, and information derived from radio is used for decision making, logical argument, and more. Therefore, radio broadcasters are regarded as credible sources of knowledge dispensers and should endeavor to always give information based on facts, so that their audience would not be misled. Also, radio stations should continue to perform the functions of the media, which is to inform, educate, entertain, among others, because respondents have agreed that radio plays a significant role in their lives.

5.2 Recommendation

This study has established the fact that the radio listening habit of University of Uyo students is positive, and they have adequate access to radio within the environment. It was also discovered that University of Uyo students have a positive attitude towards radio commentaries.

The researchers recommend that the management of radio stations should improve on their programming style; because University of Uyostudents’ response have shown that programming influences their attitude towards radio station. If radio stations are able to do this, it will further increase the positive attitude towards radio programmes.
More programmes that can meet up with the expectations of students should be introduced, and on this note the researchers further recommend that the administration of University of Uyo should consider establishing a campus radio station for its students, so that the students can have a closer feel of radio, and those who do not yet have the culture of listening to radio will be encouraged to do so.

On a final note, the study recommends that the signal quality and coverage of radio stations should be re-visited by the (NBC) FRCN, because from the analysis of this research, it is clear that most University of Uyo students face difficulty when listening to radio on campus.