Abstract
...
1.1 Background of the study
Technological advancement in communication technologies has continued to eulogize
television as a powerful medium of mass communication. Interestingly, television
programme span around the circuits of human endeavour including politics, culture and
education.
Udeajah (2004, p.7) affirm this when he notes that:
We all know in truth broadcasting has become an indispensable form
for the practice of politics and governance in all modern nation states.
The reasons are quite simple. No other medium can deliver as large
and instantaneous an audience to the politicians or government as
broadcasting can. It is also the belief all over the world that
broadcasting is an eminently persuasive medium; omnipresent in
people?s homes, working places even in transit. It is akin to a second
skin through which most people stay in touch with their immediate
environment and the world at large.
It is therefore in recognition of this that the federal government in 1992 deregulates
the broadcasting industry. What hitherto was the exclusive of the government become open
for all Nigerians; this marked a turning point in the history of television broadcasting in
Nigeria.
The first television station in Nigeria was (WNTV) in 1959, this was followed by the
Eastern Nigerian Broadcasting Service in 1960 and the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern
Nigeria (BCNN) and then to the era of deregulation.
2
Supposedly, private television stations emerged. They includes: African Independent
Television (AIT), MINAJSystem Station Obosi, Silver bird Communications, Unity TV
Communication, Chrone TV Choffaan Communication etc.
Commending the federal government DecreeN0. 38 of 1992 on the deregulation
broadcasting sector, Okenwa (2000, p.53) stated thus:
The year 1992 marked a critical turning point in the development of
the broadcast media Nigeria. It came with policies that were to
revolutionalize the media industry through allowing private
participation in ownership of the electronic media.
The deregulation of broadcasting in Nigeria widened the scope of programming,
performance scheduling as well as scope of competition in the sector. Both old and new
television stations began to compete with each other so as to remain in the business and make
profit.
Duru and Okafor (2003, p.136) supported this statement thus:
The advertiser perceives the broadcast deregulation, because the
resultant effects of their advert messages in audience are encouraging.
Similarly, research shows that privatization has resulted in more job,
mobility, creativity challenge and healthy competition, which make for
the exploitation of hidden creative talents.
Indeed, private participation in the ownership and operation of television stations
increased qualitative competition. This has resulted in the packaging of quality programmes
for audience viewership. Such competition has arguably spurred government television
stations out of their seeming compliancy. They have now risen up to the occasion in order to
sustain themselves in businesses in line with the capitalist orientation of our economy.
It is surprising therefore that station like Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS).
Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) and Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State
3
(BCA) have continued to package local and foreign programmes for the viewership of the
target audience.
Interestingly too, most of these foreign television programmes are specifically
packaged and transmitted for the viewership of Nigerian students. This implies that there is
something about education which such foreign television programmes intend to impact on the
psyche of the Nigerian student, it is assumed there must be a corollary between such foreign
programmes and the social behaviours of the students.
These foreign films are specifically aired to impact some measures of social tenets on the
behaviours of the students. They are not transmitted for the purpose of transmission but to
influence the social behaviour of these students. The problem therefore, is whether students
actually expose themselves to the viewership of such programmes and if they do, is the
exposure minimal or maximal and to what extent such foreign television programs impact on
their social behaviours.
4
1.2 Statement of the problem
There is no doubt that foreign film such as „?Second Chance?? has offered a lot of
meaning and purpose to the social lives of Nigerian students. Some students see them as a
way to shake up and release tensions. Some others value their entertainment functions and
some see them as away to keep in touch with the so called latest fashion trend.
Whichever way the youths perceive foreign films is an indication of their bias against local
movies. Such bias is an indication of their disorientation to cultural orientation and values. It
is generally assumed in many quarters that there are gross violations of moral issues in most
of these foreign films.
The question this research seeks to answer therefore is: what is the influence of „? Second
Chance?? a popularly broadcast foreign film on the social behaviour of the undergraduate
students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka.
1.3 Research objectives
The study had the following objectives:
1. To find out if the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka are aware of the
foreign film „?Second Chance??.
2. To find out how often the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka watch
“Second Chance”.
3. To find out at which extent the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka prefer
watching Second Chance to local films.
4. To find out the reasons they watch Second Chance.
5. To determine if the film has any influence on their social lives.
5
1.4 Research questions
This research effort will centre on the following research question.
1. Are the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka aware of the foreign film „?
Second Chance???
2. How often do the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka watch “Second
Chance”?
3. To what extent do the students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka prefer watching
“Second Chance” to local films?
4. What are the reasons why UNIZIK students watch Second Chance?
5. Does Second Chance film have any influence on the social lives of Nnamdi Azikiwe
student?
1.5 Scope of the study
This study is delimited to regular students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. The
researcher shall however study subset of student?s population. Hence, final year students of
English and Literature department, faculty of Art and final year students of Mass
Communication department and Sociology department, faculty of Social Sciences and final
year students of Educational Psychology and Educational Foundation, faculty of Education,
would be studied for the purpose of this study.
The researcher?s choice of the above departments derives from the relationship
between television foreign programmes contents and their courses. They are therefore in a
better position to provide relevant/correct answers to the questions raised in the
questionnaire.
6
The researcher would therefore study SECOND CHANCE foreign television programme
transmitted every Monday and Friday by 10:pm by ABSTV. On the selected students from
these departments for the purpose of the study.
1.6 Significance of the study
This is significance in the following ways:
1. It would help ABSTV Awka in particular and other television stations in general to
note if Nnamdi Azikiwe University students are aware of the film“Second Chance”.
2. It will enable such TV station to note how often Nnamdi Azikiwe University students
Awka watch “Second Chance”.
3. It will enable such TV station to check if UNIZIK students prefer “Second Chance to
local films.
4. It will help the TV station to find out the reason UNIZIK student watch Second
Chance.
5. It will help to determine if the film has any influence on their lives.
1.7 Limitation of study
The study of Second Chance TV foreign programme could limit the generalizability of
this work. Moreover, the researcher experienced initial apathy on the part of the students. It
however took consistent persuasion by the researcher to gain the respondents interest and
participation as evidence in the high return rate of distributed questionnaire.
7
1.8 Assumptions
During the course of this study, the following assumptions will be made:
1. My respondents are undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University. Awka.
2. My respondents have access to “Second Chance”; Foreign TV programme.
3. There has been an increasing influence of second chance on the social behaviour of
these students.
1.9 Operational definition of terms
1. Influence: The effect of programme content on the audience.
2. Programme: The arrangement and packaging of message content to an identified
mass audience group. Or list of programme which a particular broadcast station
(ABSTV) offers daily.
3. Television: This is an electronic medium through which pictorial message are passed
or transmitted to the audience.
4. Second Chance: A foreign TV programme aired on ABSTV every Monday and
Friday at 10: pm.
5. Social Behaviour: Connected with activities in which people meet eaqch other for
pleasure