CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
- Background to the Study
The mass media are very important tool of communication through which information is disseminated to the further ends of the world. Furthermore, they enable us to interact with each other by helping us toovercome the barrier of time and space (Nancy ,2004).the media performs both primary and secondary functions for the society, firstly they persuade us mostly through advertisement as we can see in newspapers, magazines,television,radio and the internet. Secondly, the mass media keeps us well informed to the happenings around us and of the world which will otherwise remain unknown to so many people. In addition, the media entertains us, the radio and television broadcast provides us with awide range of programs which entertains and educates.
The media system that exists in a society is directly related to the political system prevalent in that society. The political system determines the exact relationship between the media and the government (Nancy, 2004). The political system in a place also determines to what extent or capacity the media will operate. If for example, the political system of as place or a country is authoritative(military rule) there will be no free flow of information as the media will be acting in fear and favor of the government and will cover the information that their government wants and the people will be informed about and so, the people of that country will continue to live in ignorance of the activitiesof their government (Nancy, 2004). Since Nigeria is a democratic society, I, as the researcher will be researching on the role of the media in a democratic society.