THE USE OF STATE BROADCAST MEDIA AS PROPAGANDA MACHINERY BY STATE GOVERNMENT. A RESEARCH PROJECT MATERIAL ON MASS COMMUNICATION
ABSTRACT
In several quarters, there have been allegation making round, that state governments use their state Broadcast media as propaganda machinery. The focus is to investigate such allegation using Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) radio/TV as a case study. The study was based on critical theory by staurt Hall. The theory views the means by which the “haves of society gain the willing support of the “have nots” to maintain the status quo. The study uses empirical method observing the five chapters structural arrangement, with each chapter assigned a specific role to play for the overall success of producing a reliable result. The researcher consulted relevant literature to raise secondary data while survey method was used to generate primary data for analysis. The data generated using questionnaire techniques were tested using chi-share goodness of fit test formular. Data were presented in tables and extensively discussed to enable the researcher draw his conclusion and make some recommendations. The researcher though did not find Enugu state government using it’s broadcast outfits as propaganda machinery, but strongly recommends that the management of the broadcast stations should overhaul it’s programmes in order to drop those perceived by the media audiences as sycophantic, wherein presenters use them to sing praises for the state government unnecessarily.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Broadcasting, according to Robert White (1999:485) was introduced as a form of military communication in the 1920’s, the apogee of nationalism and government propaganda. Dominick (1990:175) one of the striking facts about broadcasting is that it was invented by young people for example, Marconi who developed wireless transmitter was only twenty-three when he did that and Reginald Fessenden made his first radiophone broadcast when he was thirty-four. But, can the adult misuse or abuse broadcasting media because it was the brainchild of the young people? So it could be misused by the powers that be. Quoting Aiyetan (2002) Galadima (2003:260) “public office holders believe they can do anything and get away with it as long as they can control media, or get a good journalist to do the dirty job of lying with facts”.
Odumegwu Ojukwu, also observed thus:
When a public office holder does something outlandish,the media sing his praises instead of condemning him than concentrating on more important national or state issues. (cited by Gdadima, 2003: 261)
In a vehement support of Ojukwu’s Observation, Ternakur (2003:236) Citing Nwankwo (1987), describes the Nigerian mass media as “government said” media is not out of place. Government reflects the will and interests of the class that controls the existing mode of production, power bloc and political machinery in their media outfits.