THE CHALLENGES OF BROADCAST MEDIA IN THE ERA OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
ABSTRACT
Technologies have played a vital role in the broadcast media. In the light of this fact, the new communication technologies such as computer, internet, satellite, cables, electronic mail (e-mail) etc has helped in the day to day activities. This research used the survey research method to investigate the impact of the new communication technologies in broadcast media. Questionnaire was also constructed to get the response from both professionals and media audience. The findings in this study will be of good benefit to the society, organizations and agencies, because they will not only see the new communication technologies as a step in the right direction, but also give support, incentives and motivation towards the sustainability of this eventful idea of communication agenda. The Study recommends that houses should map out plan on the how to maintain these new communication technologies and enhance the broadcast industry in the era of new information and communication technologies in the world.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Without communication, human existence would have been meaningless. From the pre historic time till today, communication has been serving humanity. According to Ekweise and Okonkwor (2011) “at one time man depended on the tom – tom, the iron or wooden gong, the town crier and the runner or courier for exchange of vital news and information”. Today modern communication technologies have improved the way we disseminate information.
The new communication technologies have changed the way we do things. In the mass media particularly the electronic media, information technologies has ignited and provoked radical and drastic changes that has affected and revolutionalized the broadcast industry, most especially in immediacy and timelines of news (Adigwe, 2012).
As the society continued to grow, more and more horizons were explored of the opportunity to create something new, over the years the broadcast industry metamorphoses with the changing western technology. The world is fast becoming a global village and through the new communication technologies, culture has been introduced into a more meaningful practice capable of being held by our hands.
According to Uche (2009), “Broadcast media posses one of the world most exciting information dissemination system”, it is really the birth of information super – highways.
Information and communication technologies have made it possible for information to be disseminated to a wide range of audience thereby making the world a global village as prophesied by Marshal McLuhan. Baran (1999), observed that technologies not itself a medium but a social force bringing changes to the media world.
Importantly, technologies play a vital role in the broadcast media, in the light of these facts; the broadcast media employed the use of these new communication technologies which include: Computer, Internets, satellite/cable systems, electronic mail (E-mail) and fax system among others.
The computer among all other multi-media technologies played important role in educating the audience. According to Gibson (2014 :215), “New method of educating everyone to his highest ability will require increasing amount of time, data, money and skill. Only through computer assistance can many of these factors be developed to better levels of time”. The computer communications are both progressing towards a compatible and useful co-existence, perhaps that is why Okigbo (2009) called it “computer and communication”. The broadcast media can be a source of education or information or even to all those linked to the computer network, thereby employing traditional roles of impacting knowledge, informing and interactive mass medium is always available matter providing the station with opportunity of sharing information with the mass audience.
The scope of the computer as an educative medium has grown wider with the introduction of the internet. Then internet’s website is a form of learning which broadcasters cannot fail to capitalize on. The web is only one parts of the internet which contains global facilities to documents which are stored on computers connected to the internet. The web provides facilities to enable people learn shop, conduct research, listen to news or music and also participate in live events from their computer screen.
Another resource of the internet is the electronic mail (E-Mail). It is one of the most popular resources provided by the telecommunication equivalent of the postal services that deliver letter to home and office through the computer. E-mail is another technology that aid mass communication. It simply allows anyone with the type of terminal equipments used for on-line services to compose, edit, send, store, reply to, receive and file electronic message.
Another new communication technologies used by the broadcast media is the satellite. The satellite has brought to our homes, the world out there. The role of the satellite is never more evident as the audience sit in their houses viewing events even as they unfold live. Agba (2001:40), maintains that “for the time in history, people could see a war in progress, in real time direct from the theatre of operation and also from the city of Baghdad (Gulfwar). The 2002 African nation’s cup which the Nigerian audience were able to view and listen to in their home at the same time matches which took place shows the tremendous impact of the satellite. Also the recently concluded Olympic under 23 men football competition tagged “Rio-2017’’held in Brazil was also another powerful impacts of the satellite.
According to Akpan (2003:37) “The new communication technologies have vastly increased inter-cultural communication, for example people of different culture have more information about each other and are now more accessible than before. This has been made possible through such new technologies like the cable satellite system.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
Through the changing global information, culture has created an avenue for the improvement of technology, the question however is, can the broadcast media handle these technologies (internet, E-mail, fax system, satellite etc) in such a way as to bring all the required results?
The problem of this study stems from the above question. We have all these sophisticated technologies present in broadcast media, but there is a problem of inadequate skilled technical manpower that could handle, maintain and appreciate the unique qualities of these technologies of communication.
The problem is such that many broadcast station connects themselves to very expensive equipment, but after they have been purchased, very little interest or commitment is shown towards maintenance and procurement of spare parts. As a result, many valuable equipment is often lying because they cannot be repaired or maintained.
1.3 Objectives of The Study
The broad objective of this study is the challenges of broadcast media in the era of new information technologies (ICTs). The specific objectives are:
To determine the challenges faced by broadcast media in era of era of new information communication technologies.
To examine the extent of new technologies in improvement of creative skills of broadcast professionals.
To assess the extent of the usage of new communication technologies in educating and informing their audience by the broadcast media.
To examine how the audience perceive media message in the use of new communication technologies in transmitting programmes.
1.4 Significance Of The Study
The findings of this study will influence our media policy formulators, media owners and operators in the performance of their respective duties in the interest of national development and security.
The information obtained will be beneficial to the society, organizations and their agencies who will not only see the new communication technologies, but will also give supports, incentives and motivation towards the sustainability of these eventful ideas of communication agenda.
The findings will also help relevant statutory and regulatory bodies to ascertain the strength and weakness of our broadcast media in correlating and informing the people on the use of new technologies in performing their duties.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions will guide this study:
Do broadcast media have adequate technical manpower to operate the new communication technologies?
How has the new technologies improved the creative skills of broadcast professionals?
How far have the broadcast media gone in using the new communication technologies in educating and informing their audience?
How does their audience perceive these media message in the use of new communication technologies in transmitting programmes?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
H1: Broadcast media have adequate technical manpower to operate the new communication technologies.
H0: Broadcast media does not have adequate technical manpower to operate the new communication technologies.
H1: The new technologies have improved creative skills of professionals in the broadcast media.
H0: The new technologies have not improved creative skills of professionals in the broadcast media.
H1: The broadcast media have gone a long way in using the new communication technologies to educate and inform their audience.
H0: The broadcast media have not gone a long way in using the new communication technologies to educate and inform their audience.
H1: The audience has a positive perception of this media in the use of new communication technologies in transmitting programme.
H0: The audience has no positive perception of this media in the use of new communication technologies in transmitting programme.
1.7 Theoretical Framework
The theoretical frame work that best explain the impacts of new technologies of communication in broadcast media is the “globalization theory’’. This theory sees the world as a small village where information can travel from one place to another within seconds through the broadcast media. Events that unfold elsewhere can be viewed or listened to instantaneously; message can be passed from one place to another in a matter of seconds.
The proponent of this theory, McLuhan (1985: 293), posits that “the electronic media are shrinking the world back to tribal size. When we are becoming once again a village, but this time a global village.
1.8 Scope of The Study
It will be impossible to focus on all the broadcast media stations in the country. Therefore, the scope of this study will be focused on The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Enugu. This station is chosen because it has other stations in various states in Nigeria and in DSTV, and Startimes network, which means it can show in other countries.
1.9 Limitations of The Study
Some factors posed a problem for the researcher in the course of this research. One of such limitations is insufficient relevant material and literature that can provide adequate information. Other limitations include; insincerity on the part of the respondents, lack of finance and limited time.
1.10 Definition of Terms
Conceptual Definition
Technology: Technology is the scientific knowledge used in practical ways in the industry.
Broadcast: Broadcast means to send out programmes on television or radio.
Satellite: Satellite is an electronic device that is used for communication by ratio, television etc. and for providing information.
Global village: Global village is the world worked at as a single community that is connected by electronic communication system.
Internet: Internet is an international computer network connecting other networks and computers from companies, universities among others. It is an information super highway.
Electronic Mail: E- mail, facsimile (Fax) system. Fax system is an exact copy of smoothing a faxsimile machine.
Web system: Web system of a company is where a company has information about their operation on the web.
Operational Definitions
The combination of technology and communication in this study made it imperative that concepts and terms be defined for easy understanding on the part of the audience of the study.
Technology according to Hornsby (2006 :996), “is the systematic application of knowledge to practical task in industry”.
Electronic/Broadcast media: This is a broadcast media which uses electromagnetic radiation to send signals to receiving audience at different places. Examples are radio and television etc.
Global village: This means bringing the entire world to our door step through digital and other electronic hypersensitive means.
Internet: According to Agba (2001:55), “quoting the oxford science dictionary, he said that the internet is the global network that links most of the world computer network. It offers services to users, but serves primarily to interconnect other network on which services are located.
Electronic mail (E-mail): This is the electronic letter postage that is composed on a computer and sends through an address (E-mail address) to other computer where the receiver can set them.
Web System: This is a place in the computer where the whole activities of man are connected.
Fax system: This is a machine, which operates by using numbers just like the fax machine which sends information and such information is sent immediately to thousands of people as the case may be.
Satellite system: The satellite is a communication technology that operates by receiving electronic messages from ground “up links” one earth station, and transmits them through “down links” to other earth station.
THE CHALLENGES OF BROADCAST MEDIA IN THE ERA OF NEW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)