AN EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF TELEVISION MEDIA IN THE CULTURAL PROMOTION IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Human survival and civilization are fundamentally based on culture, and this reflects in its dynamic the entirety of people's responses to the difficulties of living in any environment.In the Nigerian society, cultures are very important and they are held in great reverence (Onabajo, 2019). Eugene(2020) posits that culture is all learned behaviour, which is acquired socially, that is, the material and non-material traits, which are passed on from one generation to another. In addition, culture is the totality of the way of life evolved by a people in their attempts to meet the challenges of living in their environment, which gives order and meaning to their social, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and modes of organization thus distinguishing them as a people from their neighbors (Harunah 2021). 

In other words, the customs, practices, languages, attitudes, and worldviews that distinguish social groupings based on nationality, ethnicity, area, or shared interests are referred to as culture. Though the society cannot function properly without the media, some of the contents that the media bring to the society’s gaze and attention are culturally disturbing and unfit. Of all the media of mass communication, television has evolved into a potent social force to be reckoned with in the transmission of socio-cultural values and norms in a civilized society (Ekeanyanwu and Usaini, 2017). Television portrays the realities of what is happening at the time and can be used to package culture due to its capacity to communicate and relay a story simultaneously through a blend of sound, sound effects, motion picture, color, music, animation, and sound effects (Ejem et al., 2016).

Television (TV) is a telecommunication system widely used for transmitting and receiving moving pictures that can be monochrome (black-and-white) or coloured, with or without accompanying sound over a distance. The term may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming, or television transmission. TV as a medium of communication has contributed to the overall development of Nigeria in several ways. Most developing country opts for television because of the  important role TV play in advancing the process of national development. Similarly, TV has and is still making a lot of impact on the economic, political, social, cultural and educational advancement of the nation. It is the most effective modern means of mass communication now available to mankind (Akpan, 2021).

Beyond that,  TV is essentially an audiovisual medium whose primary aim is to use the symbols it communicates to influence the task and behaviour of the people who receive such symbols. It plays the role of entertaining, educating, informing and impacting knowledge across the world(Mark, 2019). It can be used to mass-mobilize people and create awareness on topical issues of for commercial and non-commercial organizations.

Further more, in order to preserve, promote, and project Nigeria's rich cultural history, TV uses programs like dramas, films, documentaries, animated television commercials, and alternative indigenous educational technology resources as tools. According to Cowdell(2019), state that TV enhances cultural growth and this is through the process of acculturation. Also, TV provide information and entertainment and, at the same time, have persuasive powers that are capable of effecting radical changes (Francis, 2019). However,it is in view of this that we argue that TV can be used to revive, preserve and promote Nigeria’s dying cultural heritage. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to evaluate of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria.

 1.2 Statement of the Problem

In Nigeria, television media holds a prominent position in the media landscape, making it a potential vehicle for promoting and preserving the country's rich and diverse cultural heritage. However, various challenges and uncertainties surround the effectiveness of television in cultural promotion. These includes; erosion of traditional cultural values, cultural appropriation and misrepresentation among others. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to evaluate of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria. Specifically, the study will;

1.        Determine whether television media plays a significant role in promoting the cultural identity of Nigeria.

2.        Determine whether television media plays a significant role in the preservation of the Nigerian Culture.

3.        Determine whether television media plays a significant role in the disseminating Nigerian cultural values and morals.

4.        Determine the effectiveness of television media in promoting Nigerian indigenous culture.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1.        Does television media significantly contribute to the promotion of the cultural identity of Nigeria?

2.        Does television media significantly contribute to the preservation of Nigerian culture?

3.        Does television media significantly contribute to the dissemination of Nigerian cultural values and morals?

4.        How effective is television media in promoting Nigerian indigenous culture?

1.5  Significant of the Study

An evaluation of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria. will be revealed to the government at various levels, policymakers,investors,media houses and  residents in this study. It will additionally enlighten the resident on the television play in the promotion of cultural heritage. Also, the study promises to be of immense value not only to the government and its functionaries but also to the business men and investors who will be coming up with tapping abundant natural resources within the state.

Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to an evaluation of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on an evaluation of the role of television media in the cultural promotion in Nigeria.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to Ikorodu residents,Lagos state, Nigeria.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Culture: can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation.

 Role: This means the part or functions, somebody or something can play in the growth of something

 Television: a system for sending moving pictures and sound from one place to another. It is one of the most important and popular forms of communication

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