Chapter one
1.1 Introduction
In
the media today, a number of issues have emerged as critical outside the
journalists’ or journalistic work. A key focus is on issues surrounding
ownership. Globally, there seems to be a connection between ownership and the
editorial stance of both state run and privately owned media. The critical
tradition of mass communication scholarship argues that the mass media are
excessively concentrated and their contents are skewed to reflect the interests
of the oligopolies who own them (Herman and McChesney, 1997). A common method
for assessing media bias, in both popular and academic literature, consists of
comparing observed media content to the researcher’s conception of unbiased
content (e.g., Lichter et al., 1994; Parenti, 1986). The media play powerful
roles as intermediaries between political leaders and the public (Graber, 1989;
Davis, 1992).
Critical
political economy of the media has demonstrated that factors like ownership and
advertising are important in influencing media messages. Media on their part
shape public opinion and the political direction by holding politicians
accountable. This is however not the case the world over, with emerging
evidence in studies of the British press that media sometimes can lean to a
particular direction with the aim of furthering their expansionist economic
interests. In other words, the market can give rise not to independent watchdogs
serving the public interest but to corporate mercenaries that adjust their
critical scrutiny to suit their private purpose. (Curran, 2000:124).
According
to Ahmed (2008) ownership of the mass media namely; electronic, print and the
new media in Nigeria has different historical origins. Presently however, the
electronic and print media in Nigeria appear to have arrived at a similar
pattern of ownership. A look at their existing ownership pattern will reveal
that there is dual ownership i.e. public ownership or government ownership, as
well as private ownership of both the print and electronic media. This
ownership pattern therefore involves the ownership of the print and electronic
media by private individuals and/or private institutions. There is also the
emerging ownership of the electronic media by institutions known as community
broadcasting. What is interesting however for some inexplicable reasons is that
in some instances the ownership of some media outfits in Nigeria is shrouded in
secrecy. Frankly speaking, media ownership in Nigeria is not diaphanous in most
cases this is because most precise owners of some media organizations are not
always known to the public and, in many cases, the professional journalists
serving as directors of such media companies are seen as fronts for unknown
investors. Foreign ownership of broadcast media is also restricted, resulting
in very little foreign investment in the Nigerian media.
1.2 Background
of case study
1.2.1 Splash FM
Splash
105.5 FM Ibadan is a Nigerian radio
station, based in Ibadan , Oyo State. The station offers regular updates on
international news, local news, music , interviews , business news, sport , and
events.The station was founded by Chief Adebayo Muritala Akande the "Agbaakin Olubadan of Ibadan
Land" and was officially commissioned on 22 March 2007, by the then
executive Governor of Oyo State Alhaji Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja . The station is
also the first independent radio station in the city of Ibadan. The station's
main objective is to bridge the missing link between the existing station and
the populace in Ibadan by fulfilling the major responsibilities of
broadcasting, entertainment and public enlightenment. In view of this, Splash
105.5 FM Ibadan was rebranded the "Integrity Station" or "Radio
Omoluabi" in Yoruba on 25 August 2008 by the Independent Corrupt Practices
and Other Related Offences Commission . Splash 105.5 FM Ibadan is a division of
West Midlands Communications Limited which was incorporated in 1990.
Radio
programs includes- Aroba ,Around the globe ,Bebe Extra ,Bosenlo ,Bulls Eye
,Business News ,DJ in the mix ,Eagles Eye Ebamiyo ,Economic Search Light
,English News ,Entertainment Splash ,Gbanko gbi ,Agbaletu ,Hood ,Gele Odun,
Strictly Comedy, Gospel Music, Just Football, Leading Women, Learning by Ear,
Lunch Break, Morning Splash, News at Dawn, Old Skool Mix, Orosunukun, Religious
Belt, Request Show, Singles Affairs, Smooth Home drive, Sports Bang, Talking
Points, Tifun Tedo, Top Stories, Turn it up, Village Square, Voices, We dey
kampe, Window Shop, World Sports, Yoruba News, Yoruba Sports, You & The
Police.
Premier FM 93.5 Ibadan
Premier
FM 93.5 Ibadan was established about fourteen years ago and located in Dugbe,
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The station is the prime radio station of Radio
Nigeria Ibadan Zonal Station, in south-west Nigeria.The station primarily
transmits in English language and few programmes are in Yoruba. Premier FM
broadcasts to an audience of over 5 million people within Ibadan and
neighbouring towns. Premier FM 93.5 is located in Broadcasting House, Oba
Adebimpe Road, Dugbe, Ibadan, Nigeria. Company is working in Communications,
Broadcasting business activities. Premier FM (93.5) Ibadan is a Nigerian media
service center for news, sport and music broadcast. The broadcast popular
programs like,Nje E Ti Gbo(Nigerian Newspapers review in Yoruba language),O
Ngbo'na Feli-Feli(An interesting news package in Yoruba language).Premier FM
News at 11am(Local and international news in 15 minutes.) among others.
1.3 Statement
of the problem
Media ownership has remained an intriguing
factor in understanding the news production process. Various studies have
proven that ownership influence do affect how journalists cover stories. The
said influence takes various forms including direct censorship and coercion of
editorial staff. This study critically examines how media ownership patterns,
shape news content in the Nigerian media.
1.4 Research
question
1. What type of ownership are present in the
Nigerian radio broadcast industry today?
2.
Does ownership influences the news patterns in Nigeria broadcast industry?
3. To what extent does ownership affect news
patterns in radio broadcast?
1.5
Purpose/objective of the study
1.
To find out the types of ownership present in Nigeria broadcast industry.
2.
To determine if ownership influences news pattern in radio broadcast.
3. To examine the extent of influence posed by
ownership of radio stations.
1.6
Statement of hypothesis
Hypothesis
may be defined as declaration state of a relationship between two variable used
for better understanding of the problem of study. The researcher proposes the
following hypothesis
H0:
Ownership does not have influence on news pattern of premier FM (93.5) and Splash
105.5 FM.
H1:
Ownership does have influence on news pattern of premier FM (93.5) and Splash
105.5 FM
1.7
Significant of the study
This
thesis work will would help us to understand how ownership of media houses and
especially radio broadcast stations influences the content pattern of their
news programs. Also regulatory bodies can uses information and finding of this
work to establish, modify laws that govern the industry and lastly other
researchers can review finding of this research work for further similar
research.
1.8
Scope/limitation of the study
This
research work involve studying the effect of ownership influence on news pattern of premier FM and Splash FM as a case
study. This study will use content analysis to determine if ownership
influences news patterns. This project is limited by design, also by time and
finance. It also depends on data provided by the sources to arrive at a
conclusion.
1.9 Definition of terms
a. Mass
media: This is any means of
communication, as television, radio, or newspaper that reach very large number
of people.
b. Broadcasting:
This is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via
electronic mass communication medium with the use of electromagnetic spectrum.
c. Information: This is knowledge or fact learned ,especially
about a subject or event
d. Print
media: This refers to paper publication circulated in form of physical editions
of books, magazine, journals and newsletters.
e. Radio:
This is a device that uses the technology of radio waves to carry information,
such as sound, by systematically modulating some properties of electromagnetic
waves transmitted through space such as their amplitude.
f. FM
radio: This is the technology of broadcasting radio waves with the use of
frequency modulation.
g. Ownership:
A state of having complete legal control of the status of a broadcast station.
h.
Democracy: Apolitical state of a nation which is being
ruled by the people, either directly or by elected representatives.
i.
Propaganda: A concerted sets of messages
broadcasted which is aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large
number of people.
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