The Influence of Western Programmes on Dstv Television on Behavioural Values of Youths
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The main objective of the study is to determine the influence of western programmes on DSTV television on behavioural values of youths. Specifically, the it aim:
- Determine the influence of western programmes on DSTV television on the food habits of Nigerian youths
- To examine how western programmes on DSTV television influence the mode of dressing of Nigerian youths
- To examine ways in which western television programs shaped the sexual orientation of Nigerian youths
- To examine how western television programs impacted on the behaviours of Nigerian youths
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Youths and Television
The combination of pictures and sounds that go along with television no doubt make it appealing to the audience. However the extent that this can drive the viewer is what may not be easily ascertainable but may require long and consistent studying.
Schramm (n.d), in Adagun (2013), identified two main classes of reasons why youths watch television. First is escapism, the common reason. Schramm and his colleagues described this as “the passive pleasure of being entertained, living a fantasy, taking part vicariously in thrill play, identifying with exciting and attractive people, getting away from real-life problems, and escaping real-life boredom”. The second, but usually passive reason for watching television is the information component that is, the desire to know and understand the world they live in. To further explain this, it is suggested that “the girls say they learn something about how to wear their hair, how to walk and speak how to choose garments for a tall or a short or a plump girl, by observing the wellgroomed creatures on TV. Boys on the other hand will also learn “manners and customs and how young men dress”.
Lodziak (1986) also suggests that of the time spent on television viewing, approximately 70% of it goes to entertainment programmes, a little over 20% to informational programmes, and about 5% goes to cultural programmes. This is probably because of the constant need to be free and escape from boredom.
Interestingly, studies have revealed that the amount of hours spent viewing television in America has reduced since the 1990s following the various options at the disposal of the youths. According to Brown and Marin (2009), the number of hours spent watching television has decreased among teens since the early 1990s. For example, among eighth grade students, the percentage who watched four or more hours of television on the average weekday declined from 36 percent to 29 percent between 1991 and 2006. During that same period, the percentage watching an hour or less per weekday increased from 20 percent to 29 percent. This may not be unconnected with other forms of media usage that became open for the youths in America, like home and school computer access, internet access, cell phone access.
Beyond escaping from boredom, Nigerian youths today spend a huge amount of time on television viewing which obviously impacts on their behavior and disposition towards life. They may not particularly be able to use so much off other forms of media even though they may be available due to the cost attached to cell phone and internet usage for example.
Behavioural Effect of Television
Researchers have proposed three major mechanisms for the behavioural effects of television and according to Moeller (1996); they include imitation, arousal, and dis-inhibition.
Imitation
Imitation, or learning through observation, is a mechanism that was proposed by Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. According to this theory, behaviour performed on television is being observed and imitated by the viewers. The 1986 version of the social Learning theory describes imitation as being mediated by a variety of cognitive and motivational processes that determine whether or not modelled behaviour will be actually performed by the observer.
Imitation therefore is dependent on some factors such as whether or not the observer is attending to the model, how well the observer can remember and execute the modelled behaviour, and the incentives and rewards associated with carrying out the modelled behaviour. (Moeller, 1996) 2.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
In this chapter, we would describe how the study was carried out.
Research design
This study employed the descriptive survey design in order to gain insight into the thought process of these university students on the issue of television viewing and its influence on them. It also availed the researchers to probe into the world of the respondents and access their views about western programmes on television.
Sources of Data
The data for this study were generated from two main sources; Primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources include questionnaire, interviews and observation. The secondary sources include journals, bulletins, textbooks and the internet.
Population of the study
A study population is a group of elements or individuals as the case may be, who share similar characteristics. These similar features can include location, gender, age, sex or specific interest. The emphasis on study population is that it constitute of individuals or elements that are homogeneous in description (Prince Udoyen: 2019). In this study the study population constitute of 700 students.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSIS
Data Presentation and Analysis
Research Question 1:
To what extent has western television programs influenced the food habits of Nigerian youths?
Results in table 1 revealed that respondents agreed to the researcher’s claim, that the portrayal of thinness as beauty in western entertainment television programmes makes viewers dissatisfied with their body shape as represented by 170 (60.7%) responses of the sum total of 80 (28.6 %) and 90 (32.1%). 10 (3.6%) are undecided, while 100 (35.7%), [the sum total of 56 (20.1%) and 44(15.7%)] respondents disagree.
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusion
This study has revealed that youths devote their time to watching Western entertainment television programmes because it suits their needs and interests but especially because they might not be able to do beyond what they know. It is the duty of the society especially parents to assist in guiding the youths in their youthful moments regarding what they watch so as to guide their decision making. Baya and Mberias (20014) submits that, parents may be able to reduce the effects of sexual content by watching TV with their teenage children and discussing their own beliefs about sexual issues. There is need for the education of students, parents, media organisations, government and the entire society on the negative effects TV has on adolescents sexual behaviour. This awareness will help in understanding of the problems as it affects the adolescents. Oyero and Oyesomi (2014) corroborates this position in their submission, while citing Abelard’s (1999) statement that – “We live in an era where both parents are often working and children have more unsupervised time. It is essential that you make time for children and regularly inform yourself of their day to day experiences, including while they are at school if they attend school”(para4).
When young minds watch television always unguided, they are being exposed to various programme content that influences their mode of dressing, food habits and sexual orientation amongst others. Nigerian (Youths) showed that western entertainment television programmes makes them more fashion conscious, tend towards sexual behaviours (such as engaging in pre-marital sex, rules for dating), and manifest aggressive behaviours, imitation of foreign accent and public display of affection amongst others.
Therefore, youths pay attention to programme content that satisfies their needs and suits their interest, retain largely what they have seen, reproduce or imitate what they see and finally, are motivated to continue the imitated actions or adopted behaviours, affirming that there is a relationship between the content viewed on television and the gradual spreading of a new culture of living and acting that has not just emerged but has fast gotten entrenched among Nigerian youths.
Recommendations
From this study, it was observed that Western entertainment television programmes largely influenced the mode of dressing, food habits and sexual orientation of Nigerian youths. The following recommendations are hereby put forward:
- That television operators and producers need to revamp the culture of creative and original programming on Nigerian television stations as it is obvious if the programmes are interesting, youths will watch and ultimately learn from them.
- Programme producers of entertainment television stations should also reduce the emphasis placed on body shape because young girls especially tend to absorb what they learn on television since they could be very sensitive when it comes to their body shape.
- Youths in their bid to imitate the western style of dressing as portrayed in their television programmes should not do so to the detriment of the African/Nigerian styles of dressing. This recommendation is based on the findings that 58.7 % of the youths accept that American’s styles of dressing is very impressive and it makes them to be more fashionable.(table 2)
- Parents have a huge role to play at least by making efforts to regulate or balance the amount of foreign content their children are exposed to since the national Broadcasting Commission (NBC) cannot regulate who hooks up to digital satellite television. This might help reduce the huge amount of content encouraging unnecessary sexual orientations. Parents here can help bring a reduction in the amount of sexual content in entertainment programmes their wards consume especially on cable televisions, by having family programme viewing time, since it is obvious youths prefer foreign programming to local.
- Nigerian producers and parents, should be mindful of what they expose youths to on television since they are likely to imitate or play out those contents in real life like mode of dressing, food habits, sexual orientation alone and even risky behaviours such as violence.
REFERENCES
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- Articles NG, (2014). The impact of western television programmes on the cultural values of Nigerian Youths. Retrieved from http://articlesng.com/impact-western-televisionprogrammes-cultural-values-nigerianyouths/ Date Accessed: August 20, 2014
- Baran, S. J (2006). Introduction to mass communication: Media culture and literacy. Sixth E.d New York: McGraw – Hill International Edition
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