An Assessment of Readers Perception of the Importance and Role of Cartoons in Nigeria Newspaper
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the Study
- To find out whether newspaper cartoons are read, by lecturers and students of Caritas University.
- To find out what other value outside humour that newspaper cartoons provide.
- To assess how demographic factors affect cartoon readership.
- To find out whether cartoon messages are understood.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This study attempts to analyze the readership of newspaper cartoons in Caritas University by lecturers and students. Therefore, the review will take a critical look at previous studies, write-ups and relevant topics and concepts pertinent to this study, as well as the theoretical framework on which this work is premised.
Sources of Literature
The data used in this study are sourced from primary and secondary data. The secondary data are already prepared research work of scholars on related topics from relevant books, journals, magazines, newspapers, published and unpublished materials.
Review of Relevant Literature Conceptual Review
The following concepts will be reviewed
Cartoons (definition, origin and development, types and significance) Caricature
Comic Strips Illustration Cartoon Types
Cartooning in Nigeria
Roles cartoons play in a democratic society Significance of the press
The watchdog press
Newspapers and the reading public
CARTOONS
The word ―cartoon‖ according to blogs as searched from the internet via (http//www.answers.com/topic/thehistoryofthecartoon), is often used as an umbrella term for a number of art forms consisting of drawings with or without words. Coming under this broad generalization are caricatures, cartoons, comic strips and animations. While the first three come under the print media, the last refers to drawing made lively through electronic process and, hence, possibly only in the television and film media Before the introduction of the term ―cartoon‖ in its modern sense in the 19th century, satirical and humorous drawings of all kinds were referred to as caricatures. Today ―caricature‖ is used mostly to refer to distorted portraiture that emphasizes the characteristic traits of an individual; it may either stand on its own or form part of a cartoon. Beyond these central forms, the term ―cartoon‖ has also been applied to comics, television and film animation, multi-frame jokes published in newspapers, continuity strips, graphic novels, humorous advertising, humorous book and magazine illustrations, and satirical puppetry.
According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica: Caricature, cartoon and comic strips are related forms. Historically, they arose in the order given, but all have flourished together. All use the same artistic medium of drawing, printmaking, caricature and the element of satire are usually present in each.
Cartoons are said to be slightly distinct from caricature and comics strips in that they are drawings with or without captions which makes a point in an amusing, satirical or humorous way. Usually, their targets are political and public affairs but they focus on other subjects.
Various definitions have been proffered for the term cartoons. According to Webster’s Universal Dictionary and Thesaurus, a cartoon is a humorous picture dealing with current reproduction on a fresco painting with exaggerations or distortion of characteristic features. A fresco is a picture that is painted on a wall while the plaster is still wet. A comic strip, it also says, is a series of drawing that depicts a story in stages.
According to Concise Oxford English Dictionary Thumb Index Edition, a cartoon is a drawing executed in an exaggerated style for humorous or satirical effect.
Danny De Laet (1979: 76) defines a cartoon as a ―forceful idea quickly expressed in a few strokes of the pen, explosive enough to catch the eye, but sufficiently stylized and disguised in such a way that the target figures should not recognize themselves, or if they did, would be unable to prosecute the cartoonist for having depicted them with too much realism‖. A cartoon is, therefore, the modernized, economical, straightforward and more direct version of the old lampoon or humorous drawing that was used during the 19th century.
Chapter Three
Methodology
Introduction
This chapter focuses on the research method used in this study. The reason for choosing this method and other related issues are discussed.
Research Design
The method of investigation used for this study is survey research method.
According to Tejumaiye (2003:85), ―Survey research method scientifically samples and interviews people to analyze and report what they said‖. According to Sobowale in Tejumaiye (2003:85), ―The survey technique is the most commonly used research method by behavioral scientists‖. He stressed that the method involves drawing up a set of questions on various subjects or on various aspects of a subject to which selected members of a population are requested to react.
Jacqueline P. Wiseman and Maricia S. Aaron (1970) in Tejumaiye (2003:88) offered an excellent definition of survey:
Survey research method is a method for collecting and analyzing social data via highly structured and often very detailed interviews or questionnaires in order to obtain information from large numbers of respondents presumed to be representative of a specific population.
Generally, survey data, according to Tejumaiye are collected through two methods. These are (1) Interviews and (2) Self-administered questionnaires.
For the purpose of this study, this researcher made use of interview surveys. Since this study borders on the readership of newspaper cartoons, personal interviews of the study population, through questionnaires was used to study and determine the readership behaviour of newspaper cartoons readers.
The importance of survey is confirmed by the frequent reportage of survey research results in the popular media. This is particularly evident during election periods when opinion polls are conducted to ascertain candidates‘ popularity and/or position with the electorate.
This method is most appropriate because according to Sobowale (1983: 25) ―the survey technique is the best method for measuring behavioral patterns, attitude and opinion‖. Apart from this, the survey method is most appropriate for this study because it involves large number of respondents presumed to be representative of a specific population, and as Osuala observes, the method affords an opportunity of asking questions from a large population.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
This chapter deals with the data presentation and analysis using simple percentage for clarity and easy understanding.
Data Presentation and Analysis
Chapter Five
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 5:1 Summary
This study focused on: Patterns of readership of Newspaper Cartoons: A study of Caritas University Lecturers and Students. The researcher attempted to analyze the readership pattern and trend of the average Caritas University student and lecturer making use of survey method. It examined the extent and frequency of newspaper readership and newspaper cartoon readership among CARITAS lecturers and students. This study also addressed what motivated readers to read cartoons, which newspaper‘s cartoons were read the most, amongst other salient issues.
This study, based on the sample population, found out that all CARITAS students read newspapers but not all of them read newspaper cartoons. This study was able to find out that ninety three percent of CARITAS students, both male and female, read newspaper cartoons. However, more males read Newspaper cartoons than their female counterparts. Majority of those who loved to read cartoons were in the 21-25 years age bracket. Also, majority were in 200 levels and 300 levels.
It is an incontrovertible fact that cartoons have slowly but surely become an integral and significant content in contemporary newspapers. Many newspaper publishers and editors have come to realize that cartoons are not just mere editorial items that are flippantly tucked away in the bottom corner of the inner pages of newspapers. Now, cartoons are seen as major editorial
‗weapon‘ that are strategically and conspicuously placed in prominent pages. Amongst other numerous functions, cartoons not only tell the story behind the story, they tell the ‗why‘ behind the ‗what‘ and make you reflect over issues that we would otherwise gloss over. In an academic community such as Caritas University, the newspaper readership and newspaper cartoon readership rate was generally high among the students and even higher among the lecturers, expectedly so.
Even though more newspapers are increasingly warming up to the use of cartoons, it is the view of this researcher that:
- still more newspapers need to embrace and exploit the full potentials cartoons have to offer.
- Cartoons should be used more strategically and effectively to address salient issues in humorous ways
- Cartoons are a potent medium of expression
- In all its subtlety and use of satire and humour, cartoons should not, and must not be misused. Restraint and an amount of self censorship must be encouraged
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