An Assessment of Mass Media Role in Reducing Unemployment Among Youths in Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objective of this study is to assess the mass media’s role in reducing unemployment among youths in Nigeria. The specific objectives are:
- To enlighten the public and see how the mass media has influenced the spread of employment opportunities.
- To see if the mass media positively or negatively influences the youth.
- To see if the mass media are publicizing unemployment for their interest, that is getting the attention of more viewers.
- To examine the cause and effect of unemployment on the youth, government, and the economy.
- To see how the mass media has also assisted the government in fighting unemployment.
CHAPTER TWO
Introduction
This study posits the concept that employment is one of the basic needs of man. Without employment man may not be able to meet other needs like food, shelter, clothing, and medical bills. These different views and prepositions are reviewed in this chapter.
The Concept of Unemployment
Every economy is characterized by both active and inactive populations. The economically active ones are referred to as the population willing and able to work and include those actively engaged in the production of goods and services and those who are unemployed.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines the unemployed as numbers of the economically active population who are willing and seeking for work, without work being available, including people who have lost their jobs and those who have voluntarily left work (World Bank, 1998).
According to Fajana (2000), unemployment refers to a situation where people who are willing and capable of working are unable to find suitable paid employment. It is one of the macro-economic problems which every responsible government is expected to monitor and regulate. The higher the unemployment rate in an economy the higher would be the poverty level and associated welfare challenges.
Types of Unemployment
Frictional Unemployment: is caused by industrial friction in which jobs may exist, yet the workers may be unable to fill them either because they do not possess the necessary skills, or because they are not aware of the existence of such jobs. The employable may remain unemployed on account of shortage of raw materials, or mechanical defects in the working of plants. Therefore, the better the economy is doing, the lower this type of unemployment is likely to occur. Fajana, (2000, Lindbeck, 1999). Ordinarily, this kind of unemployment does not usually pose much threat to individual’s welfare, as it is temporary in nature. However, the situation in Nigeria is that of frictional unemployment growing into a long-term unemployment and thereby resulting into a stable state of unemployment (Tairu, 2003).
Structural Unemployment
This occurs when there is a change in the structure of an industry or the economic activities of the country. This may be because people’s tastes have changed or it may be because technology has outmoded and the product or service is no longer in demand. It is mostly to be found in the developing countries of Asia and Africa. This type of unemployment is due to the deficiency of capital resources in relation to their demand. In other words, structural unemployment results from a mismatch between the demand four labour, and the ability of the workers. Alaoa, (2005).
Structural unemployment refers to a mismatch of job vacancies with the supply of labour available, caused by shifts in the structure of the economy (Bannock et al., 1998).
In general, it is believed that much of the ‘open’ youth unemployment observed in Nigeria is due to structural factors such as the nature of the educational system and its interface with the labour market (i.e., the mismatch problem), technological change, permanent shifts in the demand for goods and services and the skill content of the labour force. The problem in Nigeria, since the early eighties, is an urban unemployment which has assumed an alarming dimension and a crisis proportion with millions of able-bodied persons who are willing to accept jobs at the prevailing wage rates are unable to find placements (Onah, 2001).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
This chapter is set at explaining research design and how they were validated before they are finally used to carry out the research study.
The research procedure and methods of data collection were also discussed. Questionnaire will be shared among respondents.
POPULATION OF STUDY
Population, according to Evboroulalai (2003:15), refers to the entire subject whom the researcher is investigating or any group of persons or organization being studied by an investigator that constitute the population. This research work is to research on the topic ‘The role of the mass media in reducing unemployment’.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
ANALYSIS OF THE FIELD PERFORMANCE
In this chapter, there is a brief discussion of procedure adopted in the analysis of data obtained from the field.
From the questionnaires administered, it was observed that data obtained must be put into table so that a quick look will give a better summary or conclusion of the research work. Data analysis is an initial aspect in research effort. It serves as the core of research for the fact that gives meaning to the raw data collected during the data collection stage.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMDATIONS
SUMMARY
This research work is primarily aimed at discovering “the role of the mass media in reducing unemployment”.
This research design is however descriptive and expository in nature, questionnaires were shared among students of Kwara State Polytechnic in their various institutes on their opinions or views on the “role of the mass media in reducing unemployment”
The primary functions of the mass media are the provision of adequate information about ongoing or current events in the society as a way of serving the public what they need to know.
However, the motives came in a negative direction as findings show that the mass media do not justify issue about unemployment and that they magnify the fear and threat of the youth in the way they report unemployment’ activities.
In the view revealed vehemently by this research work according to the response of the respondents, a larger percentage feels that the mass media should give proper dissemination, good reporting, unbiased and accurately reporting about unemployment.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study is restricted to one polytechnic which is kwara state polytechnic due to the time frame. The time frame scheduled for the research work to be carried out is not too far sufficient to study more than one polytechnic or institution. In addition the researchers are still expected to meet other academic demands within the scheduled range of time.
Furthermore, the dilapidated and unequipped school library along side it’s outdated research materials also hampered the efficiency and smooth running of the literature review, this will make the researchers to strive for other sources to get other necessary materials for the work. Financial constrain has also limited the sample size, this has made the researchers to reduce the numbers of questionnaires and this has reduce the study of more youth.
CONCLUSION
The dramatic narration and manners in which media report unemployment is the vital concern of many theorists who are interested in how the mass media have reported various unemployment acts. On this basis, the negative labeling and definition of the unemployment might have some effect in terms of how they are framed and primed in the mind of the audiences, nevertheless, the current news environment provides a site for a struggle against such framing and priming in the minds of the public.
However, unemployment must have publicity in some form if they are to gain attention, inspire fear and respect, secure favorable understanding, cooperation, restraint and loyalty in effort to limit unemployment harm to society and in efforts to punish or apprehend general pursue the freedom to cover and issues without restraint, especially government restraint.
The mass media, the news media in particular have been a ready accomplice for the achievement of the unemployment motives of creating fear in the minds of the public.
The mass media’s coverage of unemployment provokes both undue publicity for the unemployment and immeasurable fear, real or imaginary, in the minds of the public and thus, in the end, may embolden the unemployment to go further and raise the threshold of their violence. Livingstone (1982:63) argues that a heavy emphasis on the violent acts committed by unemployment may stimulate other unemployment to repeat the same crimes. In this view, there is evidence to suggest that detailed coverage of a unemployment act is apt to lead a rash of similar acts. In fact the contagion effect may spread beyond reducing the inhibition of the unemployment towards violence.
RECOMMENDATIONS
According to the finding of this research work, recommendable measures to be taken are suggested below:
Since the reportage of unemployment activities by the mass media is mostly for the benefit of the public, the government too should provide avenue for the public to assist the mass media. For example the emergency security number “911” should be active in all part of the country so that any member of the public can easily call any government authorities or security agent e.g. police, to report any suspicion or unemployment activities.
Furthermore, since the aim of the mass media is to help the public and assist them to be careful against unemployment reduction, they (media) should not magnify the fear and threat of the youth in the way they report about unemployment.
More so, all higher institution, Kwara State Polytechnic to be precise should include enlightenment about unemployment to their syllabus, since most youth now indulge in unemployment act.
REFERENCES
- Bassoni, M (1981) “Unemployment and media,” In Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology,”72,1-55
- Bruce Hoffman (2010)”Inside Unemployment”
- Lewis A Dexter/David m. white (Hrsg) 2010; “Youth, Society and Mass Communication”
- Lukman Azeez (PHD) 2012 “The Role of The mass media in
- Reporting Unemployment” Journal of communication and media research, lecture11
- New York Times (2012) “Reporting On the government and Unemployment”
- Proffessor Dayo Alao Oguschi Uwon, 2012,”Unemployment Acts in Nigeria” (Boko Haram)
- Schlesinger, P, etal (1983)”Television, Unemployment, political violence in population culture” comedia publishing company, London.
- Snider P.B (1967)”Journalism Quarterly” Mr. Gates reviseded
- A 1966 version of the 1949 case study 44(3)419:427
- www.Wikipidia.com August.
