Development Journalism as a Pre-requisite for Rural Development
Chapter One
RESEARCH Objectives
- To ascertain the role of development journal in rural development of Enugu, through its advertisement programme.
- To analyze how Journalism help in the rural development of Nsukka through some of its education programmes.
- To analyze how Journalism help in rural development of Nsukka through its variety of entertainment and social, agricultural health and political programmes.
- To analyze how Journalism Nigeria have contributed in the rural development of Nsukka, by training some broadcasters at their training school in Lagos and promotion of musicians and such allied professionals.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
One thing the researcher in this study discovered was that there were no ready-tailored work carried out on Journalism, along the lines of determining either through serving questionnaires or indepth interview whether radio Nigeria had played a role in the rural development of Nsukka, which largely remains the focus of the study.
Where such studies existed, they did not dove tail into the material and not basis of determining through reliable and systematic method the roles played Journalism the rural development of Nsukka.
Rural development role of the newspaper, a very loose and abstract term has been given varied interpretations by different people.
To be able to determine whether or not particular role of radio will depend on the parameter and circumstances used in making such appraisal. The same holds of development journal where its roles depends on what the medium is reporting the event and for what purpose the report is being made.
Development as a Concept
Nigeria faced significant development challenges. As accurate population counts, for Nigeria are difficult to obtain because such figures are tied directly to representation in the National Assembly and distribution of national wealth(http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com September 11,2011,page two).In 2003,60% of the population lived below the poverty line;70% were engaged in agriculture, particularly of the subsistence type;68% were literate; infant mortality stood at 70 deaths per 1000 live births . Today, Nigeria’s population is over 152 million with majority of the population still living below poverty line and dwelling in the rural area. Thus, this has called for the in depth definition of development in order to know what it is and its relatedness to the rural areas.
Since the mid 20th century, according to Mattelart and Mattelart (1998:36) development has become a term synonymous with growth, modernisation, and social change. These concepts, which are most often applied to the ‘Third World’; since they are undeveloped, have been at the centre of many scholarly studies. Researchers have not been able to agree on a single definition of development – perhaps because of the diverse nature of the notion.
Some scholars contend that the meaning of development in one part of the world may be different from that of another area, according to Servas et al (1996:82); this is because each country is considered peculiar in its own physical environment, culture, natural resources, and general way of life. Of course there are some similarities (common features) here and there, but each country remains unique in its own setting.
The best definition of development, for this study, is taken from Servaes et al. (1996:82-83), who sees development as a multidimensional process that involves change in social structures, attitudes, institutions, economic growth, reduction of inequality, and the eradication of poverty. In olden fashion, development meant the poor countries imitating the developed West, and abandoning traditional, barbaric or uncivilized technologies and cultures in favour of the modern Westernised ones. Serveas etal (1996:83) demonstrated that, latter scholars coined the term ‘another development’, which calls for satisfaction of needs, endogenous self-reliance, participatory democracy and life in harmony with the environment – now popularly known as sustainable development.
According to Asadu (2009:5), development means different things to different people but generally, it involves a change from one way to another, where the latter is usually considered better than the former. Development is one of the oldest and most powerful of all western ideas about social progress or lack of it. It can be traced to as far back as the works of 19th century philosophers such as Condorcet, Comte, Durkheim, Saint-Simon, Spencer and even Karl Marx. Development can occur in every aspect of peoples’ life such as culture, economy, etc. Servaes (1999: 14) says, in sum, it is safe to say that today scholars, as well as policymakers, look upon development as an ethical-political process of social change. It is safe therefore, to argue that modern theorists see the whole dimension of human life as a yardstick for gauging development.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction:
An important determinant of the method to be used in as research is the nature of the problem being studies.
The researcher adopted the use of two research methods: the indepth interview and serving questionnaire in this research work. This is because the study was highly interested in the rural development of Nsukka with Journalism Nigeria, the station for the mature mind, so as to test and validate or disprove the hypothesis.
This serving questionnaire was used to elicit responses and information that will form my data. This method is used to reduce bias and error variance. The lapses posed by tedious interviewing or vice versa.
Research design:
I started by knowing the number of people I am going to unite my research to. The choice of the sample was based on random selection which involved indiscriminate selection of persons.
Non was given preference, all were given the chance of being picked or served the questionnaire.
This was to play down on bias. The selected persons were served questionnaires and some interviewed.
In depth interview. This is perhaps the most common method of obtaining information from people. However, sit is only recently that interview has been used systematically for scientific purpose. The interview is face to face interpersonal role situation in which one person being interviewer asks a person being interviewed i.e. the respondent questions designed to obtain answers pertinent to the research, problems’
Interviews with programme Director and some principal officers of development journal Nigeria AM station for the mature mind, were conducted. Questions for the interview were not prepared ahead of time rather an interview guide bothering on programmes schedule, the education programmes, the advertisements, the staff welfare and training and the roles of the newspaper Nigerian rural development of Nsukka were prepared and interviewees were allowed to speak freely and fully on the roles of the newspaper Nigerian the rural development of Nsukka though one or all of its stations programmes.
Area Of Study/Location Of Study
Journalism Nigeria, Radio I, (AM station) Enugu is the area of the study. This study was carried with the operational town of development journal- Enugu metropolis.
Population Of Study
The population dealth within this study were chosen randomly from.
A random sample of two hundred and forty people were chosen from different parts of Enugu with demographic and psychographic characteristics example sex, educational level, age etc. The sample is deemed representative because of its extensiveness.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
QUESTIONNIARE RETURNS
A total of 260 of the quesitonaire were printed and distributed to different areas in Enugu different areas in Enugu.
During collection, I collected a total of 240 questionnaires from the respondents representing 92% of the total questionnaires distributed.
Though, in this analysis, I am going to take the number collected as representing 100%.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
SUMMARY:
This study examined “the roles of development journal the rural development of Nsukka with a particular reference to the Nigeria Enugu.
In the study, I tried to validate the roles of development journal especially Journalism, in the rural development of Nsukka. The research also critically examined the roles of radio in the whole segment of the societal activities.
DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
Going by the analysis of the data collected in the last chapter, which was based on the hypothesis guiding the research, I made the following discussion and summary:
From table 7, where I tried to know where people get the sources of information, 240 respondents representing 100% agree to listen to either radio or television as a source of information.
From the above analysis it can be deduced that people receive information from journalism.
Also a quick look at table 10, where I examined which of the programmes of the newspaper Nigeria people enjoy most, 60 of 240 respondents representing, 27% of the research population, said they enjoy all programmes of development journal.
All the respondents enjoy the programmes of development journal and thus confirm the roles played by Radio in the rural development of Nsukka.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is my opinion that government should establish rural radio or other journalism of information nearer to people.
I also recommend that adequate fund be provided to Journalism to enable it meet up its numerous equipment, maintenance problem and staff motivation for its further contribution in the rural development of Nsukka.
Finally, a more extensive research is recommended to be carried out on the topic to uncover other vital areas where financial and man power assistance could be employed to achieve results.
- i) All the staff, especially managers, editors and reporters, should be given some form of training on some development journalism. It is important, that the more the media people get expertise skills on development journalism, the better they can perform in the rural areas and should be free from partisan politics.
- ii) The government should come up with a ‘‘reasonable salary package’’ law to ensure that the radio crew get not less than a certain amount of wages/salaries.
Journalists should find ways of encouraging more ordinary people and grassroots leaders to take part, either as guests or contributors, in the talk shows, phone-ins and other programmes. Today, the status quo of the people have changed from the state of being passive to the state of being active and also with the advent of technology and new trends in the mode of communication, therefore the people’s needs ‘‘entirely’’ should be taken into consideration by the radio crew.
- i) Journalists should look for some form of sponsorship from NGOs, local government, institutions or companies whose agendas are connected with rural development in general or specific programmes. This will probably reduce advertisements as the radio stations will get the money they need, and thus give more time to such sponsored development programmes.
- ii) The government should introduce affirmative action in favour of community radio stations. This could be done, for instance, by exempting rural based community radio stations from paying taxes like Value-Added Tax (VAT), or charging them subsidized license fees.
To promote local and national identities, the government should come up with a national policy that local content constitutes not less than 50 per cent of the radio daily programmes. Local contents are programmes, drama or songs produced by the rural dwellers, in the local language, sometimes using locally made instruments, and aimed at promoting local themes, ideas or causes.
Further research is recommended to assess the negative impacts of development journal, in the rural areas and other factors that will contribute to rural development, in order to achieve even and equal development in the Nigeria especially in the rural areas.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researcher concerned himself with data generated from questionnaires and interviews carried on the newspaper Nigeria a total of 240 questionnaires were retuned and analysed while twenty senior staff and heads of units of development journal wee interviewed in all.
CONCLUSION
The study concerned itself with finding out how Journalism Enugu National station, plays its roles in the rural development of Nsukka therefore conclude thus. The responses from the majority of the respondents showed that journalism especially radio have played a very important role in rural development of Nsukka.
This they say is because radio had the impact to reach the remotest part of the rural areas regardless of literacy level and power supply.
REFERENCES
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- Ogbunamba, C. (1994) from the editorial suite, the torch 105.
- Okunwa, C.S (1994). Introduction to mass communication Enugu Abic publishers
- Real H. Michael (1985), Mass communication, culture and society in West Africa. The role of Radio, New York. Hausa Zell publisher.
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