The Importance of Indigenous Language in Broadcasting Media
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
There are two basic objectives set out to be achieved by this study. One of the objectives is to examine the attitudes of the broadcast media towards indigenous languages use. Through this, the language situation as reflected in the state broadcast media, the roles assigned indigenous languages through indigenous language programmes, the issues covered by such indigenous programmes and time allotted them were revealed.
Second, the attitude of people towards indigenous language use on Edo state Broadcasting Service radio and television were ascertained. Through this, the socio-political implications of the attitudes of the people towards indigenous languages used by EBS and the society were examined. All these are aimed at language engineering efforts towards using, promoting, sustaining, developing and revitalizing indigenous languages in an era quite known for the diminishing use of indigenous languages in the public domains.
Chapter Two
LITERATUREREVIEW
MEDIA IMPACT ON USE OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
The media have the capacity of enhancing the status of, giving prominence to, promoting, maintaining, sustaining, retaining, projecting, popularizing, developing and revitalizing languages (indigenous languages inclusive) used by them (Adegbija, 2004; Jowitt, 1991: 10-11; David, 2004; Ezikeojiaku, 2006: 289). Abe (2004) who studied the attitude of Japanese towards the English and Foreign languages reports the significant role of the Japanese electronic media in the learning of foreign languages by Japanese between 1955 and 2000 through listening to and viewing radio and television. He further lists the media as one of the reasons languages contact with other languages. Similarly, Bodomo, Anderson & Dzahene-Quarshie (2009) believe that the media are one important tool used to promote or support multilingual model of education. In other words, the liberalization of the Ghanaian broadcast media has increased the use of indigenous Ghanaian languages. The majority of the FM stations, for instance, which broadcast in indigenous Ghanaian languages, have given opportunities to voices which were marginalized because of their inability to speak English to express their views. Thus, through the use of the indigenous languages in the mass media, large segments of the population who were otherwise excluded from the communication process can now participate in the democratic process. Since these indigenous languages are used in many media fora, the great majority of the rural as well as urban illiterate are now included in the process of communication.
However, David (2004) reports the general importance of media on indigenous language use as responsible for linking many remote communities together and reducing their sense of isolation, promoting effective governance by providing people with accurate and relevant information about political and economic news in their languages, promoting fluency in languages through social validation and employment opportunities, reinforcing group identity and giving them the opportunity to link together for common causes and issues. These were backed up by audience survey reports by TNI which found that a high percent of respondents learned Inuttitut words from listening to TNI radio and television. A large majority of respondents wish to see more programs on Inuit culture, and to hear traditional stories told in Inuttitut. A large majority of the respondents requested additional programming on Inuit culture. Inuit in Nunavik are very supportive of TNI’s programs; 83% of respondents were familiar with TNI’s radio programs and 73% were familiar with TNI’s television programming.
Similarly, Missinipi Broadcasting also conducted a recent audience survey, which reported a slight decline in Cree-language speakers but an increase in “other” language speakers, which includes Michif and Saulteaux, both languages where MBC began to offer more programming. While respondents said the quality of the programming and the announcing decreased slightly since the previous survey in 1998, respondents said the quality of the Aboriginal language on the radio has increased. Some causes for concern however, are that more people wanted to hear less Aboriginal language on the radio or even none at all. There is a significant decrease in the amount people would like to watch/hear, with the many people only wanting less than an hour per day. There was also a decrease in the percentage of people who think that MBC “helps preserve language and culture.
Through periodic programme evaluation, NNBAP members were very successful in meeting the objectives of the federal government with regards to Canadian content, cultural participation and strengthening the connections between Canadians. Areas of impact of the media include increase in children’s programming to teach language;public forum programs to engage people in civic opportunities; recording of elders and ability to preserve language and cultural knowledge; and role of APTN in providing a vehicle to produce language programming. This has led to more opportunities for language speakers to work in the field of broadcasting, opened up opportunities for youth, and encouraged them to maintain their language. By increasing the presence and legitimacy of Aboriginal languages, broadcasting reinforces the interest and language competence of younger Aboriginal community members and helps slow the growing linguistic and generation gap between them and older unilingual members.
More so, anecdotal evidence from the audiences further exposes the overwhelming impact of the media that use indigenous languages, broadcasting plays a significant role in the preservation of Aboriginal languages. In a predominantly oral culture, anecdotal evidence is viewed as a valid and valuable source of data. In the absence of in-depth academic studies, the statements of viewers and community members become increasingly important. After three decades of phone-in programs, audience surveys, government program evaluations and community consultations on various issues, it is clear that Aboriginal viewers and broadcasters alike link access to Aboriginal-language media services with retention and promotion of language. Some of the important anecdotal evidence culled from interviews, phone-in programmes, talk-shows, indicate that the audiences home or abroad feel a sense of ethnic pride hearing or watching their indigenous programmes, are granted access to their language through use in media, (want to) learn their language because they feel a sense of involvement, and become more aware of their languages and their overall importance in the development of the individual and the society at large. One of such interview clips quite indispensable is:
Language broadcasting has been ‘music to the ears’ of those who understand it. It helps people reawaken to their language and culture and the two are intrinsic…seeing and hearing the language on TV and radio, you feel connected to the language… it has also provided consistency—a place where you can always hear the language, even if there is nowhere else, they can always tune into radio and TV programming to help re-learn the language (David, 2004).
The support media give indigenous languages because of broadcast in indigenous languages is further expressed by Enemaku’s (2001: 97-128) study. The study, lamenting the decline of print media in Igala, praises the thriving of the state broadcast media, Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation on Igala soil at Ochaja, Dekina L.G.A., which has tremendously enhanced the status of Igala language broadcasting, and listening to the station as a favourite tradition in Igalaland. Announcements about weddings, deaths, launchings and other functions – social, political, official, and religious, etc, –are not complete until they have been placed on Radio Kogi, Ochaja, in Igala language. This helps the station to make money,
just as it boosts the status of radio broadcasting in the language as the most effective means of transmitting messages to the Igala people. This has reflected in the positive attitude of the audience who find watching and listening to the broadcast stations (radio and television) a favourite tradition because of broadcast in indigenous language of the Igala people of Nigeria.
Chapter Three
RESEARCHMETHODOLOGY
RESEARCH DESIGN
This study set out to examine the attitude of people towards languages in use, specifically, indigenous languages, through listening and watching indigenous languages programmes through which indigenous languages are used, promoted and maintained on the Edo Broadcasting Service (radio and television). In addition, the study examined attitudes towards indigenous language use by looking at the role of the broadcast media in terms of the institutional support accorded indigenous languages through their use and promotion alongside foreign language. Consequent upon this, a combination of survey, historical research methods and content analysis will be used to elicit attitudes towards indigenous languages in the media and the society at large.
STUDY POPULATION
The population for this study will cover all Edo state people. The choice for this age-bracket will be based on the conviction that those, therefore, considered are perceived as people by this study. They are said to take more than 32% of Edo state population of 3.2 million (2006 Population & Housing Census Priority Table, 2010, Vol. IV; Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette, 2009, No. 2, Vol. 96; Omogui, 2005; Omoniyi & Jimoh, 2010).
Chapter Four
METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
A number of methods will be employed in eliciting data for this study. This will be in reaction to Adegbija’s (1994) charge, citing Baker (1992), that a combination of approaches should be used in attitude measurement, especially of language attitude. One of such methods will be the use of review of documents. By this, both television and radio programmes of the station will be requested to elicit the day, programme title, concept/content, type, time, duration, frequency and language used in the transmission of each day’s programmes all through the week. The indigenous language programmes will be, therefore, sought out. This is line with the fact that documents, specifically records, may be analyzed as a way of data collection under evaluation research (Ogundipe, Lucas and Sanni, 2006: 107-108). Also, the state cultural and linguistic policies as well as the media policy documents in soft and hard copies will be read and utilized where appropriate.
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