CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
Communication has been regarded as the life hood of human existence. Human being communicate on a regular basis to interact and socialize among themselves before the modern means in the process of communication was introduced, talking drums and town criers with groups were prominent among the communication tools, but the scope and area of coverage of those means of communication was limited and could not be about any development change in the country.
However, since the advert of Television station with particular reference to Nigeria, it has served as a major development tool in the various communicates and segments of the country and those developmental roles cannot be over emphasized.
Television is one of the engines that propel the social development for its continuity and realization through: Informing, entertaining, and persuading. Television is a powerful tool for social change in any society, it can be studied in its various roles as an agent of social change, a reflector of dominant values, and as a reinforcer of dominant values. Especially on cultural values by projecting the social norms on how infant, adolescents, women e. t. c are expected to behave and further develop the society.
While Socialization is a process whereby individuals are made aware of behaviors that are expected of them with regards to the norms, beliefs, attitudes, and values of the society in which they live.
Socialization helps the individual face the realities of life, through the appreciation of their culture practices. The agencies of socialization are the social institutions that pass on to the people these norms, values, beliefs, and attitudes. There are several agencies of socialization which are developmental: anticipatory, resocialization, reverse, primary, and secondary socialization.
Some of the agents of socialization include but not limited to The family as an integral part of every individual’s upbringing, thus has the power to influence an individual’s self-concepts, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors.
Peer groups this group also sets the norms and values by which the individual must abide. Religion is another major agency of socialization, because it embodies the moral principles of society. In this respect, religion has its own set of norms, values, and objectives that regulate the conduct of its members. The school is another important and crucial agent of socialization. The child who has been with the family for years extends his relationship with the outer society through school. The school provides the intellectual and social experiences from which individuals develop knowledge, skills, customs, beliefs, interest, and attitudes that characterize them and shape their abilities to perform adult roles.
However, the most important agent of socialization for the development is the television. Television has different ways to facilitate communication between the sender of a message and the receiver of that message. It plays an important role in the socialization of children.
The Television stations have a significant role to play in a community to ensure the work ability of the system. It shares and controls the people. It informs, educate and entertain the people. The Television station sees that group, norms are expressed, social controls are exerted, roles are allocated and above all the entries social process is carried out. This being the case, the attainment and sustenance of political, economical as well as social development is dependent on the performance of the radio station.
This research project will look into the general roles of the Television station in community development. How the BCOS television station have fared in performing those roles. It will assess the structured make up of radio station and how it could affect their functions. The performance of the radio station depends a lot of factor and these factors will be exploited and suggestions will be given to exonerate the effects of the negative over and to curb their menace.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The Television station can be seen as a means of promoting cultural, political and social lives of viewers. The public gets most of their information either directly or indirectly from the television station.
Nevertheless, for the television station to live up to those enormous and uninsurable responsibilities, there have to be enabling environment for operation. The community must give its best to the television station as the medium contributes its quotas to nation building.
The television performs their duties under dangerous condition and the economy has adversely affected the medium. The cost of production has raised astronomically, the cost of the material, machinery and the equipment needed for various programme has equally risen. This medium also have some section which are largely professional and this is the problem of lack of emotional information exchange in treating controversial public issues and the hazards they face when going about their daily activities.
1.3 Objectives of the Study