impact of turning point on ait nigeria

7/31/2019 Impact of Turning Point on AIT Nigeria

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CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Introduction

The change in the interaction form among people as a

result of improvements in technology has also further led to

the intellectual communication of ideas among scholars.

Scholars across the world now communicate ideas among

scholars. Scholars across the world now communicate ideas

among themselves even when their countries are not in the

best of diplomatic relationship. New ideas are discovered in

different fields almost on a daily basis.

The literature review provides an opportunity for

research to make clear findings from other scholars on a

particular area of study. Ohaja (2003 70- 71) comments on

how literature review should be done thus.

The researcher should present a discourse on his topic

with the help of these contributions from previous scholars

and writers. In fact, with the previous works. They should in

the lecture review, be painting pad for his own work.

The above assertion points how literature review should be

carried out and its importance in a study.


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Existing literature relevant to this study are those that

concern the impact of television on the urevers, the interplay

between television and religion and how television can be

used as a medium of building peace and harmony for all the

different religious groups to worship peacefully and leave in

peace with one another .

2.1 literatures Preview

Television as a modesty medium is famous for it influence on

the viewers. The invitational open university of Nigeria

(2008:151) observes that television delivery system include

the following

a. Broadcast

b. Cable television

c. wireless cable (muctichannel multipoint distribution

service, MMDS)

d. Direct broadcast satellite (DBS)

e. high-Definition television

f. web- delivering system- (interacting-combination of

internet and broadcast it makes it possible to receive both

television signals and the web both over a television set and


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the web both over a television set and through a computer.

Television, some scholars argue has become a member of

the family. Dominick (2009:237) describes television, thus:

television is a universal medium. About 99 percent of thehomes in the United States have at least one working TV set.In fact, most homes have more than one. Although not gusteas portable as radices, miniature TV sets make it possible totake TV anywhere. Television has become a dominantmedium for news and entertainment for Americas.

The assertion above shows how important and how popular

television has become. Macbeth (1995) list the impact of

television in the area of sex roles, aduct creativity, leisure

activities child cognition, neding and aggression.

Sex Roles: television is a strongly sex- typed medium. Most

of the characters in plogrammes are male 975% by some

studies and few women are shown as employed (or at least

were then).

A duct creativity: To enable Macbeth measure aduct

creativity, a set of aducts were given two problems; the

Duncker candle problem and the nine Diet problem. For the

first time, the te-stee were given a vertical peace of

cardboard, a candle, a box of tacks and a book of matches


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and asked to attach the candle to the cardboard so that it

can burn freely. The whole idea was for the researcher to

early establish how television impact on the creativity of

aducts. The ansmet was in the positive. Therefore, television

also has an impact on the creativity of aducts.

Leisure activities: Macbeth equally documented that

television has impact on the leisure time of the viewers. In

other words, people spend time watching television for

leisure.

Child Cognition: the researcher is of the view that child

cognition. The researcher is of the view that child cognition

is heavily influenced by television. Other areas of influence

are reading fluency and aggression.

Similarly, cyber college internet campus (1996 in a

publication on the social impact of television, is a window on

the word for news and information. Newspaper and indeed

the prin media provide a degree of separation from reality

but television graphically brings happenings light into living

rooms, complete with colour, sound time sequences and

even to some deynee, the associated feelings. Compare to


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newspapers, television may be superficial when it comes to

reporting facts. However, good pictures can still be worth

1,000 words. Pictures can convey many things beyond facts

and statistics in democracies, television can be uses to

inform the elecharates about things they need to know to

make informed cherces at ballot box. When TV is responsible

programmed and viewed with a critical, educated ege, its

capable of working through the gloss and facades of people

and events giving us glimpses of the reality giving breath.

Television is capable of making us an ege witness to events

as they happen these events can regards from the hostale

invasion of a country to Monday Night football. In this

regard, TV breaks dew the barriers of distance and becomes

an intension of our senses. Bittner citing Mcluhan Observes

of sight.

ii. television provides escape and relation. Suffice it to say

television allows us to dominantly escape our problems and

experiences of other people. We can become awestruck with

the beauty of and grace of the arts, or caught up in the

frenzy and excitement of an athletic event. We can even


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allow ourselves to be momentarily host in a beautiful fantasg

world. Thus our spirit can be lifted and sometimes even

hope and faith restored. All these are mode possible by

television.

Iii television introduces new ideas and information: before

the mass media, an important threat to health, a new media,

an improved ways of doing things could take months or even

years to become commonly known. Today, time is typically

cut down to a day or even a few hours included in this

category are new product and services that will make our life

easier or safer, new recipes, important safety procedures

and even instructions on home. Improvement and repair.

With television, are put in the centre of the market place of

ideas. We can compare these ideas, evaluate them and then

decide for our selves whether to accept or reject. These new

ideas can also threaten traditional beliefs and establish order

of doing things. Onabajo (2001:34) summaries the role of

television in a rations psyche thus:

In the developed world, television has been used to a largeextent in the areas of formal, non-formal and informal


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education. Studies have shown that ideas imbibed fromtelevision are more permanent in the human mind thanother media. Political indoctrination, cultural innovation are

part of what television could be used to achieve.

Looking at the impact of television discussed so far, a

question arises, what exactly is the objective of television

programming?. This question is particularly relevant because

Tuning point or a programme has to be assessed within the

content of television programming. The National

Broadcasting commission (NBC) in it codes (2006:79) list the

following as the objectives of broadcast programming.

Social objectives

i The objectives are meant to cover the areas of education,

for people irrespective of their educational background.

Ii Television entertainment programmes should be designed

specifically for the enjoyment of the people. Such

programmes are primarily meant for mental recreation and

to arouse the feelings of the people emotionally.

Thus broadcast social objectives are primarily to


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i promote social values and norms, civic and social

responsibilities.

Ii promote the acquisition or pursuit of knowledge.

Iii promote the physical, mental and social well being of the

people.

Iv foster the spirit of self discipline and self sacrifice.

V Encourage the prevention and development of human

values and respect for the dignity of man.

B Cultural Objectives

Broadcast programmes should aim at promoting cultural

awareness throughout the federation. Broadcast cultural

objectives should essentially cover the areas of aesthetics,

religion, ethics philosophy, language, history and arts. The

programmes could therefore be designed primarily to:

I seek, identify and preserve Nigerian culture and promote

the study of Nigerian history and language


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Ii select critically, relevant foreign culture for the purpose of

enriching Nigerian culture.

Iii Develop and promote the appreciation of indigenous

aesthetic values

C Economic Objectives

In order to achieve the Nigerian economic goals, the nation

should be informed and motivation. The broadcast economic

objectives of programmes should primarily be

I to monitor trends and developments in production process

with a view to arousing creativity and in quisitveness in the

people. Foster the spirit of handwork and high productivity

with the view of raising the quality of life of the people.

Iii Encourage the production and consumption of local

products in order to achieve self sufficiency and self reliance.

Political Objectives

Broadcasting shall contribute to the development of national

unity and participatory democracy.


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Therefore, the political objectives of broadcasting shall be to:

I Create and promote political awareness amongst the

people in order to achieve a democratic society

Ii Inculcate in the people the spirit of tolerance of all shades

of opinion and

Iii promote social justice based on the responsibilities and

rights of the individual in society.

Technological Objectives.

The nations abundant natural and human resources shall be

exploited to the advantage of the people broadcasting shall

therefore:

I keep the people abreast of technological development

Ii promote and encourage the study of science and

technology

Ii Promote the spirit of self-reliance and angender the

development of indigenous technology


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Iii promote a scientific and national attitude to like by

encouraging research.

Professional Objectives

Broadcasting as a specialized section of the media industry,

with its own mode of professionalism, demands a high level

of specialization and professional skills, some of which are as

set out by the code.

Broadcasting therefore is to ensure.

I the development of professionalism by recruitment and

training of personnel who at the point of entry into senior

cadue shall possess at least higher national diploma (HND)

or it equivalent in broadcast related fields.

Ii that only professional broadcaster with at least 15 years

cognate experience in broadcasting shall be made chief

operations officer of a broadcast station.

Iv that Nigerian talents and facilities shall be used as

possible in the production of programmes, including

advertisement.


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V that meaningful investment in research and development

and job security with appropriate remuneration is

guaranteed.

From the above explanation, it is obvious that television

programming has objectives to be met.

It is also important to classify television programmes to

include functions, promote and target audience.

Functional classification: Broadcast programmes may be

classified on the basis of the functions they fulfill. Hence

broadcast programmes with this functional category are

commonly referred as news programmes, entertainment,

and additional interpretation function/programme.

Ii target audience function. Programmes are also classified

on the basis of the kind of audience they are meant for,

hence under this category one will hear of womens

programme, childrens programme, religious programme,

farmers programme among others.


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Iii format clarification: by formats, we mean the shape,

arrangement and style of a broadcast message. Using the

criteria of format to clarify programmes, we may identify the

following as the basic conventional programme all over the

world. Newscast, news commentaries, editorials, discussion,

features, drammer musicals, sports, magazines programmes

among others.

Going by the above clarification, it is more obvious that

turning point which is a religious programme from African

Independent Television (AIT) falls under target audience

function.

In a study like this, it is only important top incorporate

findings by other researchers. Ohaja(2003) corroborates this

by noting that the review of literature for empirical studies

should includes findings from other researchers.

Souk Up(2002) in a study on media and religion

documented that the two are interwoven. To enable the

researcher arrived at a definite conclusion, three types of


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religious programmes were asked for and felt to be needed

generally by most viewers. They were as follows:

i). Worship, or personal stories/witnessing: These are

progrmammes that show personal faith in action from a

committed subjective and involved point of view. They will

show how an individuals faith affected their lives, culture

and life in the widest sense.

ii). Informative or issue based: Across all groups was a real

and spontaneously expressed concern that there should be

more informative or issue based documentaries and

debates, presenting views from a variety of faith or belief

perspectives. In addition, respondents save a role for more

documentary style progmammes that show aspects of their

lives that share across the faith but which are played out

differently. Similarly, respondents history from a faith or

belief system point of view.

iii. Incorporation into mainstream genre, the researcher

documented further that there was a general feeling among

respondents that outside of religious broadcast, there was


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for too little real reflection of how many people have a faith

and how much faith plays a part in their lines and everyday

decision making. The researcher equally documented that

there was some discussion of how moral tales, even religious

scripture could be dramatized in a contemporary selfing in

dramas or soaps particularly for children sense television

was particularly effective at harnessing interest and

communicating ideas.

Soukup (2002) documented further that must respondents

sect that they were poorly served by and that they would

have an appointee to watch a range of religious programmes

using their broader definition of religious programming,

which they seat could be challenging, give them an

opportunity to consider things and also to stretch

themselves. The researcher equally documented that the

viewers felt religious broadcasting should be protected by

regulation, especially as it provides a service to the

housebound. The national was that religious broadcasting

was received to have been so poor and audience so low that

there was therefore some need for protection. The problem


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with this finding is that the researcher paid little or no

attention to view religious programmes through the

television can endive religious tolerance among people of

different faiths.

Another researcher Konkg (2007) in a study on religion

and television watching documented that religious

programmes form television influence the viewers. The

researcher reported that the division of chores between man

and women is not influence by what people believe but it is

by the amount o time they spending front of their television

set and that religion seems incapable to influence the

definition of the situation people find themselves in when

they are watching television. People is religious beliefs

according to the findings of the researcher do not influence

what they like to watch and do not prevent them from

domineering the others with whom they watch. However, the

missing link in this result is whether the religious

programmes people watch have direct influence on them so

as to influence them in tribe religious tolerance. The problem

with this finding is that the researcher did not clearly


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establish the extent to which television religious

programmes.

In another study conducted by counterpoint research

(2005) revealed that television religious programmes have

influence on the viewers even in their political life. The study

revealed further that those who watch religious progrmmes

from television will more likely use religion as a way to

interpret and make political decisions.

The researcher paid little attention to the relationship

between exposure to television proggrmmme and it effects.

Similarly, the researcher did not clearly establish the extent

to which television religious programmes influence the

viewers. Meanwhile, communication scholars have observed

a strong relationship between the mass media and religions.

Prominent among such scholars is Asemah (2011). The

scholar notes that the mass media cannot be divorced from

religious institutions Asemah (2011:98). Religious institution

uses the media to carry out their activities so that members

of the public will know about their programmes.


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Summarizing the relationship between the media and

religious institutions, the writer puts:

We can say that the media and religious institutions areinterdependent .the media need religious institutionsbecause these religious intuitions like church, mosqueserve as sources of news. Religious institutions also

need the media because the only means through whichthey can reach out to a large audience is through the massmedia and not through interpersonal communication(Asemah hoo: 99).

The above assertion shows the relationship between

the mass media and religious institutions. This therefore

implies that the relationship between the mass media and

religious institutions is mutual.

Looking at the nature of this topic, a question might arise,

what is the importance of religious tolerance? What is the

importance if religious tolerance is the basis for peaceful co-

existence and meaningful development. The scholar notes

that religious tolerance celebrates the inherent worth and

dignity of all people and encourages meaning in life. It

fosters respect and appreciation of the difference between

us which may separate us at times but ultimately bind us


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together as a unique collaboration of human beings. The

scholar sums up:

To line a life of religious tolerance is more than just agreeing

with the concept. It must be fully grasped and celebrated by

each individual to ensure maximum impact. We believe

stand up for what we think is just, speak our minds even if

our voices shake and remember that the appreciation for

religious diversity comes in the form of our actions as well as

our thought. Every word, every hand every embrace makes

a difference.

From the above assertion, it is obvious that religious

tolerance is directly linked to a countrys peaceful co-

existence. The peaceful atmosphere in any country is

equally directly linked to a countrys development

economically, publically and socially. For instance the

current bombings in some part of the country (Nigeria) by an

extreme Islamic sect known as book Haram would not have

occurred if there were a spirit of religious tolerance between

the two leading religious in Nigeria of Christianity and islam.

considering the importance of religious tolerance and the


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role of the mass media theory, it is only expected that the

media through it programming will enhwnce religious

tolerance. The UNESCO reports as contained in MCBride etal

(1981:16-18) points out the function of the media to function

and information. Of particular interest here is the integrative

function. this function involves engaging communication to

burld bridges of mutual understanding between the existing

disparate and objective adjustment and adaptation to the

changing process in the society. Integrating the various

2.2.1 AIT in Brief

Africa independent television (AIT) is a private television

station owned by Raymond Dokpese. It was once of the few

private television station that was granted licence to operate

in 1992 following the deregulation of the broadcast media by

the president Babargida administration and the setting up of

the National Broadcasting commission (NBC) as a regulatory

body for the broadcast industry.

It has its headquarters in Abuja, the federal capital

territory and has stations in some points of the country.

2.22 Turning point programme in Brief.


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Turning point is a religious programme, produced and

anchored by a Nigerian, Victor Oladokun, turning point is a

weekly television magazine programme broadcast

throughout the continents of Africa, Europe and the

Caribbean and has been having airtime on terrestrial TV

stations like AIT, NTA, channels TV without any problem. it is

aired on AIT every Sunday by 11am.

2.3 conclusions

From the above review of related literature, it is obvious that

there exist a relationship between the mass media and

religious institutions. Television programmes have influence

on the attention to the extent to which television religious

programmes can influence the viewers. In the same way

most scholars did not clearly establish relationship between

exposure to television religious programmes and influence.

Moreso, the literature on the impact of turning point

especially in religious tolerance is scanty. This study will

therefore address these missing links.

2.4 theoretical frame work


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In deciding on the theoretical basis for thus study, the

researcher put into consideration the fact that this study, the

researcher put into consideration the fact that this study is

two solds- the role of mass media and the effects of

television progammes. Based on that, two theories were

considered appropriate. They are cultivation theory and the

social world which conform to the stereotyped, distorted and

very selective view of reality as portaged in a systematic

way in television jiction and news. Mc Qual (2100:497) notes

that cultivation is said to differ from a direct stimulus-

response effect process mainly because of its gradual and

cumulative character MCQuali summarizsa.

In this theory of media effct, television provides many people

with a consistent and

Near-total symbolic environment that supplies norms for

conduct and belied about a wide range of real life situations.

The theory posits that heavly television viewers are

influenced by television programmes than light television

viewers.


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What this means is that the more people are exposed

to turning point programme, the more the likely hood of

them to embrace religious tolerance. Religious tolerance can

bring about peaceful co-existence. It is therefore the

responsibly of the mass media to promote religious

tolerance. This is where the social responsibility theory

comes in.

Social responsibility theory

This theory posits that the media has a role to play in the

society. In other words, the media has a deity to fulfill to the

society. Folarin (1998:27) observes that the chief duty of the

media operation with this theory is to raise conflict to the

plane of discussion, MCQuail (2000:172) observes that the

main tents of the theory incl+ude the following:

I the media have obligations to society and medial ownership

is a public trust.

Ii the media should be free but regulated ethies and

professional conduct

V under some circumstance, government may need to

intervene to safeguard the public trust.


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Going by this theory therefore, the issue of ensuring

religious tolerance among people in the society becomes a

social responsibility for the media to fulfit. This obviously

informs the decision (AIT) to introduce turning point but

effective this programme has been in achieving desired goal

is what this study will investigate


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REFERENCE

Asemah S.E (2011): Selected Mass Media themes. Jos: JosUniversity Press.

Bakame, S (2003) Basics of Brodcasting. Lagos: Palmspublications.

Domimick,T.R (2007) the dynamics of mass communication(20th) India MCGraw-Hill

Folarin, B (1998): Theories of mass communication. Anintroductory Text. Ibadan: striling Horden Publishers.

Koning R (2007) Religion and watching Retricved from dare.Kun.w/bitsream

Macbeth, T.W (1995) The impact of Television: A Natural

Experiment in three communities.www.world.std.com.retreved on 5 July, 2012.

McBride, S etal (1981): many vices, one world. ibadan:university press

MCQuail, P. (2000): Mass communication theory. London:

sage Publishers.

National Broadcasting commission (2006) forth Edition

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http://www.world.std.com.retreved/http://www.world.std.com.retreved/


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National Open University (2008) introduction to masscommunication

Ohaja, E.U (2003): Mass Communication Research andproject report writing Lagos; John letterman ltd

Onabajo, O. (2001) Broadcast management andprogramming. Lagos: Gabi concept Ltd. Travis, J (2001)

The importance of religious tolerance. Retriened fromwww. Find articles.com.

Religious progrmmes: A report of the key finding of aQualitative Research study conducted by counterpointResearch.

The social impact of Television (1996)www.cybercollege.com.retrieved on 5 July, 2012.
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