Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria, 1963

Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria,

ISBN 978 049 378 6

-

2004

Digitally Signed by Ray.Udeajah

Faculty of Arts

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

Rayquest

Mass Communication

Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria, 1963

Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria, 1963 –

Udeajah, Ray A.

Snaap Press

Ray.Udeajah

a, Nsukka

Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria, 1963 – 2003

– 2003

Broadcasting and Politics in Nigeria, 1963 – 2003

Abstract

Broadcasting blends life and history, time and eternity, reality and legend into a

significant mosaic to enhance human

aspirations. In Nigeria, radio and television

programmes have been used over the years by

each succeeding government to enlist loyalty

and to mobilize the populace towards political

goals. In pursuit of their tasks, political actors

rely heavily upon the services of the media

stations. This is because broadcast media

products influence people’s political

orientation. Nigerian broadcasting

environment has changed considerably. The

number and variety of broadcasting stations

and media users have increased tremendously.

This book examines the evolution of

broadcasting in the political history of Nigeria

over a period of 40 years: 1963-2003. This

work is both chronological and thematic. It

combines descriptive analysis with appraisal

of the mutual influence of the principal

variables. The researcher obtained data from

both primary and secondary sources. The

former includes information elicited from

broadcast media practitioners and from the

audience of their programmes. Oral interview

dominated in that case, whereas in the latter, the search for data extended to books,

academic journals, seminar papers, policy pronouncements, government official records,

and related publications. After collecting data from these sources, the researcher

evaluated them, and synthesized the evidence in order to establish facts regarding the

relationship between broadcasting and politics in the evolution of Nigeria. Broadcasting

evolved side by side with politics in Nigeria, and both had mutual influence throughout

the period covered by this study. From the modest beginning of the First Republic,

through military-civilian transitions, the media survived the monopoly of government.

When innovative policies and technologies transformed Nigerian broadcast spectrum

with liberalization in 1992, private broadcast stations emerged. Broadcasting became a

major source of information for political actors of varied orientations. Subsequently,

more people learned about Nigeria not just by direct experience but also through a

representation of it in radio and television. This reality has tremendous consequences for

meaningful existence in the future.

• About the author and his book The author, Ray A. Udeajah, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mass

Communication in his alma mater, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His interest in this

book centres on the political role of communication culture in democracy. He

acknowledges the immense contributions of broadcast culture to the processes of

social re-orientation and mass mobilization.

A multi-disciplinary scholar, Ray

Udeajah holds the following degrees of the

University of Nigeria, Nsukka:

• Ph.D in Political History, with

specialization in Broadcast History.

• MSc in Political Science

• MA in Mass Communication

• BA Ed. (Hons.) Modern Languages

His interdisciplinary curiosity has inspired

many candidates to success in communication

studies.

This book is situated at the point of

intersection of disciplines in Engineering,

Humanities and Social Sciences. Its unique volume of 554 pages elucidates the

relationships between broadcasting and politics and shows how politics influenced

the evolution of the broadcast industry in Nigeria. More than this, it fills the gap in

knowledge and satisfies the great need of enabling the reader understand political

actors’ manipulation of the mass media. Through this book the reader learns to look

at Nigeria’s political adventures and broadcast media system in a new light.