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PROBLEMS OF PRIVATE MEDIA MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Propaganda is a unique device used in politics. This is mostly observed in most electioneering campaign process. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary, propaganda are ideas and statements that may be false or exaggerated and that are used in order to gain support for a political leader, party, etc.  In his own view, Szanto (2008) sees propaganda as “a specific form of activated ideology.” He argues that propaganda is one of the manifestations of the ideology that involves the sales of specific concepts.

According to Longe and Ofuani, (2006) the sole purpose of propaganda is to misinform and mislead and to consciously indoctrinate. Propaganda aims at deliberate slanting of facts and arguments as well as displays of symbols in ways the propagandist thinks will have the most effects. For maximum effects, the propagandist may deliberately withhold pertinent facts, and try to divert the attention of the people he is trying to sway from every other thing but his own propaganda. This is why Szanto (2008) argues that propaganda could be “total falsehood, on the one hand, and on the other a totally valid depiction of reality or truth.

The role of the broadcasters and the broadcast media as agents of rural and national development, especially at the information dissemination level is now generally recognized and accepted by experts and policy makers. (Nwosu, 1990). In Nigeria, there are two main types of media ownership namely; government ownership and private ownership. In the case of government ownership, the government establishes, controls and finances the media outfit. Private ownership is when an individual or a group of persons establish, control and finance the media outfit in partnership.

There is a symbiotic relationship between the media and the society. It is in the interest of the society to have strong and robust mass media just as it is in the best interest of the media to uphold the values and protect the interest of the society from which they derive their impulse, support and patronage. No media institution can survive if it is perceived to be working against its own society (Onukaba 2005).

It is the duty of any media institution to keep the public aware of what was going on around them by providing accurate, factual and timely information at all times. It is also the duty of the media to warn and alert the public about impending dangers to interpret events or provide information needed by the public to make every day decision that will make them participate actively in the political, economic and social activities of a community and to assist the public in determining current trends. Media organizations are also expected to use their products to educate, entertain, modify public opinions, reinforce attitudes and set agenda for the society. In many societies, people depend on the media to know where to find jobs, where to shop, where to eat, seat out, who to vote for etc. It is therefore, safe to say that the influence of the media extends to every aspect of human life and society (Onukaba 2005). 

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