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EFFECT OF MEDIA CREDIBILITY ON NEWS CONSUMPTION AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

On daily basis, whether orchestrated by human being or by natural forces, event unfold in separate parts of the world that must be brought to the knowledge of the general public in the performance of these duty, the role of newspapers, which is a medium of mass communication that uses printing technology to disseminate information to a large heterogeneous and diverse audience, cannot be underestimated. However, after the abolition of slave trade “Iwe-Iroyin fun awon Egba ati yoruba” came into being in 1859 which was printed as plain news without segment in content but which was meant to minister to the Egba returnees.

According to Oyewale (2003) Evolution growth and development of mass media in Nigeria Iwe-Iroyin was established in 1859 by Reverned Henry Townsend, which according to him was to get the people of Egba to read, that is beget the habit of seeking for information by reading newspapers. In other word, Henry Townsend’s motive for establishment Iwe-Iroyin was primarily to increase the literacy level of Egba and improving their acquisition of knowledge through reading.

Although, Iwe-Iroyin was short-lived, specifically after 8years, investigating reporting, features, editorials, announcement supplements, verbatim interview and advertisement of goods and services or idea (Adisa, 2003) with the motive of directing attention of the people to the product. Other content in newspaper include games and puzzle, photograph (picture that communicates and cartoons for entertainment). Newspapers also educate the readers.

In discussing mass media credibility on news consumption among civil servants, the relevance of the selective influence theory according to Mc Quail (2000) cannot be overlook. In these sense, the retinal for this claim is said to be rooted in the fact that dissimilarities in the mentalities or the way with which civil servants perceives, retain react or take action and agree with massage in the print media as news consumption is more higher than those that belief in electronic media. The reason for this may be found in the fact that majority of those of them in Oshogbo either do not have interest or enough time to be listening to radio or view television because of the nature of their jobs.

For instance, lecturers who have to lecture students from 8am till 5pm and there is no television receiving set or radio to get him/her informed about happening in the society will prefer reading news paper. This is because such lecturer will have this opportunity of reading news paper when he/she is less busy in his/her office.

Some civil servants prefer or belief in reading news paper because it enables them to have the opportunity of being informed about events, issues, or places at their own convenient time. Some news paper focus an advertisement and business news/market shares or any other issue an economic or social life while some aim at serving as watch dog and speak on belief of the people through editorial writing. Entertainment aspect involves the uses of cartoon to reveal serious matter in amassing way or at times to entertain details.

This indeed may have been the driving force behind the credibility given to print media over electronic media by civil servants in Oshogbo, because by going through their stories sustaining the interest of their readers in their products as well as giving them optimum satisfaction with that they present in every segment of their product (News paper).

Despite the above assertions, there are also civil servants who believe in listening to radio or watching television because of the fact that they have opportunity of such in their offices or find a means.

1.2       HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CIVIL SERVICE

Modern civil services systems are largely the product of development in western Europe patterns then being exported or copied by nations in other parts of the world. In turn, European practices can be traced to his historical antecedents in medieval and ancients times. China, Egypt, Greece and Rome have all contributed something to present day public administrations, but Rome administrative institutions have exerted by far the greatest influence. The empire provided legal principles and the rudiments of an administrative structure that carried over into modern term (international encyclopedia of the social science).

In Nigeria, there are federal and civil servants with each state of the 36 states in Nigeria having it own. Civil servants remain intact no matter the government in power through there is slight modification in Nigeria civil service. This change affects mainly the permanent secretaries who are the administrative heads to the ministries with a news nomenclature of director who will now swim and sink with the government that appointed them. it is as a result of the fact that the success of failure of a government depends mainly on the performance of the civil servants and news paper are interrelated in the sense that civil servant read newspaper to enable them to be informed of events, issue, and happenings in their immediate environment and beyond. That is to say that civil servant depends on the newspaper for the satisfaction of their news consumption.

Not only that newspapers also through reports of market stock exchange, capitalization and shares keep civil servant inform of economy situation in country.

Entertainment aspect of it cannot be over-emphasized through cartoon, which involves humorous, drawing that induces laughter. Reading such in the newspaper can relief one from his/her grief, Sorrow or unpalatable experience.

Likewise, newspapers enables civil servants to know or read about what people say about government policies through news dissemination.

1.3              STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

This research project focuses on civil servants in Oshogbo. It would also emphasize on the reason why the civil servants believe in media as their news consumption and its effect on them. It also finds out whether credibility and objectivity from part of what determine their exposure.

1.4              RESEARCH QUESTIONS

–                      What is the frequency of civil servants exposure to media?

–                      What influences the government officials to believe in media report?

–                      What is the attitude of civil servants to newspapers they read?

–                      Is there any conformity in what media offers the society i.e. civil servants and what is happening in the society?

1.5              OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of the study is to find the effect of media credibility on news consumption among civil servants in Oshogbo.

1.6              SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research plays a significant role in enabling the media to ascertain whether the credibility of their contents impact on news consumption of civil servants in Oshogbo or entrusted by these civil servants on the media.

Besides, it enables the media to measure and determine the news consumption pattern among the civil servants in Oshogbo as well as proving whether the credibility of their message influence news stories reading or listening habit.

 1.7              SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study covers only civil servants in Oshogbo.

1.8              LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Inadequate time and funding served as limitation to the study.

1.9              DEFINITION OF THE TERMS

Effect: according to oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (seventh Edition) is a change that somebody or something causes in somebody or something else.

Media: this refers to collective means of communicating with a large number of people that heterogeneous and widely scattered in nature.

Credibility: this is the capacity of being believed or a public official of maintaining the public confidence. Media credibility: this refers to the degree at which media messages could be believed. News: this is the timely account of an effect by a reporter.

News consumption: this refers to the habit of listening to the radio, watching television or viewing and reading the news in the media.

Civil servants: this according to international encyclopedia of the social science. Also refers to as serving the state in a professional capacity except for those in military and judicial services.

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