CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Radio is regarded as an important modern medium because of its characteristics. It is cheap and affordable for large sections of populations everywhere. Its content is inexpensive to create and transmit. It is accessible because it does not require literacy. Listening to it is convenient while its programming is flexible. It can reach far and remote places where there is no access to other mass media. These characteristics have helped radio to perform important developmental roles, especially in the area of education.

According to Bosch (2007), in the absence of other forms of media such as television and newspapers, radio has proven to be a powerful and vital means of entertainment and communication that guarantees community involvement in the communication process. Further researches show that radio is renowned for providing communities with up-to-date local and international information in their own languages accompanied by various music genres that are compatible with diverse cultural inclinations (Mmusi, 2002, p.3; National Community Radio Forum, 1993, p.10).

The development of digital radio and its capacity to integrate or network with various Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), through convergence, has arguably placed radio as the world’s most successful ICT to date that reaches millions of listeners everyday (National Community Radio Forum, 1993, p6). While the traditional functions of national radio, especially Public Broadcasting Service, cannot be underestimated, community radio serves as a “niche” of the media landscape that serves as a primary source of reliable information for the entire population (Dunaway, 2002, p.4). As such, the sector has continued to provide news and information relevant to the needs of community members in the form of a medium which empowers them politically, socially and economically, through locally produced and oriented media content (Wigston, 2001; Fraser & Estrada, 2001). This is evident in the kind of programming that reflects people’s needs with regard to education, information, and entertainment to all language and cultural groups in the country (Mmusi, 2002;Teer-Tomaselli, 1995).

Although radio is not a new phenomenon, private ownership, control of programming, content and operation is relatively a recent phenomenon. It has been gaining strength throughout the world in recent years most especially in developing countries. As a result, private FM and community radio has attracted the attention of many international development organizations as an optimal resource to be developed in the struggle for democracy, the fight against disease, and the preservation of local language and culture (Blackson, 2005).

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

According to Simmering and Fairbairn (2007), there is a need for the Nigeria broadcasting media to strive not only in meeting with the competitiveness of the industry in the area of listenership, but strive for excellence in both qualitative and quantitative media content and programming to meet its target audience.

One of the major challenges facing campus broadcasting stations is lack of adequate financial supports. There is a need for the school management to place value on the running of the campus broadcasting station. Inadequate dissemination of information is a major challenge facing campuses across the nation, the ability to get the slightest information of every students has been almost impossible. The use of a functional campus radio can station can help to overcome this problem.

In order to fully support this lofty aspiration, there is the need for the mass media to serve not only as an outlet for just information dissemination, but also for societal development, socialization of norms and values as well as agent of ethic and technological rejuvenation in the face of mounting pressure from popular culture through the media that seems to be eroding communal life and virtues around us.

These problems make it glaring that there is a need to carry out a study on the prospects and challenges of campus broadcasting station in Nigeria, using UNILAG FM 103.1 as a case study.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of this study is to examine the prospects and challenges of campus broadcasting station in Nigeria, using UNILAG FM 103.1 as a case study. The specific objectives of the study are:

1.     To ascertain the operational nature of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station.

2.     To find out the factors that influences the establishment of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station.

3.     To investigate if there is enough finances for running the radio station (UNILAG FM 103.1).

4.     To know if UNILAG FM 103.1 has been able to solve the information dissemination problem of the campus.

5.     To identify the challenges facing the administration of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The relevant research questions related to this study are:

1.     What is the operational nature of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station?

2.     What are the factors that influences the establishment of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station?

3.     Is there enough finances for running the radio station (UNILAG FM 103.1)?

4.     Has UNILAG FM 103.1 been able to solve the information dissemination problem of the campus?

5.     What are the challenges facing the administration of UNILAG FM 103.1 broadcasting station?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings gathered in the course of this research would help the broadcast industry, media policy makers, the legislature, federal government regulatory agency in charge of broadcasting and university management/authorities to foster a more proactive, competitive and productive ways of developing community radio broadcasting in Nigerian universities. Wherever it will be established, this work would further provide information and additional literature on the nature, challenges and the prospect of campus community radio broadcast in Nigeria in particular, Africa and the rest of the developing world in general.

This study will enhance the existing body of literature by contemplating the areas of the literature that have not yet been examined or considered and incorporating these factors into the current study. The study will thus form the basis for further studies in the field.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study is restricted to the prospects and challenges of campus broadcasting station in Nigeria, using UNILAG FM 103.1 as a case study. Students of university of Lagos are selected randomly across various departments and faculties by the researcher as sample population.