EFFECT OF NEWS COMMERCIALIZATION ON THE CONTENT OF PRIVATE MEDIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the study

The mass media are tools for mass communication which have unique responsibilities to keep members of the society informed, educated and entertained, It is through the mass media that the society gets to know what is happening within and around the country and react accordingly. The basic functions of the mass media, according to Lasswell in Peterson, et al (1965) is to act as the society’s watchdog, they are expected to mount surveillance over the environment and correlate the components of the society to ensure effective functioning of the system which will assist in the transmission of the social heritage from generation to generation. In carrying out these functions, the mass media make use of several methods of collecting and disseminating information which include straight news reporting, interpretative reporting and investigative reporting. (Bo, et al 2009). In Nigeria, the roles of journalists in the affairs of the nation is constitutionally recognized in section 21, sub section 150 of the 1979 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.It states that the press must uphold the aims and objectives of Nigeria as a nation and that the press must ensure that all organs of government (Legislature, Executives and Judiciary,) upholds these aims and objectives and perform the duties imposed on them in furtherance of nation building; the press must hold the Government accountable to the people in the performance of its duties and responsibilities to ensure that the aim and objective of nation building are realized. The above provision recognizes and consequently assigns certain functions to the Nigerian media as partners in progress. In 1992, the Babangida military administration de-regulated the Broadcast industry, so as to usher in more participation and ensure more pluralistic views. The basic aim of this policy thrust was to empower those people who hitherto did not have access to the government owned media, for any reason, so that they will have the opportunity to express their views and opinions on national and topical issues. There is a general recognition of the fact that journalists have responsibilities toward the public.These responsibilities may include: contractual responsibility in relation to the media and their internal organization; a social responsibility obligations towards public opinion and society as a whole; responsibility or liability deriving from the obligation to comply with the law; and the responsibility towards national and international communities, to ensure acceptable values, (Ugwuanyi :2005). The media perform these functions in furtherance of their responsibilities to the general public. But a situation whereby media practitioners perform their duties based on financial promptings and reward negate the ethic and objectives of the profession. This work intends to assess the effect of news commercialization on news credibility in the broadcast media, with particular reference to Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune using them as a case study.

The study intends to find out whether the commercialization of news affects its credibility and objectivity and equally to know if it encourages the “Brown envelope syndrome”, accuracy, balance, fairness etc. whether those who cannot afford to pay the media have the opportunity and chances to broadcast their events on air via Mass media of communication, such as the electronic broadcast media.

This study, will also enable the researcher to known if the news managers, News editors and Reporters (journalists) persistently carry out their gate – keeping roles and at the same time still carry out their watchdog roles.

In other words, whether they still maintain the ethics and laws of the profession or not or they are being influenced by the news sponsors and their money.

The study will also endeavor to find if the audience / public have it in mind that the news they read in newspapers and watch in these broadcast media are owned and are paid for by the sponsors since they are not usually mentioned during news broadcasting and information dissemination.

 1.2 Statements of the Problems

Critics have identified distortion of news, imbalanced report and the growing tendency for the public not to believe the media news (lack of objectivity) as major problems inherent in Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune for news and other information.

This is the key problems the researcher wishes to establish is this research work.

Objectivity as an ethical standard is one of the most pervasive in all of journalism. Objectivity in news gathering and presentation is the reporters’ aims and objectives.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The core aims and objectives of this study is to assess the credibility of broadcast news in both Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune since its partial commercialization brought the emergence of news commercialization.

Policy of commercialization is not for private and cooperate organizations to be stake holders in media organization but for such means to be sources of fund for the running of the activities of the media, for the fact that government subventions is sacredly less to keep the organizations afloat. Therefore, the standard set up on news commercialization is another means by which funds can be raised within the media, for the upkeep of the activities.

What is being argued here is that, the media should made commercial news known for the audience, for them to be aware that news they listened to at that point in time is sponsored, by an unidentified people.

What the researcher meant is that the paid news and news not paid should be distinguished.

Observations made are shown that there are limitations in gate keeping functions of the editor. “The gate keeper is any person or formally organized group directly involved in relaying or bans ferry information from one individual to another through any medium of mass communication.” Such person or individual has the ability to limit the information the public receive by editing the information, before it is disseminated.

The researcher equally wants to find out whether the above mentioned is practiced, for the fact that news paid for are edited as the sponsor wanted.

 1.4 Research Questions

The following questions will be asked by the researcher:

What is the effect of news commercialization on the perceived “Brown envelope syndrome” and how has it affected the news credibility of these media?

Has news commercialization, deprived those who cannot afford the stipulated amount access to media?

Has the gate-keeping role being restricted because of news commercialization?

Do the audiences know that the news they watch on AIT and read on Nigerian Tribune are paid for?

 1.5 Significance of the Study

The significant of this study aims at revealing to the media practitioners and broadcast students, the importance of commercialization to the media and professionalism. The study of commercialization in media houses will assist the concept and to know its role in enhancing the success or failure of broadcasting industries.

Purpose of the Study

A lot has been said about commercialization on the contents of private media, however, little is known about ratifications and implications of the organization of this measure and how far it has affected or will affect the operation of the organization, their performances and fulfillment of their obligations and responsibility to the Nigerian public.

1.6 Scope of the Study

Although, the primary aims and objectives of the project are to examine the effect of commercialization on the content of private media, this can not be effectively talked without considering the demographic factor of AIT and Nigerian tribune staffs and sample number of the public that respond to the questionnaire of this study. Experience, education background, professional training, age, sex e. t. c must be considered before the distribution of research instruments.

 1.7 Limitations of the Study

The study concentrates mostly on credibility and objectivity of news in Africa Independent Television and Nigerian Tribune. These factors will be linked up with the brown envelope syndrome amongst journalists and news editors. Time constraint has posed a lot of limitations to this work, inadequate finance of this project is another hindrance. This project is also limited to AIT and Nigerian Tribune where all findings would be generalized.

1.8 Definition of the Terms

Commercialization: It is a kind of dourness of fund from sales. Where money in generated from something in form of sales. A situation whereby the broadcast media generate income from the news by selling air time for news instead of broadcasting the news based on accepted news values.

Credibility: Credibility is which can be believed operational definition. Audience acceptance to believe the news contents of the broadcast media.

Gate Keeping: Any person or formally organized group directly involved in relaying or disseminating information from one individual to another mass medium. Mass media audience perception of gate keepers incapability to limit information, removal of unwanted areas of the news story and to widen paid stories in the broadcast media.

Brown Envelope: A means by which news sponsors give money inform of bribe to journalist and editors. Audience view that editors and journalists collect money in terms of bribe from news sponsors, thereby preventing them from carrying out their unique roles unbiased.

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows. Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (background of the study), statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope of the study etc. Chapter two being the review of the related literature presents the theoretical framework, conceptual framework and other areas concerning the subject matter.     Chapter three is a research methodology covers deals on the research design and methods adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

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