CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the Study

The Mass Media made up of print and electronic play a huge role as veritable instruments

of communication in every society. Radio as a medium is a tool for journalistic education

enlightenment mobilization culture propaganda and entertainment. Radio promotes

economic development stimulates political participation and arouses national

consciousness and unity.

Radio was originally brought to Nigeria in 1932 by the British colonial government and

was known as Radio Diffusion Service (RDS). It allowed the public to listen to

programmes of British Broadcasting Corporation as foreign radio. In April 1952 RDS

became the Nigerian broadcasting Service and introduced radio stations in Lagos Kaduna

Enugu Ibadan and Kano. This service was upgraded to the Nigerian Broadcasting

Corporation (NBC) in 1957 by an act of parliament. The NBC was designed to serve the

communication needs of the people in the regions. In the same vein the Broadcasting

Organizations of Nigeria (BON) was founded in 1933 to aid successful interaction of the

broadcasting media in Nigeria. The organization is used as a rallying point for coverage of

major national and international events.

Radio has the ability to serve both illiterate and literate people unlike the print media.

Radio has played major roles in greasing the wheels of the country‟s political economy. It

makes unbeatable contributions to the enhancement of the country‟s growth as exemplified

in its massive political education enlightenment awareness consciousness and provision

offorafor discussion debates and presentations. These functions were manifested during

campaign towards the 2003 general elections. It therefore provided the electorate the

opportunity to set the manifestos and programmes of political parties with a view to

helping them make mature choices during the elections. The mass media are organized

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means of communication designed to reach large numbers of people without the necessity

of personal contact. Radio is regarded as the guardian of the public that examines the

political policy and programmes educates the masses motivates and mobilizes them for

active participation in political programmes and activities. The mass media are

indispensable to the political system in a democratic society. They constitute the fourth

estate of the realm independent free and responsible to the Public. They create awareness

in order for the citizens to know the problems and issues confronting the state and their

possible solutions and consequences. They provide people with information they need and

can stimulate them by presenting the ideas of others. The mass media should play a crucial

role in nurturing and sustaining the success or failure of our practice of democratic

government. To a large extent their success depends on how well the mass media carry

out their functions as the midwife of democracy.

In Nigeria the mass media have become instruments of political transformation of the

masses. According to Akpan (1987 p.22) media information has a tremendous energy for

change. Change in this context refers to learning which manifests mostly where a good

number of people are wallowing in ignorance. The media are needed for information to

improve all aspects of life. In the political sphere the electorate need media information to

participate fully in elections and learn their obligation. Furthermore Eze (1988) while

presenting his article „‟Mass Media and Social Political Transformation‟‟ noted that the

politics of any nation depends heavily on the mass media as platforms of articulating and

marketing of ideas and issues on national problems to the people.

The study will therefore examine the contributions of Radio in mobilizing and galvanizing

the people towards putting in place a stable and acceptable democratic government in Ezza

North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

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1.1.1 Brief History of the Salt FM Radio (EBBS)

Ebonyi Broadcasting Service (EBBS) transmits on 98.10MHZ frequency modulation (FM)

2x2 TX. The Radio Station was established on 3

rd

February 1997 with an initial 200 feet

mast and later increased to 250 feet. The test transmission of the Radio station commenced

on March 22 1997. Earlier the pioneer military administration of Ebonyi State Navy

Captain Walter Feghabo applied for both Radio and Television Licenses to the National

Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on March 3 1997. On July 22 1997 EBBS Radio

started airing commercial programmes. On August 5 1997 the first news bulletin was

transmitted while the first global news came on air on April 1 1998.

Legal Instrument

On 5

th

March 1997 the management of EBBS forwarded the draft edict of the

organization to the Ministry of JusticeEbonyi State through the Ministry of Information

and State Orientation for vetting. Consequently the Ministry of Justice on September 22

1998 forwarded a copy of the Edict to the then Military Administrator His Excellency

Commissioner of Police Simeon Oduoye for assent. Thereupon the Military

Administrator assented to it and consequently Ebonyi Broadcasting Service (EBBS)

Abakaliki received its legal instrument (backing by Edict No.10 (1999).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In democratic societies the mass media are the watchdog of the people. They usually

mobilize and inform the people to create awareness on political culture and other

happenings in the society. It was however observed that the level of mobilization by the

media (radio) to be precise falls short of expectation. Some people even show apathy to

the electoral process preferring to remain mere spectators due to either lack of adequate

information about the political process or because the media have not been alive to their

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responsibility of being objective in their reportage. By political culture we mean the

system of politics where the traditional orientation of the citizens of a nation towards

politics affects their perceptions of political legitimacy. The incipient crises which have so

far beset the process of nation building and political development in Nigeria has been

noted by Ofoeze (1918) as being located in the crises of political participation.

Perhaps it could be argued that the political crises that pervade our recent past is due to

the fact that most people are apathetic about electoral situation in the country. The

sectional interest shown by some politicians and their readiness to pursue their interest is

also a threat to the survival of democracy in the state and the country at large. Apart from

ethnic influence and bias among some media practitioners which negate professional

ethics and money influence to serve the interest of others the profession has also become

an all comer‟s affair thereby threatening its credibility.

This study is set out to answer the question; what is the impact of the Salt FM Radio on the

Political Mobilization of the people of Ezza North Local Government of Ebonyi State?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The purpose of this study is in line with the nations continuous and steady march towards

inculcating democratic culture in its citizens. In effect the objectives are:

1. To find out the reach of Salt FM in Ebonyi State.

2. To determine whether Ezza North L.G.A. indigenes have access to Salt FM Political

Programmes.

3. To determine the extent the Salt FM can mobilize the people of Ebonyi State

politically.

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4. To determine whether the people of Ezza North have other sources of information in

their political mobilization quest.

1.4 Research Questions

To guide this study the following research questions have been formulated.

1. To what extent does the salt FM cover Ebonyi State?

2. How far are the people of Ezza North likely to access political information from Salt

FM?

3. To what extent does Salt FM mobilize the people of Ebonyi State politically?

4. Are the people of Ezza North likely to get political mobilization information through

any other source apart from the State radio?

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study has chosen „‟political mobilization‟‟ by Salt FM Radio Abakaliki and residents

of Ezza North L.G.A. as the scope of study. Also in focus are the issues of ethnic

domination mutual suspicions apathy in the electoral process by a section of the

population and illiteracy which provides a breeding ground for power seeking politicians.

The role of the media in eliminating mutual distrust providing effective political

education strength unity and encouraging participation in the electoral process will also

be covered by this study.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study will be of immense importance to the residents of Ezza North L.G.A. and

Ebonyi State at large because it will reveal the need for mass media (radio) precisely in

political mobilization in Ezza North Local Government Area.

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1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Media: Device for moving messages across distance or time to accomplish mass

communication.

Politics: The pursuit and exercise of the political process necessary to make binding policy

decision for the community and to distribute patronage and government benefits.

Mobilization: To organize or prepare group of people for action or purpose.

Political mobilization: Organizing or preparing group of people to take part in political

activities especially the electorate of their rights and the need for full participation in the

electoral process.

Electoral process: Participating in the laid down process or rules by the electorate

culminating in successful elections.

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