Chapter One
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
““In the last few years participative Television (TV) has seen the upward growth trend
with innovative technologies being deployed by broadcasters“ Owens et al (1999).”Of the
modern day inventions, the advent and spread of television channels across the globe have
subtly changed the contours of social relationship. The literature on the influence of TV
viewing is less. Man is a social animal and socializing plays an important role in keeping
ourselves concerned about others in neighborhood. “Television is the window of the world.
That is through television we can see what is happening in different part of the world. The
glamour and glory of television has attracted all sectors of society.” It has literally hypnotized
the even teenagers. Today the beneficial and adverse influence of television is a matter of
great concern. The harmful influence have been often postulated and reported. “But no serious
scientific attempts have been made to confirm this. Television viewing is quite random these
days. People are more addicted to it rather than giving time to their dear ones.”(Owens et al
1999).
Most viewers now, however, are watching their TV mainly via cable; terrestrial and
direct to home television delivered via satellite Internet through mobile phones. Accessibility
to television is on increase day by day and has been accepted by the society. Varieties of
programs like, News, Sports, Educative, Entertainment, animation, etc. are available round the
clock. These are especially designed to attract all sectors of society. Many targeted programs
and commercials in television are drawing more number of children to its folds. Adolescent
high, students and adult spend more time in front of TV by waiving their regular activities.
“The impact of television, a powerful media, used by very large number of student is a matter
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of great concern to psychologists educationist community health personnel, pediatricians,
educationalists, parents, planners and social scientists worldwide.” “Change in lifestyle, low
school performances, behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances has been associated with
the television viewing. Baseline data regarding television viewing habits like time spent in
viewing, distance from the television, program selections etc. are crucial which need to be
understood to formulate effective awareness strategies.”
Influence of the media
The media has become an important institution in our modern societies. However, we often
delude ourselves into underrating the capability of the press. We must understand that the
press forms part of our life as members of a community. The term media is the plural of
medium “the media are one of the many institutions that exist in a society.” (Berger, 2007).
As people, we have identified and accepted the influence of various institutions that helps
maintained our society in which we lived. Education, the family, religion, and politics, all this
institution, have been accepted to have a significant impact in maintaining and influencing our
lifestyle and behaviors. However, there is certain degree of delusion to the actual impact of
the media on the choices we make in life and generally our way of life.
With human activities becoming more and more sophisticated, society changing, with cultural
landmarks being eliminated. The Media in the 21st century have succeeded to be one of the
institutions that have helped maintain the community. The media has over the years evolved
into an organization that has accommodated almost all other organizations of the society, with
a robust platform of presentation that has no physical boundaries. Along with this
development is the challenge of “media imperialism” or “media colonialism.”
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The question this development raised is to what level have this “electronic empire”. The
theory of Media imperialism suggests when smaller nations are being dominated by superior
nation and the thereby smaller nation losing their identity due to the media influencing foreign
culture on smaller countries culture through free television and satellite. This theory has been
very useful, with all world super power developing and exporting their culture through Mega
Media organizations. These media organizations either absorb smaller media organizations or
put them out of business. With this development, a lot of media programs have been exported,
and this exported content where accepted. To further drive the concept of Media imperialism
was emphasized by Hali S. M, a columnist. Has made an interesting media study on the
influence of using media as the weapon that is used by developed countries to influence
smaller countries. The media control as used by powerful countries equated to “god” thereby
called the “the second god.” This insinuation was made by Tony Schwartz who also authored
“The Responsive Chord.” Among prominent scholars who has learned their voice to the
growing capacity of the media to change the world, is Marshall McLuhan. Without any doubt,
the guru of the electronic age, who predicted the world coming together into a global village,
explained the capacity of media to change our world and how we can shape the media. This
latter part of developing the media suggests how we can use media effectively.
The stronger nations took advantage of media as a tool to propagate their culture, political
ideology, and way of life embedded in television contents. This is evidence as a lot of youth
this days dress, speak and behave like foreigners from America, Europe or even India as the
case may be, based on their exposure on television without necessary traveling to experience
these culture foreign culture first hand. The student of the American University of Nigeria
comprises of youth within the age bracket of 16 to 30. This age bracket on average represents
the media quest populace that depends heavily on Western and foreign media for their
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entertainment, information, and mass education at times. With this heavily, exposure comes
the little by little but certainly emulation of foreign culture and way of life. Students of the
American University of Nigeria are used as case study for this research.
Nigeria, and Africa in general witness enormous development with the explosive increase of
media organizations. This development is evidence in recent years as many indigenous private
own media house emerged. Now media institution and their content are jointly created,
managed and aired with shared interest by the State media establishment and privately owned,
as again when it was solely in the hands of the government. With this change, competition
among local media, the institution became intensify, and our cultural values as a society stood
at the receiving end. In particular, foreign News content is not seen as causing harm, like
other programs. Television is in the driving seat in creating the atmosphere of media
imperialism.
Every medium of mass communication has its unique features, which gives it advantage over
another medium. The double side of audio and visual components make Television must
advantage medium since its invention. Even with the development of the “new Media”
television remains the most powerful of all medium of mass communication. (McQuail,
2005). Television has created a satisfaction margin for people especially the younger
generation. The media organizations are much aware of their targeted audience and are in
constantly creating content that will be appealing to this curious group of the society. With the
media taking the leadership role among social institutions that exist in the society that is
responsible for keeping the society together, and through which the society is preserved.
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1.2Statement of Problem
Since the proliferation of Cable Television and to a larger extend the Internet, the cultural
values and norms of the Nigerian youth have been misplaced. The culture has been relegated
to the background, where only the elderly are seen practicing or holding part of their
culture. The youth in Nigeria today dressed, speak, and interact using foreign cultural
approach. Communal and interpersonal relationships that use to be our uniqueness as African
and Nigerians has now given way to Western and Foreign way of life, with virtual presence.
The computers have taking over our face to face conversation, virtual community and meeting
places like face book, Instagram, twitter, whatsApp and other social media platforms have
taken over our usual news time hour meeting, physical meeting and other forms of
interpersonal communication that has maintained our relationship for ages. Today the youth in
our society have accepted without questioning this foreign media, and the result is the birth of
Hybridge local culture where the elderly and not familiar with, and the youths constantly
trying to structure. Negligence and abandon of local culture are noticeable in the area of food
choice, and eating habits, dressing, sexual orientation that are very alien to our cultural value.
With the increase reliance on Media and the increasing influx of foreign media contents,
morals which have distinguished us have shown sign disappearing and the emergence of the
alien way of life especially among the youths.
In his work O’Donnell (2007) claims that television content is a deduction of the society’s
customs, values, norms and general practice such and fashion and communication style forms.
Foreign television content is carrying largely the culture of the home country they are
designed from. In the society today foreign television content are becoming more and more
popular among Nigerian youths. This foreign television content ranges from Hollywood,
Bollywood, European Football and other reality programs that have taken over our airwaves.
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The display of foreign culture by most AUN students who never had any long time firsthand
experience with other culture led the development of this research
1.3 Objective of the study
1 To survey the effect of foreign television content on AUN students.
2 To survey the most influential TV program.
3 To evaluate how exposure to foreign television programs does influence the following, of
AUN students: lifestyle, food, communication, dressing and sexual orientation.
1.4 Research Questions
1. To what extent does foreign television content influence AUN student?
2. What is the most watched program among AUN students?
3. To what extent has exposure to foreign television programs influences AUN students
with regard to: lifestyle, food, communication, dressing and sexual orientation?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
Ho: Television does not have significant influence on AUN student
H1: Television does not have influence on sexual orientation.
1.6 Scope of the study
The study will be centered on the possible effect of television on student on campus with
concentration of dressing, life style, sexual orientation and communication. The study will be
bordered on effect such behavior can have on college students.
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1.7 Significance of the study
The study will be significant because it will identify the effect of foreign television content on
students, the study will help student identify how their cultural norms and lifestyle is been
shaped by the content they expose their self into. This will help the student take control of
what they expose themselves into considering the fact that constant exposure has been proven
to lead to cultivation.
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