ASSESSMENT OF NEW COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN RADIO BROADCASTING A STUDY OF FRCN BAUCHI AND BRC BAUCHI

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1.     Background of Study

Human existence would have been meaningless without Information and Communication. Ideas, values, policies and every aspect of socio-cultural, political and economic obligation within the human environments would have been difficult to achieve without adequate dose of information and communication, Daramola (2003). As a result, information acts as grease for lubricating the entire society. However, the invention of modern means of communication with the help of civilization made possible with the advancement of science and technology, the world has gradually become a ‘global village’.

Ekwelie and Okonkwo (1983) in Ukonu (2008) recorded that “at one time, man depended on iron and wooden gong, the town crier for the exchange, transmission and dissemination of information and vital news,” but after the second world war, a great leap was made from this tasking mode of information dissemination to a more advanced, mechanized method of transmitting message or news.

Broadcasting came to Nigeria in stages, one of which was the introduction of wired broadcasting more popularly known as radio distribution or re-diffusion in 1939 by the colonial government of British Broadcast Co-operation (BBC) to redistribute its programme by means of wires connected to loudspeakers installed in various homes of subscribers, Ukonu (2008). It was developed in the United Kingdom (UK) in the 1920’s and exported to their colonies. However, its introduction to Nigeria was on the initiative of the engineers of the post of telegraph department in Lagos who had been involved in monitoring the transmission of the BBC on short wave, Ukonu (2008). Since then, the Nigerian mass media industry has witnessed a phenomenal growth since the establishment of Nigeria Broadcasting Service in 1957 and the country’s first television station, set up by the then government of the former western region in 1959, (Daramola, 2003). He explained further that the establishment of western Nigerian Broadcasting Service combined Radio and African first Television service triggered a race by the other two regions to setup theirs. The information and Communication as a loose term in describing ways in which people, machines and communication system can work together to make jobs quicker, more efficient and more accurate, (Mbam: 2002).

Siegfried Mandel (1962) stated that the world crossed into “information superhighway”, and it is this information superhighway that has tremendously changed the role of communication and information dissemination in the society. Today, with the help of great innovation and scientific inventions, mass communication has been revolutionized with the help of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), (Mbam: 2002). Now we talk about satellite transmission and communication, computer communication, digital broadcasting system, computer, internet information and Communication, digital cellular phones (like GSM), fibre optics, microwave technologies, radio visual systems, robots enterprise software among others.

When Marshal McLuhan talked about the global village many years ago, people at that time thought he was a joker. The new communication technologies have made people become increasingly involved in one another’s life. As Baran, (2009) observes, technologies is not itself a medium but a social force that brings changes to the media world. Therefore, communication is any artifacts manipulated by man to aid him communicate interpersonally or massively, Baran (2009).

The impact of the information and communication technology on media industry has improved as information can reach people around the world within seconds, for instance, digital technology has placed us at a point of a new significant way of development in the history of human communication often called “the Information society” and has transformed the way many men and women work in the media industry, Baran, (2009). Also, information can be sent all around the world within seconds with the new technologies, and news can reach people when it happens.

Information and Communication Technologies have made it possible for dissemination of information evenly and to a wide range of audience especially with the advent of GSM in Nigeria, both the literate, illiterate, urban and rural dwellers alike are kept abreast of vital issues, thereby closing up communication gap or information, (Mbam: 2002). Therefore, in realization of this view, it interests the researchers to assess the application of Information and Communication Technologies in the Globe FM Bauchi Broadcasting Service (GFMB) station and Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC).

1.2.     Statement of the Research Problem.

The new information and communication technologies have been acknowledged by some scholars as the threshold of globalizing the world. Information Technology acts as a great facilitator in globalizing, uniting the disintegrated world and enabling people to gain access to knowledge and services, Baran, (2009). There is no doubt that the world is becoming homogenous and differences between people are distinguishing. So, there is need for the Nigeria media to live up to the challenges.

There are many opinions that Globe FM Bauchi and Bauchi Radio Corporation station cannot compete well with the rest of its counterparts in Nigeria because of so many teething problems such as lack of facilities, obsolete equipment, inadequate training, poor finance and government interference. As a result, this research will investigate these assertions to ascertain the truth of the matter. Moreover, it will go further to find out whether the application of information and communication technologies has impacted on or enhanced the operation of Broadcast media organizations in Nigeria with respect to Globe FM and Bauchi Radio Corporation.

1.3.     Objectives of Study

1. To ascertain the level of application of ICTs in  FRCNBauchi and BRC Bauchi.
2. To identify the factors responsible for that level of ICTs application in FRCN and BRC Bauchi.
3. To assess the implication of the present level of ICTs application in FRCN and BRC Bauchi.
4. To recommend ways of improving the adoption and enhanced application of ICTs in FRCN and BRC Bauchi

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the level of application of ICTs in FRCN and BRC Bauchi?
2. What are the factors responsible for FRCN and BRC Bauchi level of ICTs application?
3. What is the implication of the present level of ICTs application on FRCN and BRC Bauchi?
4. What practical measures could be taken to enhance the application of ICTs in FRCN and BRC Bauchi?

1.5     Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of benefit to media outfits that adopt and make use of ICT in their operations. It is hoped that the findings of this work will not only add to the knowledge in the area of human communication system, but also provoke further research in this very interesting area of ICT. The study will also solve the riddle of how far the technological knowhow has improved the power of communication in Bauchi and Nigeria at large. The research work would also serve as a source of reference for media practitioner as it will help improve the standards of media house through new communication technology. The study will also be of benefits for scholars as it is a material for academic exercise. Also, to the information technologists by providing better ways of broadcasting through the available new media and to the researcher of mass communication as it will serve as reference material for them.