IMPACT OF RADIO ON THE VOTING BEHAVIOUR OF ELECTORATE

IMPACT OF RADIO ON THE VOTING BEHAVIOUR OF ELECTORATE

Abstract

The study examined the impact of radio on the voting behaviour of electorate in the 2016 Edo state governorship election with a particular focus on Benin City. Several efforts and empirical research have shown that mass media most especially radio plays a significant role in educating, enlightening, sensitizing and general mobilization of electorate for political development. Radio is the most effective channels of political education because it offers signal in every nooks and crannies of society and it is very rich in educating, enlightening, mobilizing the electorates for political participation. Survey research method was adopted coupled with 150 copies of questionnaire that were printed and administered to the respondents within Benin City. Therefore, the data were analyzed by using table, frequency and percentage method. It is noted that journalists should see their role in community especially during election as vital which they must not toy with while government should provide more freedom and security for the press to act without fair or favour.