INFLUENCE OF THE MASS MEDIA ON DEVELOPMENT

This study was on mass media consumption patterns among the people of Ini local Government and had the following objectives to find out of the people of Ini have access to the mass media, prevalent mass media accessed by the people of Ini to ascertain the mass media consumption patterns among the people and ascertain other sources of information available to the people. A survey design was employed in the study in which the questionnaire was administered to 200 respondents accidentally chosen from the four (4) clans and two (2) sub-clans constituting the L.G.A. findings showed that the prevalent mass media accessed in the area are the radio, newspaper/magazine, television and film and that opinion leaders, group discussion and direct personal access were the major patterns of mass media consumption in the area. It was recommended that the government should reposition the mass media and broadens access for our people to enhance personal and collective development, and that media practitioners should also have the interest of our rural folks in mind when designing their messages.