MASS MEDIA AS AN INSTRUMENT OF POLITICAL MOBILIZATION

The various literature studies intended to stress the mass media role in the National Development which reflects in the area of democracy political leadership. In this study the researcher decided to draw home the truism that without a national political consciousness and viable political participation resulting in good leadership; there could be no genuine national development. The mass media as the fourth estate of government had been assigned the various responsibilities in the society including he watchdog role the educator and entertainer of the various segments of the people. The roe of the mass media as an instrument of political mobilization in the modern societies involves a whole network of more or less formalized institutions that deals with communication of all types. Normally this requires a considerable capital as the case with the radio television and publishing houses. Necessarily, they have to Carter for the mass audience. For this reason those who control the mass media is usually suggest that they have the ability and capacity to manipulate and mobilize the people during the transition era. The alteration of primary social relationship under the impact of industrialization has left the population lacking in sense of group identity and social control. The Nigeria democratic system having been bastardized and destroyed by certain degrunted elements, look into the mass as the way out to correct the abnormally and injustice the Nigeria democratic dispensation. This work tried to identify the functions problems and prospects of the mass media of communication and equally highlights their ability to carry out this enormous responsibility to an enviable height in the mobilization of the people towards a viable and sustaining democratic polity. The success of the new political order in Nigeria comes by the year 2007 depends. To a large extent, the level of political awareness in Nigeria could be raised, and the choice of the Enugu state broadcasting service as a case study is aimed at diagnonizing the impact and effect of the medium towards the proper mobilization of the people. The work highlights the impact of the mass media in informing educating and entertaining the masses towards polity. It is hoped that if the findings and recommendations suggested in this work are followed Nigerians could have a chance of witnessing an enduring and lasting political culture.