THE INFLUENCE OF WESTERN TELEVISION PROGRAMME ON THE CULTURAL VALUES OF NIGERIA YOUTHS

THE INFLUENCE OF WESTERN TELEVISION PROGRAMME ON THE CULTURAL VALUES OF NIGERIA YOUTHS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study is based on the influence of western television programmes on the cultural values Of Nigerian youths using Caritas University Students as a study. The term culture has been defined differently by different people. The different definitions attached to culture are based on the differences in the orientation of the people.

According to Ekeh (1989), culture is the construct used in an attempt to analyze and integrate events and ideas in broad spectrum of areas of society. Jekayinka (2002), states that from wider perspective, culture includes the total repertoire of human action which are socially transmitted from generation to generation. Obiora (2002), says the transformation of culture is gradual and not sudden. He (2002), contends that culture is a continuous process of change. It changes exactly the same way as the human being change. It is dynamic, learned, acquired and transmitted or diffused through contact or means of communication flow from generation to another. The Nigerian culture is observed to be fading out as a result of the acceptance and adaptation of the modernist’s solution on to underdevelopment. One of such theories which relates to this subtle method of assault international communication is given by Lerner (1956).

In his concept of “empathy”, Lerner states that the inhabitants of third world nations must learn to empathize with the West for modern transformation of their societies to be possible. Schramm (1964), on the other hand, developed an interesting model in which he equates the level of social development of communication to various nations. Access to these modern mass media (Radio, Television, films, telephone, and newspapers) is linked to individual modernity. Nigeria and other third world countries have reacted to these finding by inventing a substantial amount of their foreign exchange earnings to import radio and television transmitters and sets. The television programmes especially provides many powerful models for children and abundant opportunities for observational learning.

The television programmes include:

1. Depiction of sex
2. Violence
3. Drug and Alcohol used
   1. Vulgar Language – behaviours. Etc. that most parents do not want their children to imitate.

Studies have been found by early adolescence that the average Nigerian children have watched thousands of dramatized murders and countless other acts of violence on television (www.encarta.com). For many years, psychologists have debated the question of whether watching violence on Tv have detrimental effects on children. A number of experiments both inside and outside the laboratory have found evidence that viewing Tv violence is relayed to increased aggression in children.