THE ROLE OF IMO BROADCASTING CORPORATION IN THE RURAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT

THE ROLE OF IMO BROADCASTING CORPORATION IN THE RURAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The mass media perform a number of functions in every society. In performing its functions they do not work in isolation of their own but work hand in hand with other social institutions like family, religions institutions, educational institutions, economic institutions and cultural institutions. This work is on the role that Imo Broadcasting Corporation (Television) play in the educational development of Emekuku in Imo State.

The Mass Media beyond being a socializing agency, Umechukwu, (200,p.21) made us to understand that the mass media with their incalculable potentials, derived fundamentally from their transitional roles of education, entertainment, cultural transmission and surveillance of the society.

Okunna (1999, p.108) in her reflections on the social functions of the mass media maintains that mass media as a socializing, agency work closely with other socializing agencies like family, church, school and the peer groups through the process of socialization, the individual is made aware of the value, norms, and acceptable behavioural patterns of the society, they provide a common body of knowledge, the internization of which enables people to operate as effective members of the society.

The invention of television had a very good influence as a medium towards information, dissemination, education and entertainment; that is why scholars like Gebner (2000, p.21) went into intense study to find out its effect on the viewers, Murrow, (1998, p. 90) states that this instrument can teach, it can illuminate, it can even inspire, but to the extent that human beings are determined to use it to those ends otherwise it is merely wires and lights in a box, this tells us that though television is powerful.