ABSTRACT

This research investigates the impact of Television (TV) programs on culture and people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State. The study suggests that the current trend in cultural behavour of Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State is particularly associated with their view of the violent culture and exposure to violent TV programmes. The assumed believe that foreign media program contents has a powerful direct effect is shared by optimistic modernization theory; Lerner (1962) Rogers (1964) Schramm (1964) and the later critical perspective of cultural and media imperialism, McPhail (1981), (1984) Gerbuer (1977). The study utilized the theory of acculturation coupled with the culturation hypothesis, “Defluer and Dennis 1991, Garbner 1977, Morgan 1991” explains that acculturation of Nigeria people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State take place as a result of exposure to violent Tv, which influence the perception of Tv reality and alters self-image. From the review of related literature, the following hypotheses emerged for testing HI: More exposure to Tv will tend to identification of violent television stars as models. H2: The improvement of Local Tv movies industries will increase Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State’ preference for local Tv product. Research hypotheses 1 and 2 received statistical support from the analysis of collected data using the survey research method Recommendations to check the cultural genocide for further research were preferred.          

CHAPTER ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This study is on The Influence Of Violent Television Programmes On People of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State. 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 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 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, 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: Depiction of sex, Violence, Drug and Alcohol use, 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.

          Nigerians as exemplified by trends in Burutu where Violent exports of television entertainment, information are shown in television programmes. Thereby, making them to behave like them, associate with them and even speaks like them. Even our generation that is shown on NTA and the youth perspective are presented by youth and replete with music video of Violent origin dominated by rap stars as Cardi B, Beyonce, Ashanti, 50- Cent, Sean Paul, Kelly Rowland, etc. It is the researcher’s believe that violent television especially American television exports have a strategic “weapon” aimed to over power people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

          The influence of Violent television programmes on  people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State have been said to be a serious problem facing Nigerians. Some of these problems are: Inadequate policy to guard the people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State towards Violent Tv programmes, There is an erosion of the cultural values, The imitation of Violent cultures especially the American  cultures, The Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State are faced with brain wash, Therefore, if the above problems are not been taking care off, it will lead to a total destruction of the Nigerians culture.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

          The researcher’s objective is to conduct an in-depth research on the influence of Violent television programmes on the cultural values of the Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State with an insight to determine its implication to  people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State are:

1. To show how the contents of Violent television programme affects Nigerian The people.
2. To examines its pervasive impact on  University student.
3. To know how to isolate Violent television programmes from Nigeria.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

1. The research will help in possible dilution, domination and finally absorption of the African/Nigerian culture which until the present has been characterized with good neighbourliness, respect for elders, virtuousness, community orientation and collectivism.
2. It will enable the government and policy makers to put adequate measures in place to check the movement of Violent television programmes into Nigeria.
3. It will help remove the idea of imitating Violent cultures or ways of life from Nigeria.
4. The conduct of this research will enable the government to know what role the media can play in the development of a country and therefore, harness the mass media especially Tv in the democratic process and development process in general.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          The research questions are arranged questions meant to be asked by the researcher and receives a feedback (answer) from a respondent. For a researcher to achieve her aim, the following question should be used.

1. Do Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State expose themselves more to Tv than other media?
2. Do they prefer Violent Tv programmes to locally produced ones?
3. Do Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State identify more with locally or foreign Tv stars as models?
4. Will improvement of local Tv/movies industries improve Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State preference for local Tv product?

1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

          The scope of this study is to find out how the Violent Television Programmes affect  People of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State using Delta State School of Marine TechnologyUniversity as a case study.

The institution is been noted for a constant influence of Violent television programs on their cultural values. Hence, the need for choosing the institution as a case study commenced.

          In the cause of the research, oral interview were consulted on both staffs and students of the institution. But the research depends more on the questionnaire which were distributed to students and staffs and were completed and returned. The researcher also consulted some textbooks, Newspapers and journals which provided a lot of information pertaining to the study.

1.7       LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Though this research work is on the influence of Violent television programmes on the cultural valves of Nigerian people of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State. It is limited to Nigerian People of Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, This is because of time and resource, had it been that time and resource were available similar studies would have been done in other private University/ schools in the country so as to ensure a more embracing result.

1.8       CONCEPTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF THE TERMS.

1. Youth: It means young men and women.
2. Media: The media is operationalised as Tv. Broadcast used to generate or circulate information to the public.
3. Cultural identify: It is those commonly shares socio-political interpretation and meanings related to the beliefs, norms, values, attitudes and behaviours within Nigeria.
4. Cultural dominance: It means the conscious and unconscious domination by Violent Tv media on the media system of Nigeria.