Asian Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies

Getting Out of the Dark: Assessing the Role of Radio Political Programmes in Improving Political Awareness among Residents of Owerri

Iheanacho O. Cajetan

Department of Mass Communication, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

Akwari Chika Onwukwe

Department of Mass Communication, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

Esther Abimbola Damisa

National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna, Nigeria.

Etumnu, Emeka Williams *

Department of Mass Communication, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

---

Abstract

This study assessed how radio political programs influenced the people of the Owerri metropolis' level of political awareness. The Agenda-setting theory served as the foundation for the investigation. For this study, the descriptive survey research methodology was used. The Wimmer and Dominick online sample size calculator was used to get a sample size of 384 from the population of 555,500 people in the Owerri metropolitan area. In this investigation, a multi-stage sampling technique was adopted. The instrument used to collect the data was a questionnaire, and percentages were used to assess it. The results showed that 44.0% of the respondents in Owerri metropolis are aware of radio political programs to a large extent. On average, 68.4% of the respondents have the following perceptions: that radio political programs make them politically alert and that this gives them the opportunity to contribute to the political issues in Nigeria. Furthermore, 47.0% of respondents confirmed that exposure to political programs has significantly increased their level of political awareness. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the fact that just 44.0% of the respondents in Owerri metropolis are aware of radio political programs to a large extent is not enough. Hence, radio stations should intensify their efforts in carrying out political programs so that more people will get to know about different political programs that will help them make wise decisions when participating in politics. Producers of political programs should be innovative or creative in the production of their programs so as to keep improving the political awareness of residents with the intention of getting them involved in the political affairs of their locality and, by extension, the country.

Keywords: Political programs, awareness, radio, political awareness, Owerri

---

---

---

References

Obi EC, Okoli O, Chiaghana C, Ono GN. Political awareness campaign as a probable influence on Anambra women participation in politics. UNIZIK Journal of Gender Research (UJGR). 2022;1:149-173.

Oyesomi K, Oyero O, Okorie N. Media advocacy, development journalism and child rights issues in Nigeria. Scholar Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. 2014;2(2B):261-265.

Available:http://saspjournals.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/03/SJAHSS-22B261-265.pdf.

Adekoya HO, Akintayo JB, Adegoke JL. The role of radio in the mobilization of women towards political participation: A study of Ogun State, Nigeria. Researches on Humanities and Social Sciences. 2015;5(9):11-18.

Arede E, Oji M. Influence of radio broadcasting on political participation among people of South-South Nigeria. Studies in Media and Communication. 2022;10(2):25-38. Available:https://doi.org/10.11114/smc.v10i2.5551

Tham JS, Wenn W, Ong B, Lim LY. Media agenda in politics: how Malaysian RTM Radio Stations Cover 14th General Election. IIUM Journal of Human Sciences. 2020;2(1):25-38.

Aririguzoh SA. Television influence on political knowledge of the 2007 Nigerian presidential elections among residents of Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State. Journal of Communication and Media Research. 2011;3(1):135-149.

Newton K. Mass media effects: Mobilization or media malaise. British Journal of Political Science. 2009;29(4):577-599. Available:https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123499000289

Okinda TI, Nyambuga CO, Ojwang BO. Influence of radio on women voters’ political knowledge on the 2013 Kenyan general election acta universitatis danubius. Communication. 2020;14(1).

Durante R, Gutierrez E. Political advertising and voting intentions: Evidence from exogenous variation in ads viewership. In IAST General Seminar, Toulouse; 2014.

Bosch T. Development communication in South Africa. Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change. 2020;469-479. Available:https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-2014-3_31

Heywood E. Radio journalism and women's empowerment in Niger. Journalism Studies. 2020;21(10):1344-1362.

Available:https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2020.1745668

Ephraim PE. The potentials of radio in combating misinformation about COVID-19 in Nigeria. In fake news is bad news-hoaxes, half-truths and the nature of today's journalism. Intech Open; 2020.

Available:https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/73338

Ladigbolu TA, Olajide BR, Badiru IO, Yekinni OT. Constraints to microfinance banks services among rural dwellers in Oyo West Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Rural Sociology. 2020;20(1).

Anderson H, Masocha S, Sharma N. We are all confident to speak: Using radio as a tool of resettlement for young people of refugee background. Journal of Alternative & Community Media. 2019;4(3):99-111.

Available:https://doi.org/10.1386/joacm_00061_1

Iheanacho OC, Jumbo CN, Etumnu EW. Influence of COVID-19 broadcast media campaigns on the health consciousness of Owerri resident. SAU Journal of Management and Social Sciences. 2021;6(2):86-97.

Emecheta NT, Onyebuchi AC. Influence of Hot Fm's “The People's Assembly” on the political awareness and participation of electorate in Imo State. IMSU Journal of Communication Studies. 2021;1(1):7-16.

Olaniru O, Olatunji OS, Ayandele O, Popoola AA. The influence of media on political knowledge amongst undergraduate students in Ibadan, Nigeria. Global Journal of Social Sciences. 2019;19:13-24.

Available:https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gjss.v19i1.2

La’aro OA, Mahamood AF, Bamigboye OO. Community radio programmes and political participation among rural dwellers of Ondo State, Nigeria. AIP Conference Proceedings. 2021;2339:020004.

Available:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0044576

Giginyu AA, Jada HM, Mutah MA. Impact of the radio political programmes on public political awareness in Jigawa State, Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Academic Research. 2021;7(4):29-38.

Available:http://doi.org/10.46654/ij.24889849.e7217

Okolie UR. Radio and mass mobilization in democratic society. (Master's dissertation). Imo State University, Owerri; 2015.

Gowon RP. Radio listening, TV viewing and comprehension development in senior Sec. school students in Jos metropolis. International Journal of Arts and Humanities. 2019;1(1):318-329.

Asemah ES, Nwammuo AN, Nkwam-Uwaoma AOA. Theories and models of communication. jos: Matkol Press, Jos; 2017.

Alphonsus UC, Etumnu EW, Talabi FO, Fadeyi IO, Aiyesimoju AB, Apuke OD, Gever VC. Journalism and reportage of insecurity: Newspaper and television coverage of banditry activities in Northern Nigeria. Newspaper Research Journal. 2022;43(3):343-357. Available:http://doi.org/10.1177/07395329221112393

Nwamara CA, Etumnu EW. Influence of the mass media on electorate’s participation in the 2021 Anambra, State Gubernatorial election in the wake of insecurity. GVU Journal of Management and Social Sciences. 2022;7(2):140-150.