Comparative Analysis On The Role Of Broadcast Media And Interpersonal Communication In Moral Mobilization

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The study of broadcast media and mobilization has been a quite busy field in communication studies in many developing and developed nations. Western scholars propounded the early development theories. Many third world nations experimented with these theories believing that the large – scale adoption of broadcasting in their countries will invariably lead to development or mobilization at both the structural and individual levels.
Over the years, these western derived theories have come under intense scrutiny and critics. This is because the anticipated benefits supposed to have accrued from the adoption of the western oriented models have not materialized. Many third world nations found themselves large drunks of their money into the modern media technology only to find out that the expected corresponding modernization were not forth coming.
Coming nearer home, it has often been said that the media were adopted into Nigeria without their being adopted to the socio-cultural values of the nation. The sixties to the med-seventies witnessed a massive expansion in the mass media hand facilities in Nigeria.
But while the mass media hardware developed at a tremendous rate, the software component media with an African and Nigeria cultural content (Nwueli 85)
Despite this short coming, it is commonly and widely known and accepted that the organ of communication plays unqualified roles in the matters of public interest, opinion, mobilization and development. Many well meaning scholars accept this and when Edwin Smey said that “Newspaper everywhere are available channels through which political leaders express their view and seek to rally political backing for their policies”. It is obvious of course, that this apparently is true of all other media of mass communication politicians and non politicians alike also recognizes the vital role that the media play in the formation of opinion, they are aware of the dangers in informing the masses and anything hear or see as the case may be, in the media.
People working in the media have held position of social responsibility. Playing key roles in shopping the political economic and social fabric of our lives. Media offers the individual an opportunity to perform services of positive value to the society.
Also in every society, there are people who are looked upon as opinion leaders. The opinion of these persons to a great extent influence the opinion of other members of the society.
These leaders usually are looked upon as conveyor of information transmissions. Messages more often than not reaching these people who in turn transmits such information or messages to other members of the society.
They differ from members of the group in other fields like education and history of the world. They are looked upon for interpretation of any message. They are usually specialists in the area of influent and this influence is limited to their area of specialization. These people infact aim towards mobilizing member of their society through the information they transmit.
The study of the role of broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization is peculiar ad unique. Much more in the rural area than anywhere else, the existence and influence of mass media, opinion leaders, family attachments, friends and other variable fact ors play a great role. Pertinent studies in small group research indicate “communications are likely to be transmitted along social lines defined by friendship, by shared interest and particularly by shared opinion”.

1.2 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS
A comparative analysis of the role of broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization cannot been over emphasized especially in a developing country like Nigeria. Communication is part of general mobilization process and provides the gods. Students of rural development point out that communication is clearly rural mobilization and development.
Communication is essential for the conduct of everyday life, transmitting messages among the various parts. An event that is un-communicated is like the hypothetic tree that falls in a forest where no one can hear it. Just as the falling tree fail to be heard so the un-communicated event fails to have effects.
It is no longer contestable that communication when properly used, work together with nexus of other societal variables to facilitate social changes that included rural mobilization.
This is why there has been a search to the best method that will help put broadcasting to the fullest and effective use in achieving development objectives like mobilization. Suffice to say that communication alone cannot perform the magic of rural mobilization and transformation it merely has a vital role to play.
Traditional societies like ours are marked by a highly differential set of media. The area we undertook the study is essentially rural and therefore is still characterized by the quality of traditional society that low level of communication there is general low level of technology in the country literacy has persisted and economic viability to acquire some of the media gadget is still lacking.
The instruments through which a person communicates to are constantly influencing the person’s social, political and economic fabrics. If broadcast media are intimately involved in all phases of our life, the exact nature of their roles and impact in and has been a matter of debate. There have been both grandiose theories and concrete research projects about the effect of media, but no one is certain what it will add up to broadcast media and interpersonal communication undoubtedly plays a very vital role in rural mobilization but at what level they play these roles is still subject to controversy. At the broadcast level of society, both play crucial and obstructive roles.
Communication theories have given different and contrasting roles to those forms of communication. There is yet to be a consensus regarding their roles in rural mobilization, which plays what role? Which comes forest and which serves as a supplement to the other? Which should be used when and where should it not be appropriate? When should both be used and at what stage should both complement each other. When is it most appropriate to use in preferential to the other this is the crux of the matter. We have undertaken this study in order to resolve some of these conflicting issues.
This study therefore is a contribution to the debate the roles of broadcasting and interpersonal communication as it affects the rural populace.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to examine through research questionnaire, the roles of broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural development. This is an attempt to know how both medium of communication helps the rural man in his drive toward mobilization through education and exposures to him and his environment. Both of which helps him to understand and appreciate his environment as well as having more say over his life.
The objectives of the study, therefore is to find the exact roles of both medium of communication in the rural mobilization, their differences and similarities, advantages short comings and the most likely ways both can be improved upon in order to facilitate speedy rural mobilization. This is our objective.
Assumption about the impact of the media of communication has played a formative role in guiding the direction of this communication research. Pioneer investigators accepted popular impressions of the media as omnipotent and capable of being employed for manipulative purpose. It has therefore become natural that much research attention should be paid to communication influence on people’s opinion and attitudes. This influence goes a long way in helping them to determine their future, if not have a say over their lives.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The main significance of this study is to examine the prospect and discuss the prospects and discuss the constraints of the roles of broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization. In simpler term, we have taken the task of discussing the advantages, demeans, problems and possible solutions that communication can bring to the improvement of the quality of life of the people living far from the madding crowd.
Rural mobilization, the new modern technology is being introduced to a resourceful but highly deprived uniformed located and often neglected.
The choice of the study cannot be more timely them now is Nigeria where over 2.5 billion of our annual budget has been allocated to improving roads, food and rural infrastructure, and about the same amount of money is allocated for the improvement of employment, especially with emphasis on rural labour.
Rural mobilization is a topic or even an ideology so dear to the present military administration that almost all development efforts made by it are said to be geared towards enhancing the living standard of the rural folks. The government sings the song while the rural communities echo favourably.
How can none characterize the current national scene in communication, particularly from the point of view of the so-called morality? As far as the actual process of communication is concerned, at least some features stand out in a national perspective.
First, there is well known imbalance of resources between the urban area and the so called have-nots, which includes the rural communities, material and mental resources for productions and distribution of all manner of information have concentrated in the Nigeria as in most third world and few developed nation of the world is strikingly disproportional to the distribution of population and the information needs of the people. Another central feature in the national communication taking place in between the urban cities and the rural communities takes place at least a hundred times more in the direction from the urban cities to the rural communities than visa versa. It is a one-way street principle the stream if heavy traffic flow on only one way.
By and large, inadequacy may be a proper overall term to characterize the present media institutions and their operations seem in national perspective and particularly from the view point of our rural areas. This overall evaluation of the media as at affects the rural populace is not based on careless subjective opinions but on a comprehension since consideration of objective considerations.
One of the most obvious ways in which great harm has been done to our communities life can be seen in the rudeness and unhelpfulness that so many of us show in our social relations with the rural population.
It is against this background that this study was conducted to find out the various roles being played by broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization as well as finding their lapses, problem and prospects in any.
As the title of the topic suggests, this study is a comparison of the different roles of broadcasting and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization. The study will be a testing hypothesis.
The results obtained will in no small way help to indicate what the case will be, should the hypothesis be tested on a state of national level. We should also feel that this study might be a reference work to those who may be interested in this interesting area of research work. This is because the study is considered as on of the studies in the department that looked at the role of broadcast media and interpersonal communication in rural mobilization. The study, therefore, is expected to be a stepping stone for future research work, both from students, professionals and policy makers.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The main research question in this case study is to find out what role broadcast media and interpersonal communication plays in rural mobilization. The researchers are expected to find out the respective roles both plays in rural mobilization, which is generally geared towards rural development.
Further attempts were made to find out:
1. The roles of interpersonal communication in rural mobilization.
2. How the rural masses react to information dissemination through the mass media.
3. Does the combination of both ie interpersonal and broadcast media yield a positive result and how both can be used effectively?
4. When is it most appropriate to use one in presence to the other?
5. Which was in existence before the other?

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
Hi: Broadcast media is more effective than inter personal communication in creating information awareness.
Ho: Broadcast media is ineffective than interpersonal communication in creating information awareness.
H2: Interpersonal communication is more persuasive than broadcast media.
Ho: Interpersonal communication is less persuasive than broadcast media.
H3: Broadcasting is more effective than interpersonal communication in decision making.
H4: Government ownership of most broadcast media makes the people to disbelieve the content of those media.
Ho: Government ownership of most broadcast media do not make the people disbelieve the content of those medias.

1.7 CONCEPTIONAL AND OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
Before moving further, it is pertinent that I put up a working definition of the following terms:
Broadcast media interpersonal communication and rural mobilization and development. The three being the anchor on which this research was conducted.
Broadcast media refers to all media that use the airwaves to transmit their signal and programming getting to a large audience within the public in general. Broadcasting is said to take place when idea attitudes and information are transferred to a sizeable and diversified number of audience through a medium specifically meant for that. The audience in broadcast media audience has a mixed composition. People from different educational levels, political affiliations, religious inclinations, linguistic groups, social status, economic status etc. The audience in broadcasting is amorphous: a broadcaster can only guess the extent of his coverage and can hardly be exact. There is also time lag in broadcasting ie some times is needed for appropriate reaction to a message from the broadcast media from time of reception. Broadcast media includes among others such medium as Television, Radio, Cinema, Internet etc.
Interpersonal communication refers to communication between two people. It can be face to face, or take place in form of letter writing or similar means.
According to the dictionary, mobilization means collecting together for service or use for the purpose, it is a system of calling together the rural dwellers in an effort to be creative or be involved in whatever is going on. It could be to take part in political activity, Agriculture etc. The rural dweller are being mobilized in an attempt to reach a higher level of development.
This lead to the definition of development which according to an economist is synonymous with economic growth measured in aggregate terms. A country is developed, they hold, when it can be sustained by it’s own effort having reached a per capital GNP level of $1000, an annual rate of growth ranging from five to seven percent.
Development for the purpose of this study, is a type of social change whereby new idea and technologies are introduced into a social system to effect higher per capital income and living standard through modern production technique and improved social mobilization.
Rural mobilization therefore is a strategy which enables a specific group pf people, poor rural men and women to be involved into the activities of the society, a strategy whereby these rural people are giving opportunity to contribute in the activities of the society to gain themselves and their children more of what they want and needed.
It involves identifying their problems and empathizing with their condition. It also entails helping them to understand their environment and open to new opportunities in modern living.
Suffice to note that the word broadcasting when used in this study, refers to form of communication with special reference to broadcast media and interpersonal communication.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study has as its scope, Mbu town in Isuzo Local Government Area. It did not go beyond that. This could be attributed to difficulties which might be experienced if this study decides to extend to all hook and cranny of the state. One of such difficulties might be co-ordinating the research and its findings.
This study does not in any way claim hundred percent (100%) and eligibility. It is therefore necessary to mention some of the constraining factors that worked against the smooth running of the project.
One of these constraints was the attitude of the respondents. At the time of the study, there was political instability and many raids on the town by revenue collectors. Due to this, respondents became suspicious when asked questions or asked to fill the questionnaire. Many felt the questionnaire was another strategy being used by the government to assess them. Even with explanations and a lot of assurance, they still regarded us as agents of the government. It took the combines efforts of Hon. G. C. Nwafor, the ex-chairman and ex-state assembly representative and an information officer from the local government council to convince them of our identify and mission.
Secondly, most respondents refused to answer the questionnaire except if given some sum of money. Despite my plea to them that I am a student most of them who believe that government agent stood their ground in this regard.
There was also the financial side of the limitation the population of the study compared is of various villages, scattered within the town. This means traveling the length and breath of the town. I was able to meet this challenge though with difficulty.
Another limitation of this study was engineered by the dearth of research materials in the area of study. The study of the role of broadcast media and inter-personal communication has attracted only very little attention from researchers only very little attention from researchers. I therefore, went through hell in search of relevant literatures to review, and at the end, only very little amount of success was registers. Rather most of the pioneer studies done in the field were in such countries as the limited states, Great Britain etc. The next effect was that most of the reviewed literature was not based in the Nigerian environment. This of course, constituted a serious limitation to this research.

1.9 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
The research topic is centered on two theoretical framework of which are: Development media theory and the authoritarian theory. These philosophies or theories forms the basic for the judgment or decision for the subject matter.
The development media theory seek to protect the interest of the rural communities and was therefore premised on the belief that the mass media and government should work closely to ensure that the media assist in the overall development of the country.
Okenwa (2002) explained this when he said that the media must of necessity be involved in the business of development: not just ordinarily, but being in the fore front of development to the extent of determine the pace and in actualizing this concept, media practitioner are expected to fashion media content in line with specific cultural and societal needs.
While on the other hand, the authoritarian theory stipulates the control of the media by the state and seek to protect the interest of the state and the ruling class who can afford to own the mass media. Meanwhile, this philosophy was founded on the premises that the media are the tool opf the people and as such must be controlled by the state to serve the people.
These theories serves as the theoretical framework based on the topic in question because through development, media theory, rural mobilization is enhanced by the use of broadcast media and interpersonal communication. Because mobilization is needed for rural upliftment, the media and the necessary forms of communication is thereby needed to book the advancement of any rural community.
In line with this, the authoritarian theory is also used as a framework to counter the belief of most media audience who feel that the media is a government tool used to promote their activities to some extent, the belief is true, but not all media are government owned and despite the ownership pattern, the government of the day do promote rural development. As such this framework is based on the fact that irrespective of the ownership pattern, the media must be used to promote the cause of development, and it is only through the media that such development can be made known to the public.