ABSTRACT

Rural development is a very important aspect in the development of a nation nd for a nation to develop  very well, it must reach the  rural dwellers and the rural masses must be aware of the developments and for the government to reach the rural populace they have to use certain  strategy  like through  the  media or   going  to them face to face. The project “The role of ESBS radio on rural development of Obuoffia Awkunanaw” is carried (outto provide or show that the mass media plays an important role  in development of rural areas. It is important to note that  this research is aimed at telling the masses that they can be educated through mass media and also  for the media houses and know that illieteralry  rate of rural people can be reduced through the media by programmes organized to teach or inform the masses. The questionnaire method was used in determining the  population elements sampled. Findings from the study revealed that the rural people feels that the media could help in educating them on the development of the government in different aspects in helping them develop their rural areas. The implication  of the entire study is hat the media houses e.g the  Enugu state broadcasting service radio  station are beginning  to  understand that they have important role to play in the  development of the rural areas. For communication the government and other policy-making  bodies to progress  they must find a way of  getting to know how best to help develop our rural area and inform the rural  dwellers of their ideas.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Development they say it is developing or it is the process of encouraging new invention and industries to create jobs and life for the people. In this study the role of mass media on rural development is an attempt to examine how rural development programme can be effectively organized and implemented at the  local levels in Obuoffia community in Awkunanwo Enugu state. An in-depth researcher reveals that within Enugu state media there existing electronic and print media.  Under electronic  media  there is an intensive use of  (AM) Amplitude modulation and (FM) frequency modulation stations both in federal radio co-operation of  Nigeria FRCN, Enugu  state  broadcasting  service  ESBS) and daily star  newspapers  among other  are  used to create awareness  for  the  rural development.  The under- development community Obuoffia have  called  for a great concern of the press  media.

The  timidity  and  ignorance  that  often exhibited by the  rural dwellers have linked the media  concerns as to how  they should educate inform enlighten mobilize sensitize  in order to  revitalizes the regrettable trend in Obuoffia and  the entire  rural communities. Most  rural dwellers  do not know the  opportunities available to  them they still flourish in the previous  dog mate  belief that cannot equate them with their counterparts  in the urban setting .

The media here are  face with he Obligation on the betterment of the  rural communities through the packaging of  information on how to do something with their  in-exposure which hinders them from acquiring basic knowledge there by educating  them through programmes which  can sharpen their intellects  providing  job  opportunities  for  the ever increasing  population  explosion in rural set –up and re-orientation of our  rural dwellers  through sensitization enlightenment mobilization and motivation.

Rural development of  any kind in  any place can only be meaningfully achieved through a well planned  execute complex interactions. The major role of media is usually to enlighten and examine problems and issues that need to be  understood in order  to improve the quality of life in the rural  dwellers. Enugu state broadcasting service  of  Nigeria and the federal radio corporation of Nigeria  should  help to maintain  the much needed  regular  two-way communication between  the  poor  people of  Obuoffia  and the urban elite’s especially the government  or those holding political powers in the country.

It is no longer contestable that  when  media  is properly applied communication can work together  with a nexus  of  other  social variables to facilitate social change.   That is why the communication and development  experts  or practitioners in Africa and  around  the world have been  long engaged in  the  search  for methods approaches  devices  techniques  and of course  strategies that could help them put communication to the fullness and most effective use in achieving their various development  objectives.

The two broadcasting station news articles  features have 50 long be recognized as officious packages for  development  especially now that we are in the democratic  despencention.  Media  should focus  more  on how we  use rural newspaper  for development and for the  mobilization of such neglected  and discarded rural  dwellers  in the primitive  and the interior parts of Enugu sate. We  are convinced  that it will be quite unreasonable  for us to expect achieving any meaningful  realistic  and  actualized rural development of Obuoffia Awkunanowo  in  Enugu  state  that  communication without  careful  and systematic  approach towards  mobilization  and  participation of rural communities which of course  can be achieved through the media using Enugu state broadcasting service (ESBS) as case study.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the problem statement of the role of mass media in rural development using Enugu state broadcasting service as a case study. We  observed  very unfortunately  that  many problem  exist. However in a case of money change agents rural  development officer public relation officers. Information officer and other  officers   that are involved  in  preparing  news articles and features for  rural development projects do  not do their work well enough to achieve the required and desired results. Besides the problem is ignorance  but most of the time the problem  is either  lack of  insufficient   oritention of those officers to achieve the special need techniques and systematic approaches for preparing  new, articles and features towards achieving rural development objectives. Furthermore, high illiteracy barriers is another problem of the mass media  in achieving its arms and objectives in rural development  most of the people in the rural area are not intelligent and educative enough to understand some of the information’s been passed from the media  house. Again the rural dwellers major weakness to develop  rest on the point the readership level is how due to the low literacy rate of the rural  targeted audience .  even the rural newspapers has continued  not to allow them develop inspire of the role of media in Enugu as the case study.

1.3       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The  objective of this research is to find out the means through  which media/press can develop the rural dwellers in Obuoffia communities in Enugu state as a case study. Therefore  media should inclulge in its traditional  communication style  through which it must preceded by an  extensive research effort  by identify the information needs of the  rural dwellers the social cultural and  economic  characteristics literacy level historical religions  biases and readership pattern.

Furthermore the  media for the rural areas must also be preceded by  the  formulation of a clearance editorial policy that is dominantly guided by a sound muralist philosophy with a broad outlook. In addition the objectives  of this study is to evaluate on how the media in Enugu state has gone in maintain a Gason communication between the rural communities and the state government.

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

To provide a reliable panacea through which media should embark in alleviating about 70% of the rural   dwellers that have been seriously neglected in the policies and  policies and programmes of the government affairs the significance of this project. This will be very important to the researchers  academics  the Enugu state newspaper daily stars and of  course  Enugu state Broadcasting service.  Federal radio cooperation of Nigeria and  indeed  rural  dweller in Obuoffia communities. In guiding the press  in reporting and connecting upon  such issues as health agricultural education culture family planning government politics  festival  and religion as it affect rural area and its inhabitants.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  What is  rural development?

2.  How can  media help in rural development?

3.  Why  should the rural area be developed?

4.  How  far Radio  Nigeria Enugu been able to raise  that objectives?

5.  What  are likely  problems to be encountered in  developing the rural  areas?

6.  What  type of communication process on mass media that  exist are in support of various rural area in Enugu?

7.  Where are the rural communities?

In relation to this the study of rural development dimension and communication pattern in Enugu. The task of these present study is to find out solution of those questions.

1.6     DEFINITION OF TERMS

MEDIA: It can be defined as a mean of communication such as television radio New paper and magazine.

DEVELOPMENT: The process of encouraging  new   mention and  industries to create  job and life for the people it also means developing of being  developed.

STUDY: The  process of gaining  knowledge of a subject that need investigation.

PRESS: It is made up of electronic media tools such as the radio, Newspapers television magazine periochically done by the Journalist

1.7       RESEARCH  HYPOTHESIS

To  consider or understand the  role of media  rural development this study should operate on the  following hypothesis.

1. Electronic  media is conferred a long  lasting solution to  these rural development.

2. Rural development is attributed to the effectiveness of the press.

3. Illiteracy  among the rural dweller is the major factors that militate against the understanding of  mass media programme.

4. People  of Obuoffioa  towns (areas of  study) are  aware  programmme on rural development.