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A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF GOVERNMENT INFRINGEMENT ON PRESS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of study

Information is now called “power” like money and authority. Press that exercise control over information transmitted to the masses are now seen as strong force in building public opinion. As the “fourth power” in society, the press organizations attract attention of many scientists.

The government and its effects on different aspects of the press performance were the subject of many studies. This topic attracts many scholars due to importance of the press in social life of society and its ability to affect publics. 

The press are seen as a social medium that contributes to building strong nations, feelings of unity by transmitting values and norms in messages. The press play role of an agent of the secondary socialization process and can contribute to successful socialization of individuals into existing social life. 

This research addresses the question of the government infringement effects on ability to serve the public interest in society through transmission of values, knowledge and addressing interests of different groups of people present in certain society. Serving the public interest is part of a long-term welfare policy of government; it helps to build socially healthy society. 

Building of market economy brought private capital to Russian media market. When new companies appeared, the press were not longer subsidized by government and gained profit from advertisement placement. Content of the press messages shifted: more entertainment programs appeared, the time devoted to children programs decreased, etc. As there is no policy in sphere of content regulation addressing issues of diversity and education of population, Russian scholars and politicians are concerned with the quality of the press content and its inability to serve the needs of society.    

This research is based on data on Russian broadcasting stations. Russian the press gained independence from the government in the early 1990s, but still several of them are controlled by government through infringement. The government, as an owner, is interested in affecting publics and building understanding of its policies. Private owners may have different interests in the press – they may be interested not only in affecting publics, but also in making profit. This study will look for differences in serving the public interest in the press organization with different infringement structures. 

Information on effects that the government infringement has on serving the public interest, if generalized, would be useful in building policy in sphere of the press.

1.2 Statement of Research Problems
Clamp down on the Nigerian press has become so rampant that it has become necessary to examine the issue of government infringement on press freedom vis-à-vis the effects it possibly has on the general performance of the Nigerian press.  The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Enugu being a Federal Government Medium is vested with the responsibility to protect its boss, as well as defend the profession.

1.3       Objectives of the Study
i.          It is hoped that by the end of the study, we would be able to discover the impact the suppression of the Nigerian press by government has had on the ability of the Nigerian journalist to perform his functions.  Also its effects on programmes and News production in NTA would be examined.

ii.          It is also hoped that the result of the study will enable us know if the phenomenon has affected the growth of the Nigeria press.

1.4       Significance of the Study
The issue of the government/press relationship in Nigeria has raised a lot of interest both to the practitioners and the public, that a study into the phenomenon was long overdue.
This study will no doubt be useful to mass media practitioners in Nigeria and will help the public appreciate the onerous role of the press in Nigeria so as to enable them rise in defence of the press whenever it is threatened by excessive political power.

1.5       Research Questions
i.          To what extent has government interference with News and programmes production affected the performance of the Nigerian press?

ii.          Has the lack of press freedom negatively affected the investigative spirit of journalists.

iii.         Does the lack of press freedom hinder the growth of journalism and by extension, national development?

1.6       Research Hypotheses
Based on the research questions stated, three hypotheses were formed.
H1:      Government interferes with News and Programmes production.
H0:      Government does not interfere with News and programmes production.
H2:      Lack of press freedom negatively affects the performance and investigative spirit of journalists.
H0:      Lack of press freedom does not negatively affect the performance and investigative spirit of journalists.
H3:      Lack of press freedom hinders the growth of journalism and by extension, national development.
H0:      Lack of press freedom does not hinder the growth of journalism and by extension, national development.

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