ABSTRACT
This research work was carried out in order to find out what the populace of Enugu South thinks or feels about television programmes in Enugu State. The research also attempted to look into other peoples work related to the research topic.
During research, the people of Enugu South were used as the populace of study; questionnaires were the major instrument of study. Random sampling method was applied to obtain the potion of the population on whom the instruments were administered.
Responses were analyzed on percentage. Furthermore, the significant problems and question for this research were spelt out in order to help, uphold or reject certain assumption. The data collected from the questionnaires made it possible for the researcher to get the answers agitating his mind. It was noted that on human behaviour.
The study was able to find out actually what the populace of Enugu South think or feel about the positive or negative effect towards television programmes in Enugu state.
The research also made recommendations on what should be done to make our television content more result oriented and interesting.
INTRODUCTION
I.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This study centers on the viewership of television programmes by the populace of Enugu South local government area of Enugu state as the case study it has a double aimed. Firstly, it is in behavioural dispositions of the populace toward television programmes. One of the outstanding features of the media communication is composition of the audience. The audience of television is highly heterogeneous with members having several distinctive characteristics, different interest and they are scattered in all over the nation with different socio-economic strata.
Based on the heterogeneity of the audience, it is obvious that views differs among members of mass media, audience while some use a particular station programme others depend on the other.
Some may want to watch entertainment programmes while some might prefer thoughtful vital programmes like News, current affairs commentaries or documentaries depending on their likes. One of the plans in which an audience is active is though the use of selective exposure. It is the tendency of accepting to express yourself to communication that goes with your own value system, attitudes and viewpoint. The concept of self-selective exposure helps the active audience to control what he watches, to what he listens to and read; selective reading and listening are the function of selective exposure.
You can buy the newspaper of your choice. You can also watch the movie you like, you choose from many television programmes and radio, and if you find yourself watching something you do not like you can tune to another channel.
Different views have been presented in an attempt to determining why people watch television programmes. This can be identified with the following selective exposure which selective perception, selective retention and selective interpretation and the escapism.
II.STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
Television has been acclaimed as one of the dependable means of communication, and the role of television is to inform, educate and entertain. Among other functions of television are socialization, integration, debate and discussion.
However, some stations fulfill these objectives or aims more than other stations. The extent, to which television programmes are watched, is partly a function of the disposition of the audience members towards such a station. The Enugu South populace constitutes a considerable segment of television audience in Nigeria. The need for audience analysis of their nature therefore cannot be over emphasized.
Television programmes producers try to attract a large audience or viewers, especially in competitive environment. The competition becomes high when there are more stations competing for the same audience. There s the tendency for viewers to select the type of station or programmes they watch. Most audience research findings suggest that economic factors and demographic factor influence television viewers, original disposition and some other factors have been identified as reasons for different viewing habits of television audience. Is this suggestion time for the viewing habit of television programmes by the populace of Enugu South? Which type of programme to the populace prefer entertainment news, documentary, talks, etc? Does the quality of the programmes affect their viewing habit?
Is the viewing habit of the populace due to time factor or does their occupation play some role? Is it because the television programmes are not national in coverage?
The dominant question for this viewership is what essentially informs of human needs and purpose sustained in mass media concerned with determining television programmes that have the widest viewership among the populace. The factors for the preference of one television programme over others will also be examined in the survey.