CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background of the Study
The development of technology most especially in this century has impact on every sphere of human life to include traditional mass media. This has changed the look of the existing media to the new media.
Because of this, the practice of journalism with the new media is no longer in the way of one-dimensional flow of information rather it is interactive and the audience is now part of the information gathering and information distribution.
It should be noted that information quality through the new media demands caution since it lack the activities of the gatekeepers who can decide what information to disseminate and what not to make available for the public.
Internet poses many challenges on traditional or old media because traditional media is considered “spoon-feed” sources of information, a one-way conversation where some media outlets or publishers say “Here you go”, “This is it.” Where as, with the new media, the power has shifted to the people and the proliferation of information users and audience generated content. It is now a two-way conversation.
Meanwhile, the new media, which the internet is one, has gone along way in bringing information to ones doorstep.
Information and Communication Technology [ICT] which according to a great Canadian English Professor Marshall Mcluham ,described as what changed the whole world to a global village by compressing the world into a single electronic room where information from nooks and crannies of the world can be exploited and disseminated or exchanged within a twinkle of an eye.
This project however securitized the operation of the traditional or old media in Nigeria and examined the reliability of news from old media and how they have embraced the emergence of the internet.
This can be observed as almost all the television, print and radio outfits have launched or designed their websites where their audience or readers will have access to their News, E-mail, Chat Room, Advert, Programmes, Photo sites and other activities non the internet.
This can also facilitate feedback and create networking publishing especially the print media. The internet has helped to manipulate the existing traditional media.
The History of the Internet
The history of the Internet began with the development of computers in the 1950s. This began with point-to-point communication between mainframe computers and terminals, expanded to point-to-point connections between computers and then early research into packet switching. Packet switched networks such as ARPANET, Mark I at NPL in the UK, CYCLADES, Merit Network,
Tymnet, and Telenet, were developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s using a variety of protocols. The ARPANET in particular led to the development of protocols for internetworking, where multiple separate networks could be joined together into a network of networks.
1974 ABC interview with Arthur C. Clarke in which he describes a future of ubiquitous networked personal computers.
In 1982 the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) was standardized and the concept of a world-wide network of fully interconnected TCP/IP networks called the Internet was introduced. Access to the ARPANET was expanded in 1981 when the National Science Foundation (NSF) developed the Computer Science Network (CSNET) and again in 1986 when NSFNET provided access to supercomputer sites in the United States from research and education organizations. Commercial internet service providers (ISPs) began to emerge in the late 1980s and 1990s. The ARPANET was decommissioned in 1990. The Internet was commercialized in 1995 when NSFNET was decommissioned, removing the last restrictions on the use of the Internet to carry commercial traffic.
Since the mid-1990s the Internet has had a drastic impact on culture and commerce, including the rise of near-instant communication by electronic mail, instant messaging, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) "phone calls", two-way interactive video calls, and the World Wide Web with its discussion forums, blogs, social networking, and online shopping sites. The research and education community continues to develop and use advanced networks such as NSF's very high speed Backbone Network Service (vBNS), Internet2, and National LambdaRail. Increasing amounts of data are transmitted at higher and higher speeds over fiber optic networks operating at 1-Gbit/s, 10-Gbit/s, or more. The Internet continues to grow, driven by ever greater amounts of online information and knowledge, commerce, entertainment and social networking.
Statement of the Problem
This research work will focus attention on the impact and how New Information and Communication Technology have revolutionalized the role of mass media in Nigeria. While Osun State Broadcasting Corporation Osogbo (OSBC) as a case study.
Research Questions
Has modern technology enhanced communication efficiency?
Has modern technology captured the audience of the old media in this era? To what extent have advertisers adopted new technology?
Can the traditional mass media audience utilized the new techno logy for communication effectiveness?
Have journalists switched to the changing role in this ict era?
Purpose of the Study
- To let the general public differentiate between the new technology on traditional media operations.
- To examine communication efficiency through modern technology.
- To enable the public understand ways by which the new technology influences the traditional media.
- To shed more light on how modern technology and old media are interrelated.
- To know how modern technology influence traditional mass media activities.
- To know how the modern technology can be used in achieving communication efficiency in this digital age.
- To assess the benefits of the new technology in shaping the traditional mass media.
- To know the side effects of the modern technology over the old mass media.
- To examine the possible future of the mass media in this era of ICT.
- To study the future and new role of the traditional mass media.
Significance of the Study
The determination to achieve communication efficiency in broadcasting with the desire to investigate the aspect in which the researchers have not covered, that is , the role of modern technology in achieving communication efficiency in Nigeria especially in this century. Using OSBC as a case study to main its stands as one of the broadcasting stations in the will call for empirical study of this project work.
Scope of Study
The scope of this research focuses on the modern technology and its influence on the traditional mass media such as radio, television, newspaper and magazine, especially on OSBC. And how modern technology has greatly assisted staffs of OSBC to meet up in achieving communication efficiency in Nigeria.
Limitations of the Study
This research work is limited to the following areas;
- Limitation of the interview: Interview that was conducted for this study was limited to OSBC, Osogbo. This is necessitated by the limited period having to complete the work.
- Financial constraint.
- Duration for the research work is relatively short
- Uneasy access to informative materials at Osun State Polytechnic library
- Stress from other academic assignments is one of the limitations to the research work.
Historical Background and Organizational Structure of OSBC Osogbo
Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) was established on 27th august, 1991 after the creation of Osun state under the governorship of Otunba Isiaka Adeleke. Two other broadcasting outfits were also created through the initiatives of the first military administrative (Rtd). Mr.John Fademi who was the first general manager. The stations started with an administration structure of five such as:
Personnel/finance and supplies Commercial Engineering
Programme, news and current affairs A general manager.
OSBC has been envisioned to be the regional of the South West zone of Nigeria to the delight of the population unparallel quality, informative, educative and entertaining value-added programmes that are profitable.
The objectives of the T.V station includes:
To inform, educate and entertain the public.
To produce and broadcasting entertainment, education and public enlighten programmes.
To disseminate information and analyze issues and events of local, national and international importance. To generate revenue through the sale of air time and to promote other activities like product and social amenities.
To facilitate the achievement of these objectives through relevant support services.
Definition of Terms
Role: a prescribed or expected behaviour associated with a particular position or status in a group or organization.
Internet: The pace of adoption of new IT in our modern era. A dynamic technology firm. Internet increases the amounts of data that are transmitted at higher speed over fiber optic networks.
Traditional Media: These are Radio, Television, and Newspaper etc
Mass Media: A mean by which information can be convey to a large people
Gatekeeper: Those who control the movement of the news from the source until it reach the audience.
Communication: Sharing or impacting information, exchange of meanings between individual through a common system of symbols and as the means by which information can be dispersed from one person to the other.
Efficiency: Producing results with little waste of effort competent and organized.