CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE
STUDY
There is no limit to the study of media and
society. Media and society as a subject covers a wide range
of issues. Communication has a
lot to do with the individual. It effects and defects are so notable that
they cannot be swept under the carpet. Media and
society are interwoven and nether
of them can exist without the
other. But first of all, what is
communication?
Fiske (1990) defines communication as
“social interaction through message”
Jaya- weera (1991) sees it as an interaction process through which persons or
groups relate to each
other and share information, experience
and culture. Looking at the
above definitions communication can be
said to be the transferring or
transmitting of ideas, attitudes and
information from one person to anther.
Okunna (1999) throws more light on the
above assertion when she says “to communicate basically
means to share ideas information, opinions , feelings or
experiences between people.
According to Okunna (1999) the mass media perform a
number of functions, which benefit the individual as a member
of a society. She goes on to say that these functions
range from serious informational and educational functions to lighter functions like entertainment.
The
functions of the mass media in
the society includes .
1. Information:-This
is the constant stream of information about event in the society. Among
the positive consequence of this function is the guidance it gives to the
individuals in his or her daily life.
2. Interpretation :-This is the function
of appropriately interpreting news and information in such as way as to avoid
over sensitization and induce appropriate or necessary action. It includes prescribing what
to do, how to do it and why it is necessary.
3. Education:-
The
mass media help unify society and increases social cohesion by upholding teaching a broad base of common
social norms values and collective experiences. The mass media do this transmission mainly through informal education (unconscious learning) and
non- formal education (conscious attempt to impart knowledge outside the formal
school system).
4. Entertainment:-This
is the mass media function that is geared towards providing some diversion and amusement, relaxation and respite.
The mass media is known as the watch dog
of the society and with the information and education function, it will be known if the mass media
has played roles in the campaign against drug abuse
in Nigeria.
This is because like the dry rot
that eats away the wooden beams of a
house, drugs can corrode the
whole structure of society. For human society to function
properly, it must have stable families,
healthy workers, trustworthy
governments, honest polices and law abiding
citizens . Drugs corrupt every
one of these fundamental elements.
The home however is probably where drugs do the
most damage. Parents who are
distracted by their craving for drugs
rarely provide their children with
a stable home life. Many children who
grow up in this environment take to
the streets or even get involved in drugs themselves.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Drug
abuse has become rampant in our society
and this has posed a problem because a
society filled with filled with drug addicts and drug dependents cannot move
forward. A nation filled with people who misuse, abuse or are addicted to drugs
will have a high rate of increase in
crime, prostitution etc. it also makes
way for drug traffic kicking in the
society. It constitutes a major public
health hazard and is a part of general
and social disorganization we see
around us that is, breeds comatose
patients, and various melody cases
that constitute the urban eyeore that dent the image of a nation. It
contributes significantly to breakdown of law and order and
establishment of various circles of abuses, deficiency, criminality and
further abuse. Drug abuse has also led to the diversion of scarce resources to
cure addicts, and to rehabilitate them, building of psychiatric hospitals, breakdown of societal norms and values, leading to up
heavily, anarchy and other vices in the
society, posing more problem than to be
solved.
Such problems call for in-depth research to help salvage the situation to avoid
the set back it created for our society and this has to be done with the
help of the mass media in order to inform and educate the people on what that effects of drug abuse can cause to the society, and to the
people involved .
1.3 OBJECTIVE
OF THE STUDY
In
the research statement, I
highlighted some of the problems which called for the research. The
objectives of this study thus includes:
a. To find out if drug abuse has increased crime rate in Nigeria.
b. To investigate
how far the mass media has gone in informing and educating
the society about serious issues in Nigeria.
c. To evaluate its assessment in the role it has
played in the campaign against drug
abuse in Nigeria.
d. To find out
the impressions people have about
drug abuse in Nigeria.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
significance of this study cannot be over-emphasized. Drug abuse has been in the media for a very long time and much has been
written and government is worried about
it. Large amount of money are expended
to rehabilitate victims of drug
abuse. This research is done in order to
alert the society about drug abuse and the impact it has to the society. And also to
engage the media to be faithful allies to reap the society off this problem. This is because
a country with healthy citizens will
have a good work force which in turn boosts the economy of that country. This study will
also show the people the work and part the mass media is playing to combat this
problem.
1.5 RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
My
research questions focuses on the assessment of the mass medias role in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigeria and
also on the impressions people have
about drug abuses in Nigeria.
The questions are:
1. How far have
the mass media gone in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigeria?
2. To what
extent have the mass media gone in
informing, and educating the people
against drug abuse?
3. What rate
is drug abuse getting to in Nigeria?
4. Has drug abuse increased crime rate in Nigeria
5. Has drug abuse
increased crime rate in Nigeria ?
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
H1 The mass media have gone far in informing and educating
the people against drug abuse.
H0 The
mass media have not gone far in informing and educating the people against drug abuse.
H2 The
mass media have gone far in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigeria.
H0 The
mass media have not gone far in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigeria.
H3 Drug
abuse has increased crime rate in Nigeria
Ho Drug
abuse has not increased crime rate in Nigeria.
H4 Drug
abuse can be stopped in Nigeria.
H0 Drug
abuse cannot be stopped in Nigeria.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CAMPAIGN : This
means series of planned activities with
a particular social, commercial or political aim.
MASS MEDIA :This
means the means of communicating with
large numbers of people.
DRUG : A substance used as a medicine or in a medicine.
ABUSE: This means a wrong or
excessive use of something.
ASSESSMENT :- This means
a carefully considered opinion or
judgment.
CAMPAIGN : This means avenues by which the mass media is
carrying out its role in the fight against
drug abuse e.g. through seminars, workshops or programmes.
MASS MEDIA:- This means the television, radio, newspapers and
magazines.
DRUG:- This means those
substance like alcohol, cocaine, heroin that
stimulates the nervous system and is addictive .
ABUSE: This means using
those drugs like cocaine, alcohol or
heroin excessively.
ASSESSMENT: This
means the opinion or judgment on the
mass media role.
1.8 ASSUMPTIONS
This
study will be a contribution to knowledge
and for further research into
certain societal anomalies which may be
negative to health, economic and behavioural understanding that will lead to cohesiveness and even development of any nation and Nigeria in
particular.
That
the mass media has played an important
role in the campaign against drug abuse in Nigerian.
That
drug abuse has affected adversely the increase of crime in Nigeria.
1.9 LIMITATIONS
OF THE STUDY
This
study has some limitations. There is the
problem of data scarcity because
it was not easy for the researcher to get as much information needed.
This research required a lot of money,
if it had to be extensive and elaborate, such amount of money was not at the disposal of the
researcher. Finally,
because the study was carried out a time school was in session, it placed some
constraints on the researcher. Other
academic works also placed much demand on the researchers time. Consequently,
the limited time at the disposal of the researcher was shared
between these tasks. There was not too much time for the researcher as it has
to be carried out within a time schedule.
