Role of Mass Media in Political Development
Mass media in Nigeria
Prior to the revolution of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the television, radio and print media had been the main source of mass communication. The development of mass media in Nigeria dates back to 1970 with the print media being the first having a coverage of about 45% with more penetration in the urban areas. The radio soon followed having a more widely reached audience though the availability of the radio at earlier stages was low and in 1990 then came the emergence of the television having a captivating attention with accessibility to only the elites. The traditional mass media in the 1990’s did play roles more in politics and information dissemination rather than a social or economic function. The use of the telephone not until recent was not considered a form of mass media due to the traditional “one-to-one” communication pattern. The 20th century brought about a revolution in mass media with the internet and the mobile phone becoming a major form of mass communication with an overriding effect on the traditional mass media. The advancement of the ICT has led to development which transcends beyond communication itself but also to sectors such as education, banking & finance, transportation, health, business hence having an overall effect of the politics, social aspects and economy of nations.
Mass media arose to serve the link between information and the audience with a potential of a societal-wide reach, hence information being available to more people at different geographical location more rapidly and at the same time. The early Mass Media (newspaper, magazines, phonogram, cinema, radio and television), has developed to become an integral part of the society; with an increasingly impact in modern society, in the spheres of politics, culture, daily social life and economics (McQuail’ 2010). The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) revolution of the 21st century brought about a new form of mass
Prior to the revolution of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the television, radio and print media had been the main source of mass communication. The development of mass media in Nigeria dates back to 1970 with the print media being the first having a coverage of about 45% with more penetration in the urban areas. The radio soon followed having a more widely reached audience though the availability of the radio at earlier stages was low and in 1990 then came the emergence of the television having a captivating attention with accessibility to only the elites. The traditional mass media in the 1990’s did play roles more in politics and information dissemination rather than a social or economic function. The use of the telephone not until recent was not considered a form of mass media due to the traditional “one-to-one” communication pattern. The 20th century brought about a revolution in mass media with the internet and the mobile phone becoming a major form of mass communication with an overriding effect on the traditional mass media. The advancement of the ICT has led to development which transcends beyond communication itself but also to sectors such as education, banking & finance, transportation, health, business hence having an overall effect of the politics, social aspects and economy of nations.
Mass media arose to serve the link between information and the audience with a potential of a societal-wide reach, hence information being available to more people at different geographical location more rapidly and at the same time. The early Mass Media (newspaper, magazines, phonogram, cinema, radio and television), has developed to become an integral part of the society; with an increasingly impact in modern society, in the spheres of politics, culture, daily social life and economics (McQuail’ 2010). The ICT (Information and Communication Technology) revolution of the 21st century brought about a new form of mass