PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF NEWS PROGRAMMES IN GOVERNMENT OWNED TELEVISION STATIONS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study employed the survey methodology basically to examine the perception of news programmes on government owned TV stations by members of the public who formed audiences for such programmes. The study specifically focused its investigation on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). To accomplish the objectives of this study, three (3) research questions were formulated to guide the study. Three hundred (300) copies of the questionnaire were distributed to respondents from selected wards in Calabar Municipality and Calabar South Local Government Area based on their acceptance of exposure to NTA Calabar news programmes and two hundred and eighty (280) copies were correctly filled and returned. So the data analysis was based on two hundred and eighty (280) copies. The data were analyzed using simple percentage and tables with some explanations accompanying each table. The findings of the study showed that the NTA news programmes were timely, and precise. However, it was further revealed that NTA news programmes were lacking in the areas of news accuracy, relevance of reports to the issues of the moment, reliability and absence of bias. The study recommends among other things that the media must remember that their primary purpose is to inform the public as such, they should ensure that contents of their news are absolutely free from bias and be factual. It should also be relevant to the larger society.