1.0 Introduction
The term public relation has already been defined from different perspectives by different authors.
According to Nwokoye (1984) public relations is the activities of a corporation union, government or other organization in building and marketing sound and productive relations with special public such as customers, employee of stock holder and also with the public at large so as to adapt its self to its environment and interprets its self to the society.
According to Busch and Houston (1995) public relation is the management of an organization designed to elicit from one or more public or general positive feelings towards the organization and its product” Busch and Houston further stated that “public relation as the management function which evaluate public attitude, identified policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest and execute programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.
Ajula (1992) is of the opinion that public relations is the totality of an organization or individuals performance aimed at earning public firms which results in continued growth, mutually beneficial to the organization or from the individual and the society which it operates. From the main AKBC services and all other institution of firm can do nothing without effective public relation in other words, every industry depends mainly for its efficiency and success and mentally understanding the organization and its public. Effective public relation also serves as a form through which the limited liability companies exposes promotes, depends and obtain goodwill in an inquisitive society like ours. It is necessary for AKBC to readily public its activities so as to avoid suspicious even in buying and selling concepts, public relation is a major instrument used to inform middle men, employees and customer about what the quality or company is doing to improve their product and grants, intimate them with new strategies and extent of achievements.
Public relations as an aid to successful environment in administration is aimed at breaking the unfriendly relation between the government and the public and also companies who find it difficult not to solve the customers problem. Manufacturers and service providers are now aware that public relations close not only ensure good relation with the public also strive towards increasing customers patronage.
1.1 Background of the Study
The History of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (A.K.B.C)
The Akwa Ibom broadcasting corporation (AKBC) was established by edict No.4 of April 1988. The corporation provides both Radio and television services. Its temporary headquarters is located at No 3. Udo Udoma Avenue, uyo: while the transmitting station is at Ntak Inyang.
The Radio Services
The radio services, christened, voice of promise, Radio Akwa Ibom FM stereo, was officially commissioned on July 27, 1991 by the military governor of the state, Idongesit Nkanga (then a commander). It transmits in frequency modulation of 90.528MH2
The Television Service
The television service was commissioned on April, 23, 1991 by then military president, commander-in-Chief of the Amed forces of the federal Republic of Nigeria, general Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. It transmits on Channel 45 ultra High Frequency (UHF) and has an effective Isotropic Radited power (EIRPO) of about help a million watts (5000 KW). Today AKBC transmit 24hrs daily.
The signals of both services are widely received loud and clear. The radio and television offer high quality programmes that cater for the needs and interest of their wide and varied audiences. Indeed the programmes of AKBC have enjoined local, national and international acclaim, culminating in the wining of prizes during the 2004, 2006, 2008 AFRICAST programmes competition.
Organization Structure
The corporation has a staff and line structure where there are directorates, departments and units headed by Directors, deputy Directors and managers. At the apes is the board of Director. Below the board of Directors is the Directors-General/ Chief Executive officer, followed the directors, Deputy directors, etc. at the moment, there are six directors vix: Administration and human resources development, finance and suppliers, programmes, news and current affairs, marketing and engineering.
The corporation is supervised by the state ministry of information and social re-orientation propelled by its media-friendly posture, the governor Godswill Akpabio administration is embarking on a re-branding of the information sector of which AKBC is a major beneficiary. Today, AKBC Channel 45 tramits 24hours daily.
Mission
The primary responsibility of the corporation is to provide information, entertainment and educational services to the public. It strives at all times to render independent and impactial television and radio broadcasting services that give adequate expression to the culture, characteristics and thinking of the government and people of Akwa Ibom states. It provides balanced coverage of events of public, state and national interest giving all stakeholders access to the media and opportunity to express their views.
The Radio and television also broadcast well researched programmes, documentaries, features and commentaries, which sensitize and mobilize the people to contribute towards the development of the society. In fact, both services input positively on society through information, correlation, entertainment, education, mobilization and promotion of peace, unity and progress.
The Administration Directorate
This is the gateway as well as the exit point of every staff of the corporation structurally, the directorate has the following units general administration, establishments, pension, registry, planning, research and statistics, transport and security.
It finds out the personnel requirements of the corporation and subject to available resources, embark on advertisement of vacancies, receive application, shortlist and conduct selection interviews and recruit staff for the different directorates and units of the corporation. It undertakes oriented, induction and deployment of corporation. This directorates is also responsible for the regular in of the staff to keep them abreast of modern trends in the broadcast industry for effect ion performance.
It sees about the welfare of the generality of staff and ensures a conducive working environment. This directorate is also responsible for motivating the staff for increased performance by way of financial and non-financial incentives such as promotions and letters of commendation.
It ensures the maintenance of discipline, records-keeping, statistical information, medical facilities and also prepares staff for retirement and ensures the payment of retirement benefits such as gratuities and pensions.
This directorate co-ordinate the activities of all other directorates in the corporation.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
A good corporation image is regarded to be essential for the existence of an organization. The success or failure of a corporation depend on its relationship with its public customers, employees, stakeholders, government, communities, distributor, dealers, suppliers and others. A favourable corporation image creates confidence in an organization, the existed a need to appraise the corporation image of AKBC so as to know;
- What is the corporate image of the organization?
- Lack of qualified manpower (manpower problem)
- Poor press relation
- Is the organization suffering from inadequate communication tools?
The researcher is therefore posed to highlight the problem areas and how to enforce its public image so as to create a favourable corporate image among special publics.
1.2 Objectives of the Study
The major objective of this study is to investigate public relatives as an aid to successful government in administration specially the study will;
- Investigate the impact of public relation of Akwa Ibom broadcasting corporation (AKBC) service.
- Identify how the primary roles of public relation effects the public
- Ascertain how organization can use public relation at their advantage.
- Determine how it strives to discover and eliminate sources of misunderstanding.
- To find out how public relations is aimed at improving the communication between people and the organization.
1.3 Theoretical Framework
This research work is guided by human Relation theory. Whom the chief proponent, Elton mayo and his Harvard co-workers opines that managers must know why employees in a work environment act as they do and what social and psychological factors motivate the. In short, the human relations theorists including its application in contemporary organizations. The human relations theory emanated from the Hawthorne Experiments conducted by Elton Mayo and his Harvard associates on human behaviour in work situations at the Hawthorne plant of western electric from 1972 to 1932, the experiment proved that when special attention is giving to workers by management, productivity is likely to increase regardless of actual charges in working condition. Other contributors of the human relations theory include Robbert Owen and fritz Poethlisberger.
Some of the Contribution of the Theory To An Institution Or Firm, Which Akbc Is An Example Included;
- It helps managers to understand the influence of social environment in determining the quantity and quality of work produced.
- It made managers to understand the social needs of workers rather then economic needs in a work environment.
- It shifted attention from individual incentive to group incentive in a work environment.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study of public relation is very important and promotional tools in marketing or in administration. It serves as a form through which organizations exposes, promote, depends and even explain in to obtain public good will and change public negative attitude. Through this study, consumers will benefit more because they are being educated and continuously informed about recent changes.
Public relations takes the form of service to the group, it could achieve this through the award of community scholarship to community children, donation of development projects, rides, extension of electricity. All these are to the detriment of identified group general public or consumers in particular. Public relation helps to improve mutual understanding between organization and its public.
1.5 Scope of the Study
It will be difficult to study all corporation in Akwa Ibom state talk more of Nigeria. The topic limited and being concentrated in Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation of Akwa Ibom state. The studies therefore envisage the success of public relation in making activities in the country.
The researcher has limited the study of public relation as an aid to successful government in administration of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC)
1.6 Limitation of the Study
In the course of this study there are numbers of problems constraints against the successful completion of this work. These problems includes, finance which was a major problem or impediment to this study. A lot of cost where incurred in the course of executing the research.
Another constraint encountered in the study was poor response from some of the respondents. Again, the researcher being the student has to read and take lectures in other courses during the period of the study.
A research of this nature requires a concentration of time an effort to enable the researcher come up with an exhaustive result, besides this study ran concurrently with normal academic work.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Public:
Public exist whenever a group of people is drawn together by definite interest in certain areas and has definite opinion upon matters within these areas.
Relation:
It is the line between an organization and the public.
Publicity:
It is a communication arm of public relation.
Government:
Is the body of persons or an institution that makes and implements its policies conducts its public affairs and maintain law and order within its territory.
Administration:
It is the act of arranging and directing persons in order to accomplish a specified goal
