1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Theatre and social media are allies in the sustenance of societal peace and development, among other functions they perform, the fact that media and theatre perform the same functions, albeit it in different forms, degrees, and patterns, cannot be over emphasized. Therefore, both will be married in this piece even though they bear different nomenclatures. In terms of development, many African countries are not at par with countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and India that were categorized as developing countries along with them. The problem is that, although the continent has what it takes to accelerate its development, its potentialities are not being explored.
Obasi (2016) buttresses the fact that theatre and the media are both apparatuses of communication, communication being one of the bedrocks of development, and where development brings about change because “without communication there would probably have been no fundamental changes in human endeavours” (p. 463).
Economic liberation and development can only be achieved through communication that is targeted at meeting various development goals (Wilson, 2017). Thus, this has made it necessary to analyse the media and theatre as effective communication tools that can be used to aid development in Africa. Theatre and the media, being tools of communication, easily lend themselves to mobilisation efforts to bring about the creation of awareness and the dissemination of information.
The media and the theatre are mutually complementary in the vanguard of sensitising the public, critically analysing issues, and drawing attention of development agenda to development issues. Through government are doing everything with their power to see that situation as reserved they should realize that they have not been should realize that they have not been making effective use of mass communication to foster community / rural development with the proper use of the communication media in shaping and channeling the minds of the rural communities in the issues that affect them it will go a long way in bettering their condition.
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan.
1.2 Statement of Problem
In this information age when comminutes has been regarded as a veritable tool for rural economic social and political development the role which the media have been playing has not been all that encouraging in the content of development in Nigeria. Even in most rural communities where modern media are completely unavailable information is should among the people who can either read, mite nor hav3 exposure to modern mass media, they maintain in stable system of living.
It is not an over-statement to say that government plans and strategies for the development f the rural communities had consistently failed. This is became they have fueled to employ the mass media in the course of the development pregrammes though the floating of many community newspaper magazines radio and television stations have helped in some ways but to what extent then have gone in improving the lot of our rural communities in the content of development is shifting to areas some section of the mass media have not yet released the need for this shift. It is a glaring fact new that government cannot do everything for her citizens more especially the rural people.
Therefore for this research the problem under invitation is to find out to what extent modern media have helped the rural communities in the contact of development to what degree is the attitude and behavioral change (s) of rural dwellers when exposed to the mass media.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To find out how social media communication could help in improving the lines of the Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan in the context of development influencing and changing their lives attitudes and condition.
- To ascertain how the use of social media has effect the Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan
- To determine the social media network that the students are more exposed to and the effect on the Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan
1.4 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Does social media communication help in improving the lines of the Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan in the context of development?
- Are University of Ibadan students exposed towards the use of social media network?
- To what extent has social media impact the Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan?
- How much time do students spend using social media?
- What is the impact of social media on students’ academic performance?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant impact of Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan
- H1: There is significant impact of Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan
1.6 Significance of Study
This study will help the Lecturers, students, and other researchers to know how Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan. The study is of significant to parents in the sense that they will know the possible effects these social media usage has on their children, so as to serve as watch-dog to their children on the usage of the social networking site.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.7 Scope of Study
The scope of this research is focused on Social Media as a Catalyst for Theatre Production Publicity in University of Ibadan.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.9 Operational Definition of Terms
As words may mean differently in different contexts, the following definitions are given as the words used as intended to be understood for the purpose of this study.
Social Media: They are forms of electronic communication which facilitate interactive base on certain interests. Social media include web and mobile technology
