1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Development can simply be defined according to cited in Nwodus and Ukozor (2003:1) as the improvement of the quality of life for any set of people. For example ruralities, urbanities and slumites. That is why communication experts and professionals can talk about community development, rural development, and sport development. These developments include other forms of development and technological development, such as economic development, socio-cultural development and technological development and of course, educational development in developing countries like Hate, Latin America and Nigeria.
Books, papers seminars, workshops and much has been published and said by professionals in the field of social development. But there is still a sharp contrast between the different economics of the countries of the world. That is why Nwodu and Ukozor (2003;6) say, “the contemporary world operates in two distinctive broad social divides. Based on these apparent social divides, all the nations of the world are hardly perceived as equals. Abott cited in Nwodu and Ukozor (2003:6) also agrees to this when he says, “our world is full of sharp contrasts, one of the sharpest is that between the poorest nations and the richest nations”.
The world of homo sapiens is cateogrised into developed and developing nations. Thus while fewer and several wealthy nations of Europe, North America and a few Asian countries like Japan fall among the developed nations category, there are more nations like Africa, Latin America, and a greater percentage of Asian countries which fall under the category of developing nations. Even with much being published on social development in this information age, the so-called less developed or developing countries have remained generally stunted. Their development have been snail speed. And there is no noticeable development for the betterment of the citizens of these nations.
Whey is this so? Could it be that those at the helm of affairs in these nations and their cabinet in all sections of development have not been reading these publications? Could it be that the leaders or rather those concerned do not read or use the knowledge contained in these publications? Could it also be that there is not enough information or research work in the area of social development in developing nations? How can this trend be changed? Can communication through the print media bring the long desired development in developing nation? If so, how? This is he reason for this research work.
Brief History of Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri
The Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri was established by Edict No. 16 of 1978 it opened for classes on 15th December, 1978 at a temporary site in the premises of the government trade centre along Egbu road, Owerri with initial of 275 students.
In 1980, the College of Education as was it name then was moved to it permanent site in Nekede Owerri. The name of the College was later changed to Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.
In 1987 by the Edict No. 6 of 1987 it was further renamed Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri by the Federal Amendment of Decree 1993 of 1st January, 1993. It motto: Knowledge and skill for service which has been demonstrated by the quality of graduates and professional that the school has produced over they years.
The Polytechnic offers full and part time National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND) and certificate programme their website is www.nekedepolyportal.com.
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
From the background to the problem outlined above, it is an oblivious fact that the Nigeria falls under the category of developing countries. Ever since Nigeria gained her independence she has had no noticeable development or rather should I say her development has been at “snail speed”. How can this ugly situation be changed? Does the print media have a role to play in changing the situation? if so, how can communication through the print media be used to bring development to the Nigerian society?
Communication and development are twin concepts that are inseparable. One cannot exist without the other. Each of these concepts needs each other to thrive — in other words communication is central to any development, programme in a country. The print media is one of the levels of communication. What role can the media play in bringing development in Nigeria? Since communication is a key to sport development.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
- In view of the problem defined above, the project seeks to outline the role of the print media in Sport development in Nigeria.
- It also seeks to measure the progress of Nigeria ‘s sport development by explaining what sport development is.
- The project also emphasizes rural development as the core of sport
- It also seeks to show the medium that is most other media which complement the print media in sport development programmes.
Accordingly, the emerging research question seeks to determine the ways in which the print media can be instrumental to sport development. Development which not only affects urban areas but also the grassroots of the rural areas.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This study becomes significant because it explains how the print media can be utilized for sport development. In Nigeria the print media have acquired enough hardware for efficient dissemination of information to the grassroots. There are coefficient radio and television stations located at the state capitals and Lagos. The Federal capital, Abuja, is getting its share of the hardware. But trained personnel are needed to use the available hardwares to disseminate pertinent programmes.
These programme materials and the message couched in them are the softewares. Unfortunately, the availability of adequate hardwares and softwares at the sources of news dissemination does not guarantee sport development. There is no systematic approach to the use of the print media for sport development. In addition to this mot of Nigerias print media structures are located within the urban areas. In this regard however, this study is imperative. The reason being that its aim is to show how the print media in Nigeria can be organized to transmit development messages to the target audience.
1.5 Research Questions
- Is there any relationship between communication and sport development?
- Can the print media be used for sport development?
- How far or much has the Nigerian print media been able to promote sport development?
- How can the print media be structured for sport development?
- How can the print media be used as a social development agent?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
- Ha1: There is a significant relationship between the print media and sport development in third world countries like Nigeria.
- Ho1: There is no significant relationship between the print media and sport development in third world countries like Nigeria.
- Ha2: The development of rural settlements is prvotal to sport development in developing countries like Nigeria.
- Ho2: The development of rural settlements is not prvotal to sport development in developing countries like Nigeria
- Ha3: The print media needs rural traditional medial to reinforce its messages for effective rural social development.
- Ho3: The print media dotes not rural traditional medial to reinforce its messages for effective rural social development.
- Ha4: The print media in Nigeria has been effective in disseminating developmental messages to both urban and rural settlement for the past five (5) years.
- Ho4: The print media in Nigeria has not been effective in disseminating developmental messages to both urban and rural settlement for the past five (5) years.
1.7 Scope of Study
The scope of study is Owerri, the establishment is Federal Polytechnic Nekede.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Limitation: A research carried out by human beings is bound to have limitations. This research deals principally on the effects of internet on Nigerian students.
The study is limited by many factors among them are:
- Limitation of researchers both in financial and time resources: This research work is not funded by government research agencies or academic bodies but is strictly funded through the financial strength of the researchers who are full time students with no source of income except the merger allowances from their parents and guidance. This financial constraint has affected the researchers in no small measure as any good research is based on fund and time which the researchers were not lucky to have.
- Another limitation was the lack of co-operation from the respondents in the process of administering the questionnaire and conducting interviews.
- Secrecy, Although these factors exist, determination and effort will be made for relevance of the study.
1.9 Conceptual and Operational Definition of Terms
A. Communication
Communication according to the ordinary man on the street means getting your ideas across or making yourself understood. These are not wrong, but in the context of this project it is much more than this.
Several communication scholars have tried to define communication from several perspectives: According to Darnce (1970) cited in Ndolo (1998:1) communication is the process by which we understand others and in term endeavour to be understood by them. it is dynamic, constantly changing and shifting in response to the total situation.
Agee et al, 1998 defines communication as the act of transmitting information, ideas and attitudes from one person to another. In other words transmission of information, ideas, and attitudes to one or more of an individual's senses of sight, sound, touch, taste or smell.
According to Onho (1991) communication is an activity or process that entails mutual sharing or exchange of ideas, information, feelings, emotions and reactions.
Common to all the above definitions is that communication is a process of understanding and sharing of ideas, feelings and meaning or managing of messages between people.
In the process of communication one can identify five basic elements. These elements are people, channel, messages, Noise and feedback. Without these elements there can be no communication.
B. Levels of Communication
There are four major levels in which communication occurs. These are intrapersonal, interpersonal group and mass communication.
Intrapersonal communication refers to an individuals through processes or it means communicating with oneself. The sender and receiver are one and the same person. The message is personalized and the feedback is immediate.
Interpersonal communication is face-to-face communication between one person and at least one other person. It can be dyadic or triadic. The sender is one person while the receiver can be one or more. The message is usually personalized and the feedback is immediate.
Group communication is divided into two categories small group and public speaking. Small group is hen three or fifteen (15) people formalize heir relationships by coming together to combine talents and concerns in order to achieve a purpose, solve a problem or make a decision. The sender at a time is one person and the receiver can be up to fifteen. The message is personalized to the group and the feedback is immediate. Public speaking is when one person speaks to many. That is a sender using the power of speech to inform, persuade and act as a catalyst for change. The sender is one person while the receiver which is referred to as an audience is large, diversified, heterogeneous and faceless.
Mass communication is the fourth level in which communication occurs. It is simply defined as the process of transmitting information, ideas and attitudes to many people, usually through technological devices. The messages transmitted by this level of communication can be received by different people in different geographical locations simultaneously.
The medium of mass communication are the radio, television, newspapers, magazines and books. Those who constitute the source sending or initiating print media messages are conglomeration of professionals that include writers, cameramen, reporters, audio and video technicians, directors, floor managers, editors, production technicians, machine operators who prepare and send messages through a mass medium to a huge audience.
C. The Traditional Print Media
Long before the advent of cannibalism and the subsequent emergence of the modern print media , Nigerians in spite of their great linguistic diversity, were communicating with and among each other. They used smoke signals, the village town crier, talking drums, long brass horns, open village markets, age groups and oral narratives. These forms of mass communication is what is referred to as the traditional media. Though some of these media are no longer in use most are still being used for communication in the rural areas.
Oral tradition still dominates rural settlements in Nigeria today. It continues to be a very important means of handing over information from generation to generation. It includes songs, proverbs, legends, religious liturgy, bakads, invocations and folk tales.
The talking drum is an extinction of the oral tradition and can vary from membranosphones like the hour — glass — shaped drum of the yorubas to the large tom-toms or slit drums of the Igbos. They used to all meetings at sacrificial festivals and for making some official announcements.
Gongs are conical shaped instruemtns used for much the same reasons as the drums. They can be single or double gongs and are sometimes accompanied by the voice of the town — crier.
The voice of the town crier is usually heard in the early hours of the morning or in the evenings. He announces important meetings, ceremonies, messages and imminent troubles.
D. Development
To the ordinary man on the street development means the provision of tangible social infrastructure like roads, hospitals, schools, and decent pipe-borne water, constant power supply and other social amenities.
Professionals like economists view development as change that realistically enhances people's earnings in addition to raising their living standards via large — scale production of goods and services. in the perspective of philosphphers, development is viewed as the attainment of meaningful degree of alertness and the sophistication of human faculties to the level of the individual in society can not only reason well but also, adopt a logical approach to issues arising from human society.
From the above laymen and professional perception of development one can infer that development as a concept is a continuous change that impact meaningfully on all the ramifications of peoples lives. Okunna (2002:294A) cited in Nwodu and Ukozor (2003:2) summarizes the meaning of development this way “Development should bring change, this change should be for the better; the change should be for the benefit of the majority of the people; and the process should be participatory, that is, involve people as closely as possible.
It is form this angle that this project perceives development.
E. Sport Development
According to Liwis Ramiro Beltran cited in Nwuneli (1985: 185) cited in Nwodu and Ukozor (2003:4) Sport development is a directed and widely participatory process of deep and accelerated socio-political change geared towards producing substantial changes in the economy, the technology, the ecology and the overall culture of a country, so that the moral and material advancement of the majority of its population can be obtained within conditions of generalized equality, dignity, justice and liberty.
From the above definition one can say that developmental efforts at sport level must be all- embracing as well as all-encompassing. It focuses on the overall socio-economic, cultural, political and environmental transformation of the entire nation. Sport development is not limited to the urban settlements or rural areas it embraces the living conditions of both the urban and rural dwellers.
