THE ROLE OF TELEVISION ON EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE SPREAD OF CORONA VIRUS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the Study

At the instance of any outbreak of diseases in a country, it is the responsibility of the government through the Ministry of health to rise to the challenges by appropriating good amount of money and setting up facilities to combat the virus, Non-Governmental bodies and other national and International Health and co-operate Organizations must of a necessity create awareness through mass media and other communication forms by sensitizing the public on the causes, signs and symptoms of the disease, preventive and protective measures against the disease thus the  outbreak of Corona virus diseases (COVID-19) required the same procedure of creating awareness.

The outbreak  of corona virus COVID- 19 has unarguably taken the world unaware, unprepared thus, leaving the affecting country to suffer the devastating dead crises as well as economic breakdown etc. In Nigeria, the present of the deadly virus knows as corona virus, COVID- 19, was confirmed officially on the 27th February 2020 after a virology laboratory was came out at the Lagos university teaching Hospital on the suspected Italian man who arrived Nigeria from Milan on February 24, 2020 on the Turkish Airline.

Awareness programme on any issue simply gives detailed information about the issue at hand. Television is a major medium for dissemination of information to the public while Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) is one of the numerous channels that has the statutory responsibility for transmission of these information via Television. NTA has so many branches and sub stations across the country Television is a powerful tool for the transfer of information, concepts and ideas to both general and specific audiences. It plays an important part in advancing public health

goals

Over the years, the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) has been performing critically well in the area of information dissemination, educating the populace and playing advocacy roles most especially in critical moments and events. Television stations in the whole are expected to  do jingles, adverts and programme which would sensitize the masses on the the preventive measures and safety measures of corona virus.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

Community awareness of the risk factors for Corona infection and the protective measures individuals can take. The government charitable groups, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and other agencies hence so much created awareness campaigns on the Corona virus such awareness includes putting messages and jingles on radio and television stations and putting posters around communities as part of a long term programme to inform the public and help prevent further infections. Others include organizing seminars and workshops on Corona topic, as well as taking to the streets and villages educating the public on how to respond to the outbreak. Necessary awareness on Corona virus by NTA in the Niger Delta region necessitates the research for the various programme awareness campaigns such as jingles programme and weekly messages on information about Corona virus carried out by the television broadcasting States at the Niger Delta region.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The study is set to examine the role of television on Educating the Public on the Preventive measures against the spread of corona virus in Nigeria.Specifically it is geared

1. To examine the different measures to prevent the spread of corona virus

2. To examine how television station educate people on the preventive measures against to spread of corona  virus

3. To examine the level of the involvement of television authorities on educating the masses about  covid-19  preventive measures

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study in it entirety will be beneficial to the body of knowledge. Specifically it will expose government and private owned television station on the need to facilitate regular awareness covid-19 preventive measures. It will enable media presenters come with creative and development  oriented programs to ensure that the spread of of corona virus is reduced to the barest minimum. It will equip the masses with firsthand information on the need to comply with safety measures as advertised on the televisions stations for their personal health benefit as this will curb the spread of corona virus.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What are  the measures to prevent the spread of corona virus?

2. How does television station educate people on the preventive measures against to spread of corona  virus?

3. What is involvement level of television authorities on educating the masses about  covid-19  preventive measures?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is set to examine the role of television on Educating the Public on the Preventive measures against the spread of corona virus in Nigeria using Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) as a case study

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
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).
Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.Time factor pose another constraint since having to cope in this research which went simultaneously within the time schedule of other academic work making it impossible to undertake this study in large more representative skill

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS:

COVID-19:Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is defined as illness caused by a novel corona virus called severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2.

Role: A role is a set of connected behaviors, rights, obligations, beliefs, and norms as conceptualized by people in a social situation

Media:The term media, which is the plural of medium, refers to the communication channels through which we disseminate news, music, movies, education, promotional messages and other data. It includes physical and online newspapers and magazines, television, radio, billboards, telephone, the Internet, fax and billboards.

Television: an electronic system of transmitting transient images of fixed or moving objects together with sound over a wire or through space by apparatus that converts light and sound into electrical waves and reconverts them into visible light rays and audible sound.