CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY The history of Nigerian broadcasting can be divided broadly into two epochal periods: the period from 1932 up till 1992 when the deregulation decree was promulgated, and the period after 1992 till the present. In the former, only government at federal and state/regional levels was allowed to own and operate broadcast media stations. This was based on the philosophy of public broadcasting, which among many things, held that broadcasting in its ideal state is a public service (partly because the medium upon which the messages are carried the airwaves is the property of everyone), hence no one should be disenfranchised from getting information through it. Another school of thought for government ownership was the fact that the broadcast media has the advantage of reach and believability, which other media do not have (Enemaku, 2003). The apparent failure of this altruistic and ideal model of broadcasting in nigeria, due to the aggregation of governmental and macro-economic
1

factors, led to the second historical period, characterized by deregulation of the sector which permitted for the entrance of private investors into the broadcasting system (Sunday, 2008). The new wave of privatization which culminated in the 1992 Deregulation Decree by the Babangida regime allowed for more participants in the Nigerian broadcasting industry, which has helped ensure that audience have more options in terms of stations choice, as against the period pre-1992 when they were stuck either with the FRCN/NTAs service or the broadcasting service of the states in which they were domiciled. This ability to choose has now placed power in the hands of the audience to become a strong factor of consideration in the success or otherwise of a broadcast organization. If the publics assessment of the operations, philosophy and programmes of a broadcast media is favourable, it is more likely that such media organization will enjoy audience followership, and thus determine the extent to which such media organizations vehicles

(radio or television station) will enjoy advertiser patronage (Jamgbadi, 2010, p.4). This assessment is the particular focus of this study.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Since 1992 after the deregulation exercise, the level of competition in the Nigerian broadcasting industry has improved tremendously (Sunday, 2008). This is due to the kinds of programmes which private-owned television and radio stations have introduced into the market. No longer are

television/radio programmes dour and grim; much entertainment in the mould of music programmes, musical videos, reality television shows, entertainment call-in programmes have been introduced, which has made the experience of the audience more worthwhile. Also, it is perceived that the level of professionalism has been significantly enhanced. These factors, and several others are points to consider in the determination of the success or otherwise of a broadcast media organization. Hence this study seeks to find out, from the public, the extent to which government-owned and public broadcasting systems (television and radio) have met their requirements in terms of programmes, professional standards, conduct and operations, and other considerations.
3

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the study is to determine the views and opinions of the public as regards their assessment of the operations of government and public media systems, with reference to Silverbird/Rhythm and LTV/Metro FM.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of this study include:

i.

To know how the audience feel towards the stations

ii. To know what informed their preference

RESEARCH QUESTIONS This researcher will work to answer the following research questions:
4

1.

To what extent does preference for public broadcasting systems exceed that of government-owned broadcasting stations?

2.

Do programmes of public broadcasting stations have more audience appeal stations? than programmes of government-owned broadcasting

3.

Are public broadcasting stations considered to be more professional than government-owned broadcasting stations?

4.

Are public broadcasting stations considered to be better in news coverage than government-owned broadcasting stations?

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study owes its significance to its resonating nature, which is on two bases. One, it has practical relevance as it would recommend to private, government, (and public) broadcast stations area in which they would need to improve their services, if they intend to enhance their preference amongst their audience.

On the other hand, it will add to the volume of existing literature on the subject matter and provide impetus and context for further research in this area.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY The study is limited in scope to only two media organizations operating in a country which has more than 200 media organizations. It is also restricted in terms of location to Lagos State, in which the audience to be sampled are domiciled. Other restraining factors however include time, finance and availability (or otherwise) of information sources.

DEFINITION OF TERMS Audience: Spectators or listeners assembled at a performance, for example, or attracted by a radio or television programme. Assessment : This can be defined simply as the evaluation, viewpoint or opinion of a person or group of persons about a topic or situation.

REFERENCES Emenaku, O.S. (2003) The Deregulation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Industry and Ensuing Challenges and Opportunities in Akinfeleye, R. A. & Okoye. I. E. (Ed) Issues In Nigerian Mass Media: History

1900 2000AD , Lagos : Malthouse Press.

Jamgbadi, O (2010) An Appraisal Of The Programmes Of Private

Broadcast Stations: A Unilag Audience Perspective Of Channels Television , being unpublished BSc research project
submitted to the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos Sunday, O (2008) Historical Background to the Development of Journalism in Nigeria in Akinfeleye, R. A. (Ed), Mass Media and Society: A

Multiperspective

Approach ,

Lagos:

Department

of

Mass

Communication, University of Lagos

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW/THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK SELF- PERCEPTION THEORY This study is engaged in to measure considerably, the evaluation of people to the operations of public and private media systems, using different elements of measurement. However, at the centre of this measurement or evaluation is the driving force of perception, hence the self-perception theory will suffice. The self-perception theory answers the question of the reason for the uniqueness in the individual outlook of people. According to Wikipedia (2009, para 1), it posits that attitudes (which is a function of opinions and perception) are developed as a function of exposure to social stimuli (such as social behaviour or media) and making conclusions as to what could have cause such stimulus. This theory holds that reason is paramount, and that it guides peoples overt behaviour and expressed opinions, especially since they rationalize their behaviours and opinions in the same way that they try to explain such opinions and behaviours as held and expressed by others.
8

In the context of this study, the self-perception theory applies to the extent that it establishes that the opinions of the audience on the operations of the media stations (which forms the basis of their individual and collective evaluation) is a function of their exposure to the stimulus that is, the media stations themselves and the way they operate, e.g. the kinds of programmes they air, the way they cover their news, etc. This exposure will influence perception, influence perception and ultimately determine preference.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES THEORY Since the early days of the mass media, there have been several successful attempts to determine the level of influence that the media have over society. Whilst initial findings looked at this influence generally, establishing that the influence over media is homogenous and widespread (theories such as magic bullet, social categories, agenda setting, etc readily come to mind), more recent studies have since established a rather individualistic approach to understanding members of societys response to media stimuli

and this has given rise to a a new paradigm in media-society effect and relationship the Individual Differences theory.

There are a number of definitions and interpretations of this theory, but the general concept remains the same; that is, the media affects or impacts on people uniquely and differently because people themselves are unique and different. This view is intrinsic to the simplistic definition of the concept as provided by Answers.com (2010, para 1), which states that the individual differences theory, as a theory of mass communication, proposes that individuals respond differently to the mass media according to their psychological needs, and that individuals actively and consciously consume offerings from the mass media to satisfy those needs. The need may be for information, integration, affection, or relaxation. What is fundamental is that even in the question of these needs; people are different and will approach the media differently in meeting those needs.

Stretching the idea a bit further is Akinfeleye (2008), who writes that this theory recognizes that every individual is different in his/her genetic, psychological, cultural, social, physiological and biological composition, and
10

thus, it is only normal to expect them to respond differently to prompting from social stimuli, including media messages.

In light of the current study, this theory applies to the extent that it recognizes that the perception of people on various aspects of society, and operations of media stations differ based on their own predispositions, level of exposure, level of education, religious beliefs, professional affiliations, etc, and thus, it cannot be expected that they will think alike of the operations of media stations.

LITERATURE REVIEW PERCEPTION AND EVALUATION Perception is a rather relative subject. This has resulted in its flexibility and malleability in terms of attempts to define it. For Goldsterin (1960), perception is a psychological concept which has been drafted into the formulation of communication theory. Smith and Strauss (1962) as cited by Dickson (2002:5) He goes further to add that communication is not the only area that the study and understanding of perception has come to

11

affect. This assertion has come into focus in the light of research in communication that have produced correlating findings. According to Smith and Strauss (1962), perception refers to the ways in which organisms respond to the stimuli picked up by their sense organs. This definition is corroborated by Donald and Collins (1977) who state that perception is the process by which an organism responds to the features of the environment with regularities in its behaviours. Donald (1996) defines perception as a complex response to a sensation in light of past experiences and expectation. Wikipedia (2010) opines that perception is one of the earliest branches of philosophy, adding that its application now transcends philosophy to incorporate psychology, and cognitive science. Perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information. Perception discourses hold that what one perceives is a result of interplays between past experiences, including ones culture, and the interpretation of the perceived. This view is captured laconically by Miller (1976:110), who posits that perception is the process of becoming aware of objects and relations in the world around us, as far as that, awareness depends on sensory process. From this definition, one can assume that perception is the outcome of the interaction between the
12

human senses and the world around them. Donald (1996:105) adds that perception is a complex reaction to a sensation in the light of past experiences and expectations, adding that the interaction of how people expect the world to be and how it is presented (or perceived) may be quite different. Two types of consciousness are considerable regarding perception: phenomenal (any occurrence that is observable and physical) and psychological. The difference everybody can demonstrate to him- or herself is by the simple opening and closing of his or her eyes: phenomenal consciousness is thought, on average, to be predominately absent without sight. Through the full or rich sensations present in sight, nothing by comparison is present while the eyes are closed. Using this precept, it is understood that, in the vast majority of cases, logical solutions are reached through simple human sensation. Passive perception (conceived by Ren Descartes) can be surmised as the following sequence of events: surrounding input (senses) processing (brain) output (re-action).

In light of this study, it is assumable that predisposition determines the extent to which people will choose to watch television, and by extension,
13

their decision to watch programmes on particular stations. If they are predisposed against a certain station, even if they like the programme, they will not watch it. This can be stretched to include preference for a television station. For instance, most young people have been known to prefer entertainment-inclined television and radio stations. This ensured that entertainment-centred stations like Silverbird Television is more popular amongst young people, who in turn now rely on it for other programmes such as news.

ASSESSMENT An important aspect to this study is the subject of assessment. Simply defined, assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs (Douglas, 2011. para.1).

Assessments can be classified in many different ways. The most important distinctions are: (1) formative and summative; (2) objective and subjective; (3) referencing (criterion-referenced, norm-referenced, and ipsative); and (4) informal and formal. These classifications are usually used in educational settings; however, these classifications have been
14

applied to other reasons in which a fair and objective opinion on effectiveness and achievement of purpose is required.

According to Douglas (2011), in most situations, the most referred to type of assessment is performance assessment. Performance-based assessment is similar to summative assessment, as it focuses on achievement. It is often aligned with the adoption of certain standards and criteria, with which subjects are fairly compared and appraised and it is used to determine the extent to which the subjects (being assessed) are meeting, falling below, or exceeding a performance standard rather than being ranked on a curve.

A well-defined criterion/criteria must of necessity be identified and subjects are to meet those criteria, often in settings that involve real-world application of knowledge and skills. Proficiency is demonstrated by providing an extended response. Performance formats are further differentiated into products and performances. The performance may result in a product or it may consist of a performance.

15

Informal and formal Assessment can be either formal or informal. Formal assessment usually implicates a written document, such as a test, quiz, or paper, or in the case of this study, a questionnaire which asks questions pertaining to the extent to which the appraised subject, in this case a television/radio station has been able to meet certain standards of operations.

A formal assessment is given a numerical score or grade based on performance, whereas an informal assessment does not contribute to a documentation of the subjects competence, but may form an impression of their operations which could be positive or negative, depending on their performance. For an organization, a negative impression of their competence could spell doom, as it may ward off potential patronage. An informal assessment usually occurs in a more casual manner and may include observation, inventories, checklists, rating scales, rubrics,

performance and portfolio assessments, participation, peer and self evaluation, and discussion.

16

In the case of broadcasting stations as applicable for the purpose of this study, assessment is based on programmes, usually the extent to which programmes meet certain pre-defined standards, and achieve certain objectives, examples of which include political objectives, social objectives, cultural objectives, economic objectives, and so on (Onabajo 2002). While there is the need to consider their performance based on factors such as the infrastructure at their disposal, the depth of their staff strength, the general socio-political and economic clime in which they operate, there is also the need to accept that the standard for broadcasting, which in Nigeria is set by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and documented in the NBC Code is uniform and must be met, especially since broadcasting is as much a business as it is a public service, and all the stakeholders to broadcasting in any society, must be served adequately by any station who take a space on the airwaves to provide broadcast services to the public.

17

References Answers.com (2010) Individual Differences Theory downloaded from http://www.answers.com/topic/individual-differences-theory, 12/7/2010 Akinfeleye, R. A (ed) (2008) Health on

and Behavioural Change

(2nd Edition), Lagos:

Communication
Malthouse Wikipedia (2009)

for

Development

Self

Perception

Theory

downloaded

from on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/self_perception_theory.html, 12/4/2011

Strauss, A. and Smith, A. L. (1962) Social Psychology , San Francisco: University of California Press Miller, G. A (1976) Language and Perception , Cambridge: Howard University Press Donald, C. P (1996) Essential Social Psychology , London: Edward Arnold Plc

18

Donald, H. M. and Collins, B. V (1977) Perception: Pattern and

Process , New York: McGraw-Hill

Onabajo, O (2002) Station Management and Operations, Lagos: Gabi Concepts

19

CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION The objective of this chapter is to discuss the methods adopted to gather data for this study. It outlines the processes, and highlights the challenges faced in the course of the study.

RESEARCH DESIGN The research design used for this study was the survey research design. According to Babbie (1986:209), survey represents an excellent vehicle for the measurement of behaviour among a population. He continued by noting that survey research is probably the best method available to the social scientist interested in collecting original data for descriving a population too large to observe directly (Babbie, 1986, as cited by Anene, 2002:11). Implicitly, surveys are concerned with taking opinions from a section of the target audience and using the information gathered to generate a general impression of the aggregate views of the said population. This is corroborated by Sobowale (1983:25) who writes that
20

the survey method is executed through by asking selected members of a population a set of questions on aspects of a subject/research matter to which they are expected to react, and their reactions measured to arrive at conclusions which will now be assumed for the whole population.

STUDY POPULATION A population is the totality of the group to which a study applies. In the case of this study, students of the tertiary institutions in the Akoka-BarigaYaba axis of the Lagos metropolis constituted the population from which the sample will be selected.

SAMPLE SIZE The sample, to which the research instrument will be administered, totaled 200.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE The accidental or convenience sampling method was employed for the purpose of selecting the sample for this study. This sampling method is executed when the researcher administers the research instrument to any
21

member of the study population, as much as are easy for him to access. Therefore, 100 copies of the instrument were distributed to students of the University of Lagos, while the remaining 100 were administered equally between students of Yaba College of Technology and Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka.

RESEARCH (DATA COLLECTION) INSTRUMENT The data collection instrument for this study was the structured questionnaire. It was designed to contain both opened and closed ended questions and was designed with the research questions in mind that is, answering of the items on the research instrument will provide viable answers for the research questions. The instrument was divided into two parts: the first attempted to get information on level of exposure, while the second part attempted to elicit assessment responses. The instrument was self-administered.

DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS The data gathered were analysed and presented descriptively, using simple tables and percentages,
22

REFERENCES Anene, D (2002) University of Lagos students perception of

female
research

television
project

broadcasters ,
to the

bring

unpublished of

B.Sc Mass

submitted

Department

Communication, University of Lagos Babbie, E (1986) The

Practice

of

Social

Research , Belmont:

Wadsworth Publishing Sobowale, I. S (1983) Scientific Publishing

Journalism , Ikeja: John West

23

Chapter four Data analysis and presentation of findings

Introduction Audience assessment of the operations of Nigerian television stations was the focus of this study, taking into consideration variables such as programme quality, professionalism, news coverage, and other issues which influence programme preference, using four Nigerian stations as the assessment subjects. The research instrument had been distributed to the sample, which was composed of 100 respondents from the University of Lagos, and 50 apiece from the Yaba College of Technology and the Federal College of Education (Technical), totaling 200. From this number, only 178 copies of the research instrument was returned, indicating a response rate of 89 percent. The returned instruments were analysed, and the findings presented below in response to the research questions, which include:
1.

To what extent does preference for public broadcasting stations exceed that of government-owned broadcasting stations?

24

2.

Do programmes of public broadcasting stations have more audience appeal stations? than programmes of government-owned broadcasting

3.

Are public broadcasting stations considered to be more professional than government-owned broadcasting stations?

4.

Are public broadcasting stations considered to be better in news coverage than government-owned broadcasting stations?

Answering the research questions Before answering the research questions, the competence of the respondents to provide answers to the research questions must be established. The following tables 1-5 will provide evidence of this.

Table 1: Watch TV
25

f Yes No Total 178 0 178

% 100 0 100

In Table 1, the distribution of respondents who watched television is displayed. It shows that all 178 respondents have been exposed to television and implicitly would have had experience with any or all of the stations under assessment in this study.

Table 2: Frequency of exposure

F Often Occasionally Rarely Total 74 89 15 178 % 41.57303 50 8.426966 100

Table 2 above shows the frequency of exposure to television amongst the respondents. Ultimately, this plays a significant role in their assessment
26

and evaluation of television in general, and the selected stations specifically. Constant viewers, that is those who say they watched television often, total 74 respondents, which is about 42 percent of the total respondents. Semi-heavy viewers amount for 50 percent of the total number of respondents. Light viewers make up the remaining 8 percent, numbering just 15.

Table 3: Hours spent watching TV

f 0-5 hours 6-10 hours 11-15 hours 16+ Total 103 30 45 0 178 % 57.86517 16.85393 25.2809 0 100

The length of time spent watching television by the respondents is the focus of Table 3. It shows that a majority of the respondents watch television for between 0-5 hours at a time, with a total of 103 respondents, accounting for about 58 percent of the total number of respondents. Those
27

who watch for longer, 6-10 hours, total 30 (about 17 percent) respondents. Viewers of more than 10 hours totaled 45 (25 percent) respondents. This reflects considerable exposure to the selected stations and creates a strong basis for assessment and comparison.

Table 4: Programmes watched on television

f News Sports Music Childrens belt Entertainment Talk shows Cartoons Features Total 45 89 22 22 60 15 0 0 253 % 17.78656 35.17787 8.695652 8.695652 23.71542 5.928854 0 0 100

The distribution of respondents views on the kinds of programmes they watch on television is displayed in Table 4. Sports and entertainment

programmes are the most watched programmes, accounting for about 35

28

and 23 percent of the total responses on this questionnaire item. News follows with 45 responses, about 17 percent, while both music programmes and childrens belt programme account about 18 percent 9 percent apiece of the total responses. Talk shows bring up the rear with just 6 percent.

Table 5: Preferred programmes on television

f News 29 30 % 11.58301

Sports Music Childrens belt Entertainment Talk shows Cartoons Features Documentary Total

59 15 30 74 22 15 7 7 253

22.77992 5.791506 11.58301 28.57143 8.494208 5.791506 2.702703 2.702703 100

Programme preference of the respondents is displayed in Table 5. Entertainment programmes are the most preferred, polling 28 percent of the total responses to the survey. This is followed by sports programmes with 23 percent, news and childrens belt programmes with about 12 percent each, talk shows with 8 percent, cartoons and music programmes with about 6 percent, and finally, features and documentaries with about 3 percent. These responses validate the further responses which were used to answer the research questions, which are presented below:

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Research Question One: To what extent does preference for public broadcasting stations exceed that of government-owned broadcasting stations? Table 6: Stations watched
f NTA AIT LTV STV Total 30 74 67 96 267 % 11.23596 27.71536 25.09363 35.95506 100

To establish preference of either of the stations, it must first be established if these stations are watched by the respondents, and this is displayed in Table 6. STV is the most watched station (when the respondents were asked about all the stations at once) with 96 respondents, which amounts for about 36 percent of the total responses. AIT follows in terms of viewership, with 74 (about 28 percent) responses. LTV comes next with 67 (25 percent) responses and the least watched station is NTA with only 11 percent of the responses.

31

Table 7: First choice of stations

f NTA AIT LTV STV Total 38 59 22 59 178 % 21.34831 33.14607 12.35955 33.14607 100

Respondents view on the stations they would choose ahead of others reinforces the preference for private/public television stations ahead of government stations. Private/public stations, AIT and STV, collectively polled 118 of the 178 respondents, accounting for 66 percent of the total responses. Government stations were preferred less, with only 34 percent of the total responses, with NTA preferred over LTV, placing third on the preference ratings with 21 percent and LTV coming last with 12 percent. This answers the first research question: Private/public stations are more preferred to government stations.

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Research Question Two: Do programmes of public broadcasting stations have more audience appeal than programmes of government-owned broadcasting stations? Answering this research question would require responses to questions of what station the respondents watch and the types of programmes they watch on the stations they say they watch. Tables carrying these responses are displayed below. Table 8: Watch AIT
f Yes No N/A Total 111 59 8 178 % 62.35955 33.14607 4.494382 100

From Table 8, it can be seen that a majority of the respondents say they have watched Africa Independent Television at some point. This is represented by 111 (62 percent) respondents, while 59 (33 percent) say they do not watch AIT. About 5 percent of the respondents, 8, did not answer.
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Table 9: Watch NTA

f Yes No N/A Total 118 52 8 178 % 66.29213 29.21348 4.494382 100

NTA has a slightly higher number of people who watch the station. 118 respondents, 66 percent, said they have watched NTA, while 52 (29 percent) respondents said they had not. As with AIT, NTA also had a 5 percent no-response rate.

Table 10: Watch STV

f Yes 34 163 % 91.57303

No N/A Total

7 8 178

3.932584 4.494382 100

With STV is the highest number of viewers. 163 (about 92 percent) respondents said they watch STV, while 7 (about 4 percent) said they did not.

Table 11: Watch LTV

f Yes No N/A Total 119 52 7 178 % 66.85393 29.21348 3.932584 100

The number of respondents who said that they watch LTV is the second highest, coming after STV. 119 respondents said that they watch the station, while 52 (29 percent) said they did not.

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Table 12: Programmes watched on stations

NTA News Talk shows Entertainment Sports Childrens belt 108 13 13 0 0 134 AIT 74 30 69 22 0 195 STV 22 37 126 22 7 214 LTV 70 45 30 7 7 159

From the above table, the distribution of responses to preferred programmes per station is displayed. In terms of news, NTA is the most consulted station, with 108 responses. This is followed by AIT in a distant second position with 74 responses, and then by LTV with 70 responses. For news, STV is the least watched with only 22 responses. For talk shows, LTV ranked tops with 45 responses for viewers, followed by STV with 37 responses. AIT was the third preferred station for talk shows with 30 responses, and the NTA brought up the rear with only 13 responses. STV came clear tops in respect of entertainment programmes (which is not unconnected with the entertainment focus of the station) with 126 responses, while the NTA was the least watched station for entertainment
36

programmes with 13 respondents. In between was AIT with 69 respondents, and LTV with 30 respondents. Sports also saw a dominance of private stations having preference of respondents, with AIT and STV having 22 respondents each, while LTV had only 7 respondents. From the above analysis, it is evident that programmes of private/public stations are more preferred than those provided by government stations. Collectively, there were more respondents for private stations on the different variables than the government stations, which reinforces the assertion that there is a preference for private stations amongst respondents.

Research Question Three: Are public broadcasting stations considered to be more professional than government-owned broadcasting stations? The Likert scale was employed in the answering of this research question. Respondents had been asked to rate the performance of the selected
37

television stations on questions of competence and professionalism and their responses formed the basis for this answer.

Table 13: Ratings on competence

NTA 40 84 56 0 0 178 AIT 12 76 57 33 0 178 STV 27 51 86 14 0 178 LTV 8 49 81 40 0 178

Excellent (5) Very good (4) Good (3) Poor (2) Very Poor (1)

From the table above, it can be seen that there appears to be a general opinion that government stations have exhibited more competence in the handling of the coverage of public affairs and other functions as required of from a broadcasting organization. Public stations received an excellent rating from 48 respondents (NTA had 40 while LTV had 8), while private stations had a combined excellent rating of 39 (with STV rated excellent by 27 respondents, and AIT by 12 respondents). Also, government stations
38

had a better very good rating, having been so assessed by a combined 133 respondents (NTA, 84; LTV, 49). Private/public stations came slightly behind with 127 very good votes. On the flipside, while none of the stations carried a very poor rating, private stations were rated poor by 43 respondents, as against the poor rating of government stations which stood slightly behind at 40.

Table 14: Professionalism

NTA 23 56 78 11 0 178 STV 54 86 48 0 0 178 AIT 48 43 79 8 0 178 LTV 31 53 83 11 0 178

Excellent (5) Very good (4) Good (3) Poor (2) Very Poor (1)

In terms of professionalism, the ratings of public/private stations however were better than those of government stations. STV received an excellent rating from 54 respondents, while AIT polled 48. This combined total of 102 exceeds the combined total ratings for government stations which stood at 54 (NTA, 23; LTV, 31).

39

Private stations also received a better very good rating than government stations, with a combined total of 129 votes for both private/public stations, which was slightly better than what the government stations polled with 109 responses. STV received the highest number of responses in this regard with 76 responses, followed by NTA in a distant second with 56 responses. In third place was LTV with 53, and lastly, AIT with 43 responses. LTV however received more good votes than all the other stations, with 83 responses, followed by AIT with 79. NTA came next with 78, and STV brought up the rear with 48. This implies that more of the respondents believed that government owned stations were just above average in terms of professionalism in broadcast service delivery.

Research Question Four: Are public broadcasting stations considered to be better in news coverage than government-owned broadcasting stations? Table 15: News coverage
NTA 23 56 STV 54 86 AIT 48 43 LTV 31 53

Excellent (5) Very good (4) 40

Good (3) Poor (2) Very Poor (1)

78 11 0 178

48 0 0 178

79 8 0 178

83 11 0 178

Table 16: Quality of news

NTA 23 56 78 11 0 178 STV 54 86 48 0 0 178 AIT 48 43 79 8 0 178 LTV 31 53 83 11 0 178

Excellent (5) Very good (4) Good (3) Poor (2) Very Poor (1)

41