CHAPTER ONE

   INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

            Television being an audio-visual medium has the capacity to influence the attitude, behaviour, thinking and socialization of an individual from childhood to adult stage. The popular assertion of “See is believing” makes television messages more accepted, persuasive and very influential.

            Television is used for several reasons including information, education, entertainment, and persuasion. Unlike other media structures, television has the advantage of utilizing vision for mass communication.

            It is a socializing agent as information transmitted can easily affect consumers’ worldview, perception and behaviour. It exposes people to opinions that challenge traditional ethos. Television has thus become a major source of information acquisition, companionship and a relaxation tool as it provides millions with free leisure strategies and opportunities. Koblowe, O. and Oluchi, M. (2010) through its various programmes that catches the interest of different segment of publics.

            Therefore, programming remains a key instrument for attracting audience and determining the viability of a station. Koblowe, O. and Oluchi, M. (2010) programmes attract advertisers in showcasing their products and services in the forms of Sponsorships where advertiser assumes total financial responsibility for producing the program and providing the commercials and advertiser can control the content and quality of the program and the placement and length of commercials. Similarly, Product Placement can be used when a company pays to have verbal or visual brand exposure in a movie or TV program. The third approach is the use of Participations where advertisers pay for 10, 15, 20, 30, or 60 seconds of commercial time during programmes.

            However, television’s effect on viewers is a subject that has been extensively studied in the last two decades and whose impact extends farther than most people realize. Olayinka (2010)

            Many studies have focused on how television programmes that appear to be “real” (such as news and daytime dramas) alter the viewers’ perception of reality (or social reality). However, recently a new fad in television has surfaced and it appears to be taking over.