THE ROLE OF TELEVISION IN ELECTORAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (CASE STUDY OF NTA)

INTRODUCTION Historically, television broadcasting in Nigeria has been use as a medium of communication that seeks to enrich the life of average Nigerian by influencing positively its social, cultural, economic, political and technological thinking. It also provide news and information about national issues. Beside this, it serves as a source of entertainment. Television broadcasting promotes cultural awareness and seek to preserve Nigeria’s rich culture. Through this medium artistic and intellectual creativity are developed. There for all programmes and coverages are audience oriented and guided by the nations’s social, political, moral, cultural, scientific, education and economic goals.
In contemporary times television is use as a tool in disseminating information to the people about the electoral process. Such enlightenment are meant to educate voters and members of the society about electioneering campaigns and other issues related to it. The television is been used as an instrument by politicians to advertise themselves to the electorates. Jingles, advert placement, political debates, electoral enlightenment are all done through the television. Other political progammes such as focus Nigeria aired on AIT network, Kakaaki and democratic license are all geared towards the education and political enlightenment of the Nigerian electorates. Television broadcasting in electoral education have become inevitable in Nigeria’s political system. This is plausibly correct because political and electoral programmes have recently become the democratic watchdog of our political system, criticism, debates and discontents are all channeled through television. To this end the role of television in electoral education cannot be over emphasized, as it remained one of the viable option towards the monitoring of our electoral system.
HISTORICAL OF CASE STUDY In February 1962, the broadcasting company of Northern Nigeria otherwise known as BCNN was born. It was commissioned on 15th March, 1962 BCNN was established by the premier of the then Narrate Region, the Sarduana of Sokoto, late Sir Ahmadu Bello. He wanted a medium through which he could sell his government’s publicities and bring development to the whole of the North. The station started in monochrome. In 1963 the RTK (Radio Television Kaduna) arms was established, the combination was known and still remained as RTK (Radio Television Kaduna).
The Television arm was excised from the former Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria (BCNN) with Decree No. 24 of May, 1977 which while took effect retrospectively from 1st April 1976. The station has two (2) 10kw transmitters; Larcan Transmitter installed in April, 1994 and Rhodes and Schwarz (R&S) installed in year 2000, both are located at No. 99 Isa Kaita Road Kaduna.