Effects Of Reality TV Show On Broadcast Media Viewers

This study was carried out to assess the effects of reality TV show on broadcast media viewers. The study is was specifically set to determine the extent reality TV show viewership among which Nigerian youths; determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the social behaviour of Nigerian youths; determine the effect of reality TV show viewership on the moral value among Nigerian youths; determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on cultural value among Nigerian youths; and determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the life style of Nigerian youths. The survey design was adopted and the simple random sampling techniques were employed in this study. The population size comprise of young resident in Owerri metropolis. In determining the sample size, the researcher conveniently selected 147 respondents and 141 were validated. Self-constructed and validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The collected and validated questionnaires were analyzed using frequency tables. While the hypotheses were tested using Chi-square statistical tool. The result of the findings reveals that there is high viewership of reality TV show among which Nigerian youths. The result of the findings reveals that reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the social behaviour of Nigerian youths. Therefore, it is recommended that reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the social behaviour of Nigerian youths. To mention but a few.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Reality-based shows have gradually taking over global television programming. People who have been following events on television for the past five years can easily agree that television programming in the twenty-first century has thus far been dominated by reality-based programmes (Nielsen, 2005). For the past several years, reality television has dominated mainstream television programming, providing relatively inexpensive entertainment (Gardyn, 2001). No doubt, reality television has become a pastime which many television stations now rely on for winning large audience and advertisement patronage from advertisers. Television shows such as the Big Brother Naija, Delta State Government-sponsored Delta Talent Quest, Star Quest, Gulder"s Ultimate Search, MTN"s Project Fame, Glo"s Naija Sings, ABC"s The Bachelor, GTBank"s The Debator, NBC"s The Apprentice, Maltina"s Family Dance All, FOX"s American Idol and even cable shows like MTV"s The Real World have continued to dominate television stations" time slots on a regular basis. In America, FOX"s American Idol is the network"s most-watched non-sports show ever and was the most watched show overall for the entire 2004-2005 television season (Nielsen, 2005). The Big Brother Africa show aired by DSTV satellite channel is very popular among viewers in Africa.

The popularity of these shows is such that television stations and networks find themselves scrambling to place more reality programmes on air to keep up with audience demands. The driving force of reality programming lies in the fact that, it places the audience member on the opposite side of the entertainment arena, providing all viewers with the possibility of becoming potential entertainers as in the case of Big Brother Africa and Gulder Ultimate Search season 8 where audience members are given the opportunity to vote out contestants and vote in an evicted contestant who they will like to see back in the show. This way, the audience participates effectively in determining who should entertain them. The growing popularity of the reality genre invites questions regarding its utility and consequences for audiences. In Nigeria, reality television programmes are gradually becoming a dominant genre in television programming and the reason may not be farfetched. Many programmes on television now revolve around reality television chiefly because they now provide audience members, advertisers, and producers with certain entertainment gratifications and benefits which the scripted programmes like film and home videos may have difficulty fulfilling.

A Uses and Gratification study by Nabi, Biely, Morgan and Stitt (2003) found that one of the primary factors for viewing reality television is that it provides the audience the opportunity to participate in the show vicariously through real contestants that they can relate to. This type of viewer participation exists almost exclusively within the reality television genre; even though some networks have identified this trend and have tried to create scripted programming that could achieve the same effect. For advertisers, the appeal of reality television is that it is a genre that allows for product-placement to be incorporated into the show without distracting the viewers" attention or reducing the quality of the show. Gulder"s Ultimate Search, for instance, has featured competitions where rewards, ranging from free drinks to mobile phones, have been given out to winners. Employing this type of product placement within scripted programming would be much more difficult for producers to successfully do, as it is often seen as "selling out" on the part of the television stations (Marcel, 2003).

Reality television programmes have been criticized for being overly provocative and a disquieting representation of the society. The Big Brother Naija proved to be highly controversial for its overt sexual content. However, Hyde-Clark notes that youth perceive reality programmes to be a reflection of their culture. "Youth may see reality TV as a reflection of the attitudes and behaviour exhibited in society. They may see the comments made by contestants as an accurate expression of how they are viewed by society, and adjust their perception of themselves accordingly". Based on the above, this study examines the effects of reality tv show on broadcast media viewers.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Reality television programmes are increasingly gaining viewership and followership which is growing tremendously. Reality television programmes have gradually become the toast of television stations and advertisers. The relatively cheap production costs and high viewership figures ensure a steady stream of new and repeated formats of reality programmes on television screens in different homes today.

Generally, reality programme are perceived as unscripted programmes that are focused on footage of real events/situations that are about to naturally unfold. Though reality programme like Big Brother Naija (BBN) are not dependent on writers and actors for delivery they are run by producers and editors. Because participants are not guarded by scripts and their actions are as spontaneous as they are unedited, audiences feel a close connection to the participants and share in their moods, reactions and feelings yet the television channel gets to decide what footages would be aired and how these footages are chosen. So, even if everything is real, the television channel broadcasts it selectively.

Despite the popularity and success of reality shows, they have received a bunch of criticisms on claims that the live programme promotes immorality, has little or no moral value, celebrates idleness, is a waste of time, has strong adult themes that are offensive to viewers. Nigerian Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, cited in Lengnan (2013), asserts that Big Brother Niaja (BBN) is not a part of the Nigerian culture. Some people may also be seeing reality programmes on television as another way of exploiting the minds of the young audiences of the programmes without morally impacting their lives. Right- thinking individuals like Soyinka insist that the show propagates an ideology that gives the youths the impression that idling away on national television for a given period of time could earn them fortune and fame that could set them up for life.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The primary objective of the study is to examine the effects of reality TV show on broadcast media viewers. The specific objectives is as follows:

Determine the extent reality TV show viewership among which Nigerian youths.

Determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the social behaviour of Nigerian youths.

Determine the effect of reality TV show viewership on the moral value among Nigerian youths.

Determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on cultural value among Nigerian youths.

Determine whether reality TV show viewership has a significant effect on the life style of Nigerian youths.

1.4 Research Questions

The following question have been prepared for the study;

What is the extent of reality TV show viewership among which Nigerian youths?

Does reality TV show viewership have a significant effect on the social behaviour of Nigerian youths?

What is the effect of reality TV show viewership on the moral value of Nigerian youths?

Does reality TV show viewership have a significant effect on cultural value among Nigerian youths?

Does reality TV show viewership have a significant effect on the life style of Nigerian youths?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Ho: Reality TV show viewership has no significant negative effect on Nigerian youths.

Ha: Reality TV show viewership has a significant negative effect on Nigerian youths.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study is important because of the proliferation of reality programmes in Nigeria today which have raised arguments about their messages, perception, etc. This study provides valuable contributions to theory, practice and research.

Theoretically, the findings are expected to support previous theories and premises in the area of television influence/effect, perception as well as reality television studies. The study, no doubt, will contribute to extant literature on reality television, televisual effects, particularly in the area of perception and television influence. It is therefore, expected that television producers, especially reality television producers, will see this study as an expose of how they are affecting people with their programming.

Audience members, who are at the receiving end of television contents will, through this study, understand better their position in the television production chain as this study provides them information on how reality television programmes affect their lives from the opinions gathered from the result from this study.

With the achievement of the study"s objectives, parents should also be interested in the findings of this study as it reveals how television and reality television affect the lives of their children and wards.

1.7 Scope of Study

The main focus of the study is to examine the effects of reality TV show on broadcast media viewers. Therefore, the target of this study was limited to youths residents Owerri, Imo State.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The researcher encountered minor obstacles when conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. The significant constraint was the scarcity of literature on the subject due to the nature of the discourse, so the researcher incurred more financial expenses and spent more time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information and in the data collection process, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. Furthermore, the researcher did this investigation alongside other academic activities. Furthermore, the sample size was limited because only a few respondents were chosen to answer the research instrument, therefore the results cannot be generalized to other secondary schools outside the state. Despite the constraints encountered during the research, all elements were minimized in order to provide the best results and make the research effective.

1.9 Definition of Terms

Television:

A piece of electrical equipment with a screen on which you can watch programme with moving pictures and sounds.

Reality TV/Reality Television:

A programme type on television, sometimes produced in seasons, with talents who are not necessarily actors competing for a prize. It is also a programme type that presents real people in real situations for the purpose of entertainment.

Reality Programming:

This is the practice of organizing reality television programmes on a daily, weekly or season-long schedule by television and cable network stations.

Social Life:

It is the part of a person"s time spent doing enjoyable things with others

Moral Life:

Concerned with or relating to human behaviour, the distinction between good and bad or right and wrong behaviour.

1.10 Organization of the Study

The study is categorized into five chapters. The first chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, objective of the study, research questions and hypothesis, the significance of the study, scope/limitations of the study, and definition of terms. The chapter two covers the review of literature with emphasis on conceptual framework, theoretical framework, and empirical review. Likewise, the chapter three which is the research methodology, specifically covers the research design, population of the study, sample size determination, sample size, and selection technique and procedure, research instrument and administration, method of data collection, method of data analysis, validity and reliability of the study, and ethical consideration. The second to last chapter being the chapter four presents the data presentation and analysis, while the last chapter (chapter five) contains the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Title Page

Certification

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Table of Content

List of Tables

Abstract

• Influence Of Big Brother Africa Reality Television Show On Youths In Nigeria
• Uses And Gratification Of Big Brother Naija 2017 Reality Television Show Among Students
• Television Reality Show And Its Effect On The Moral And Social Life Of Adolescents
• Television Broadcasting, Reality TV Shows And Moral Development Of Nigeria Youths
• Perception Of University Students On Reality Television Show
• Perception Of Students Towards The Voice Reality Show
• Appraisal Of Reality TV Show On Broadcast Media Audience

• Mass Communication Project Topics and Materials