Power Interruptions And Broadcasting Media Programmes

The aim of this research is to determine the effect of electricity power supply interruption on electronic media user with particular emphasis on Television use and Radio.

Thus, its aim at determining its impact and its effects on the social and economic life of the television viewers / Radio listeners. To ensure that adequate and appropriate data were used in the analysis, data were collected through primary and secondary sources, these include questionnaire and interview on one had, and publication and republished paper on the other.

After analyzing the data, the following were made:

Television/Radio provides education entertainment and information to the audience (masses)

There is regular power interruption in Enugu metropolis

The power interruption hampers the educational and entertainment programmes as well as the dissemination of information by the television and Radio.

It also affects the social and economic life of the users adversely.

It inflicts damages on the Radio stations and Television stations.

It brings loss of Revenue to the media house.

Introduction

1.1 Background of Study

Electricity is used for various purposes: These purposes include domestic and commercial. Domestic use of electricity includes electric cookers, Television, Video Player, Laser, Fridge and other household appliances like Computers.

Today, one of the parameters for measuring the level of development in or across nations is the availability of such public utility as electricity. This is the general notion that any community that is not electrified is seriously underdeveloped, for this reason, almost all communities have embarked upon this development programmes, the chief aim of which is electrification.

Besides, one of the instruments for measuring the standard of living today is electricity consumption per family/person within a specific period of time. the higher the consumption, the better the standard of living. Electricity consumption in our houses increases with the increased use of electricity or electrical appliances such as Television set, Radio cassettes, Fans, Refrigerator or Freezers, Electric coils. Electric Iron, Air conditioners, Electric cookers, Amplifiers, Equalizer, Electric Grinders, Electric Showers and numerous appliances that are domestically used.

It has been established that life in the urban centers are more meaningful because of the constant use of these appliances made possible by the availability of electricity.

A study carried out by researcher on domestic unit of urban and regional planning in 1975 showed that people tend to cluster more in areas where electricity supply is steady than in areas where there is frequent interruption is supply. In the present circumstance, there is severe accommodation problem especially in the urban centers where people still prefer to live in area where there is adequate supply of electricity, also serves them in most of their commercial activities.

But, unfortunately, power interruption is now very common in the country, in heavily industrialized cities such as Aba, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, etc. It is also stated that it"s no longer surprising to see that power failure last for weeks sometimes months, little or nothing is done by the authority concerned to rectify any problem in their lines, if such is reported to them.

Power interruption has been identified as one of the phenomena that could be regarded as common sabotage, especially when the failure or interruption is deliberated.

Electric Power Interruption is undesirable in our socio-economic system, for one reason, it causes disruption in the flow of economic activities. This involves disruption in the flow or in manufacturing, processing and services requiring electricity. The effects of such disruption on these activities are often adverse, as the people"s sources of livelihood are inhabited, while the power failure lasted.

On the social front, power fairlure is known to cause undesirable situations. Apart from making social life dull, especially at night, it also causes untold hardship to the citizens or users.

One of the services, the government provided for the citizens is broadcasting through the electronic media. The electronic media mainly involves Television and Radio. Others are video, cinema, Tape and Audio, among all these; the Television and Radio have the greatest use, especially in Nigeria. Broadcasting is a powerfully instrument for achieving on national goal, the broadcasting media are used in providing education in relation to politics, economy, culture, health, technology for national development. They are very important disseminator of information and provision of entertainment, thus; power disruption means interruption of these essential roles of the broadcast media. This has adverse affects on the audience.

Television is now being incorporated into programmes by the African leadership as part of more integrated, long-term policy of socio development. In Africa the first monechrome television station was established in Ibadan in 1959 known as the Western Nigerian Television (WNTV) this was followed in 1960 by the establishment of Eastern Nigerian Television (ENTV) and the Kaduna Television (KTV) in 1961 in October 1975 the Jos Television started transmitting in colour, as the first in Nigeria.

Television can, by its very appeal command more audience than Radio medium because it combines the sense of sound (as utilized in radio medium and vision) as utilized in print media to produce a fascinating package of viewing audience.

This is one reason why the television is the most suitable channel or medium for effective educational broadcast and entertainment. It tries to bring the happenings outside and in the society to viewers within the coverage area, it entertains its various audience with programmes like sports, music, drama and religious activities.

But power disruption, puts a halt to these programmes causes the viewing audience some discomfort.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problems

Power failure is now very rampant in our society. It disturbs the educational and entertainment programmes of the television and makes the viewing audience unable to receive the message, and information being communicated to them through the television. There are so many problems being encountered by the television users as a result of power disruption.

Firstly, it is now very difficult for the social and economic life of the audience to be improved, because enlightenment programmes being broadcast through television are often disrupted by electricity power failure.

Secondly, damages are inflicted on the people whenever power failure is followed by power restoration unheralded to electricity users.

Thirdly, power failure, especially prostrated disruption makes it difficult for the people"s standard of living to be improved because they are unable to use the electricity and electronic gadgets that help improve their lives.

Fourthly, the electronic media serves as perrejors of socio-cultural, economic and political development in out society. This is because they are powerful media for dissemination of development-oriented information.

As a result of power disruption the broadcast of these development programmes cannot be communicated to the electronic media users.

Finally, power failure also affects the electronic media house adversely. In addition to the damages it inflicts on their installations, it adversely affects their revenue generating programmes such as advertising, programme announcements etc.

It is against these backgrounds that this research is carried out to investigate into the problems of electronic media use in Enugu metropolis.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The general objective of this study is to examine the impact of power interruptions to broadcasting corporations in Nigeria. The specific objectives of this study include the following:

To find the prevalence of power interruptions among broadcasting organizations in Enugu.

To ascertain the influence of power interruptions on the productivity of Broadcasting stations in Enugu.

To examine the influence of power interruptions on viewers" satisfaction.

To determine the cost of alternative sources of power supply and its impact on the profit margins of broadcasting corperations.

To examine the effect of erratic power supply on competiveness of Broadcasting stations.

1.4 Research Questions

What is the prevalence of power interruptions among broadcasting organization?

What is the influence of power interruptions on the productivity of broadcasting corperations?

What is the influence of power interruptions on viewers" satisfaction?

What is the cost of alternative sources of power supply and its impact on the profit margins of broadcasting corperations?

What is the effect of erratic power supply on competiveness?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significance in many respects.

Firstly, it is known that the broadcast media are a powerful means of improving the social economic and political life of the viewers. The significance of the study derives from the fact that it will highlight the impact of power failure on the lives of television users.

Since it hinders effective communication of the information, education and entertainment programmes to the user. There is need for a study of this nature that will find out the impact of such impediment on television users.
Secondly, the finding of this research will be useful to the government. It will provide the nations planners with information on the impact of electricity power interruption on the socio-economic life of television users. These include those who use the services of the television to promote their economic activities, the television stations that depend on commercial programmes for revenues and the viewere who receive education; information and entertainment through the television.

These research findings will therefore, show the need for the government to huge the authority of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to ensure electricity services through steady supply of electricity to such media.

Thirdly, the research findings will bring in focus the television viewers reaction to electricity power interruption and will appeal to the electricity authority to take measures necessary to improve their services.

Finally, the result of this research will provide data for students who may carry out related studies in the future.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study covers out television viewers and users in Enugu metropolis.

This includes residents of Enugu North and South Local Government Areas.

1.7 Conceptual and Operational Definition of Terms

Conceptual Definitions

Effects: The impact of an incident on somebody"s character belief or action

Electricity power: This refers to the force or energy generated by electricity with which objects are moved especially machines and electronic gadgets.

Interruption: This refers to a break in supply of the energy that drives the machines or move electronic gadgets.

Television viewer: This refers to have time and interest to watch television programming or use television to advertise one"s product.

Operational Definitions

Effect: This refers or can be categorized into positive, negative or neutral affects.
Positive effects are in line with the accepted societal standards and values or tend to affect the behaviour of user, along this line negative affects do not conform to accepted societal standards values and terns to discourage people from electronic media use. Neutral affect refers to the situation in which electricity power interruption has no impact on the television users.

Television use: This is defined as having the interest and time to watch television programms or the use of television to inform thee viewers of the use of one"s economic activities

1.8 Assumptions

The following assumptions are made in this study.

That people feel had and dejected whenever electricity power interruption occurs in Enugu metropolis

1.9 Organization of Study

The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the study"s introduction and gives a background to the study. Chapter two reviews related and relevant literature. The chapter three gives the research methodology while the chapter four gives the study"s analysis and interpretation of data. The study concludes with chapter five which deals on the summary, conclusion and recommendation.

Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Conclusion

This study analyzed the impact of power interruptions on broadcasting corporations in Nigeria. The study applied survey technique. One strong outcome of the study is that the poor state of electricity supply in Nigeria has imposed significant costs on the broadcasting sector of the Nigerian economy.

The bulk of these costs come in the form of acquisition of very expensive backup power. However, the decision to acquire a backup is actually a rational decision on the part of the firm in order to insure it from larger losses arising from frequent and long power fluctuations.

The continuation of the existing state of power supply will no doubt continue to have a negative impact on the attempt by the government to diversify the entertainment and export base of the economy away from oil. A situation where broadcasting firms spend as much as 25% to 40% of initial investment on the acquisition of facilities to enhance electricity supply reliability has a significant negative impact on the cost competitiveness of the broadcasting sector.

Furthermore, as the results of our analysis have shown, small-scale operators are more heavily affected by the infrastructure failures. In many instances they are unable to finance the cost of backup necessary to mitigate the negative impact of frequent outages. Hence, they have to bear the full burden of electricity failures. Small-scale operators that could afford to back up their operations have to spend a significant proportion of their investment outlay on this.

5.2 Recommendations

Based on the result obtained from the research work and conclusion drawn, the following recommendations will put more emphases on increasing the level of power supply in Nigeria.

Government should increase its funding of the electricity sector to at least 15-25 percent on annual budget. This is also in recognition of the fact that government expenditure are constrained by scarce resources available to its executing budget. But the upward review of funds to the power supply and small scale enterprise sectors has the capacity of generating a great impact in terms of economic growth. Therefore, priority should also be given to power supply sector.

For small and medium scale enterprise survive in the Nigeria business environment that is becoming more and more competitive, it has to apply the result of scientific and technological revolution in its production. In other to progress, there is the need for investors to acquire technology know how, in Nigeria for instance, the national office of industrial property (NOIP)

There is also a need for an opening of the market for greater competition in the supply and distribution of power. Increase in the levels of competition would yield quality and efficiency in supply and service delivery. Since 1962 till date, the electricity supply market has not been opened up to competition. It has been dominated by a state monopoly, Electricity Distribution Companies of various states. However, a more competitive environment, where features such as price, efficiency and service quality would characterize the criteria for operation would contribute to the reliability in power supply.

After looking through the problems and all the inefficacies of Electricity Distribution Companies, we draw conclusion that because of these set back in the power sector, it has a negative effect on productivity. This is because of the cost of doing business when there ispower interruptions. The challenges for policy options towards attainment of sustainable thus including putting in place measures that will successfully address the demand and supply constraints. The measures should also facilitate the adoption and implementation of specific renewable energy resource such as solar for areas where the national grip system could not reach or not economically viable.

The study recommends that regulatory bodies responsible for the energy sector must set some standards for the generation, distribution and costing of electric power where preference would be given to key sectors of the economy such as broadcasting Corporations since they are known to provide jobs for a large number of people and contribute significantly to the economic growth of the country. Standards in the distribution of power are also critical to ensure continuous supply of power to industries. Two approaches for setting standards are recommended. Firstly, there is a need for the setting of a penalty for each standard power distributor that does not meet the required supply level agreed. Such penalties would be effective if they are compulsory and automatic (Waddams et al., 2002). Secondly, it is essential to create incentive scheme to reward power distribution companies" that ensures the standards are being maintained and also eliminate the waste in energy supply (Bowdery, 1994).

The government and other policy makers would have to place greater emphasis on facilitating equity capital. Equity capital provides a base for further borrowing, reduces businesses" sensitivity to economic cycles, and provides broadcasting Corporations with access to syndicates of private and institutional venture capital suppliers. There could also be policies aimed at encouraging broadcasting Corporations to access public equity capital through the reduction of listing requirements and subsidizing flotation cost. These policy prescriptions could go a long way to improve Nigerian Broadcasting Corporations" access to long-term financing to spur up growth.

• Mass Communication Project Topics and Materials