Impact Of Foreign Films On The Behavioural Pattern Of Youths

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

According to Bernard Berelson (1948) he sad that “ some kinds of communication on some of issues brought to the attention of some kinds of people nude some kinds of conditions have some kinds of effects.

The role of television in the modern world has been primarily one of the entertainment, this is a very vital aspect of mass communication. In other words, how does one communicate, through which means and how does the listener receive the message. This according to Harold D. Laswell Boils down to “who says what in which channel, is the medium used for disseminating or relaying the message. The receiver and the impact it has on him stand out distinctly on the other end. A major event on the television growth occurred n 1956, when video tape was used for the first time with the advert of video tape, events could be recorder for later broadcast and still retain that “live look”.

In the wake f the twentieth century the rate of violent (which is part of the change in behaviour) seem to have reached its peak, these phenomenon can be linked to the growth of sophisticated technology like television, video tape and even film production.

Never before, since the early 1980s had the Nigeria youths faced the awesome challenges of this tape and scale, it has seen in the immediate past years.

Modern developments and innovations in science and technology have greatly challenged our behaviours we have finally reached the era of jet age, and its attended problems which are too numerous to mention in this study.

But shall cast more than a cursory glance at one of those challenges being faced today by our youths in Anambra state, which is the impact of foreign films on viewers (youths) in higher institutions of learning in the state.

While emphasis will be laid o the degree of adaptability f youths in Amanbra to what they see how it alters their person and also how it reflects on their mode of dressing, language, relationship at school, life behaviour in general. And how there foreign films influence their day today activities and the feedback of these films on the entire society, I shall not fail to also delve into the impacts of role models on foreign films.

The imitation of the model by the youths entail an influence by some one in a certain direction. Therefore, by considering what role models are offered by and chosen from the media an answer to Laswell’s “who” and “what “ is implied. The television, film and comics offer to contemporary youths a great variety of role models who offer styles of life to youth and with whom they may identify. In a study made in 2007, in NTA Asaba in character style rather a traditional city children of ages twelve to sixteen were asked in relation to various media. Whom they we like to be like in future? About 81 percent of boys and 61 percent of girls made a choice to be like celion don most of these youths wee choosing role models from amongst the offerings made by the media.

In Nigeria today there is a general consensus that w have many films on our television and according to AIU (1982) after a study on the impact the media content on Nigeria youths on clouded. The Nigeria youths (student) have become a brain washed set of youths who think more of other peoples culture of such programmes shown on television are produced overseas. About 97 percent of such programmes have violent and romantic traits. In a period of one week alone a young man/women will have watched over twenty foreign films and episode seen thousand of death and heartbreaks, heard harsh and brutal languages “fuck you”, a son of bitch, nigger men and kiss my ass etc.

Films can be a source of entertainment, but some like karate films, boxing , wrestling, horror films, crime related films and romantic films etc could have a naïve effect on the youths, indeed there are still some observers ho believe that view foreign violent films can reduce the direct expression of aggressive behaviour. The theory goes back to Aristotle, who believes that dramatic presentation produces a stimulus for discharging of feeling by audience.

Most exerts in the filed, now agree that there is clear evidence of positive relationship between foreign violent films, and later aggressive behaviour.

Inadvertently, this piece of work will also look at the avenue open to the government parents, Nigeria film cooperation in the providing indigenous films, that are not only entertaining bur\t also educative, which will portray our rich cultural heritage for all to see. The application of censorship in rationing sanity to this deplorable situation will also be reviewed.

While this study is not an limitation into the unknown because the subject matter is one of the great important which is explored daily by government parents and experts, I ma only exploring further avenues of this problem through in depth research with a view of shedding more light on these issues in other to find answers to this puzzle.

I am convinced that an alternative of reading this write-up of mine, will prepare and enlighten the youths on the emphasis would be placed on how to curd this malaise.

1.2 Statement of the Research Problems

The impact of foreign films on the behavioural patterns of youths (a case study of post secondary schools). Foreign films in one way or the other have either positive or negative impact on the behaviour of youths this study will determine the extent of this impact.

1.3 Objective Of The Study

The stimulus if this study is to determine the impact stimulus of foreign films on the behavioural patterns of the youths. (Behavioural pattern here means their attitude towards life, either the way of thinking dressing eating or better still their language). This study would also prefer solutions and recommendation for further study.

1.4 Significance of the Study

Foreign films and its perception by the Nigeria youth especially those in higher institution have really made a great negative impact on the lives of the youth .it is perhaps interesting to note that within the last two decade, the country has been witnessing increase incident of crime and anti-social arts like burglary, rape, drunkenness, smoking habits, homo-sexualism and lesbianism etc.

This study therefore, will portray the negative and positive impacts of foreign films to the youths. And it will also help to put the behaviour of the youth in check. And it is hoped that by the time this work will be computed, a clear analogue will be drawn on the effect/impact pf foreign films on the behaviour pattern of Nigerian youths.

This study will also be a guide to the parent and many other people and also to those in authority, in the developing countries especially Nigeria. The government and the broadcasting organization of Nigeria *BON) are not left out in this process the result of the study will make them censor the number and types of foreign films that are brought into this country. It will also prescribe the television house, the kinds of films youth need to watch on the television, this will go a long way to support what parker said in 1974. The sooner each new technique is studied the greater the chance of brining to use research result to influence policy in a meaningful ways?

Finally this will be of immense benefits as a source of literature to communicators scholar and students of who might take interest in this area of studying in the future.

1.5 Research Hypothesis

Hi: Foreign films have negative impact on the behavioural pattern of our youth in school

H2: Foreign films do not influence our youths

H3: Important of foreign films should be encouraged in Nigeria.

1.6 Assumption

Films can have positive impact on the youths

Films influence the behaviour of our youths

Foreign films are alien tour youths

1.7 Scope

This will apparently focus on

The behavioral pattern of our youths as related to the foreign films.

Assessing the positives and negative impact of foreign films on our youths.

The degree of transmission of foreign films on local and national television.

The preference of foreign films to local films among out youths

The recommendation as to limited transmission of foreign films in the national television programmes.

1.8 Limitation

Although this study is a case study of post-secondary school /institution of higher learning (UNIZIK). Both in Anambra I chose these two schools as my case study because my resources are limited and to avoid the risk of traveling far distance to get research materials. As the school is fully in session.

1.9 Definition

Impact:

Impact refer to as a strong effect something has on other.

Foreign:

By foreign it means dealing with a country that is not ones own. For example in these my study, the films because it is not our own, instead imported from other countries outside our countries.

Films:

Films here refers to thin layer sheet or rolled strip of light sensitive material for taking photographs etc.

Behaviour:

Behaviouir simply means way of behaving or the way in which one react to a particular event or issues tone another.

Pattern:

pattern could be define as a model design or instructions showing how a thing is to be made etc.

Youth:

Youth could be define as a state or period of being young. These youths start from teenage till the age of (35) thirty five years old.