The Role of Radio in the Development of Onitsha North Local Government.
INTRODUCTION
Radio came to be as a result of the invention of technology, therefore the history of radio in Nigeria started way back with British Broadcasting Corporation.
Radio broadcasting was introduced into Nigeria in 1933 by the then colonial government, it relayed the overseas service of the British Broadcasting Corporation through wired system with loudspeakers at the listening end.
The service was called Radio Diffusion System (RDS). From the RDS emerged the Nigeria Broadcasting Service (NBS) in April 1951.Mr T.W Chamlers, a Briton and controller of the BBC Light Entertainment programme was the first Director-General of the NBS.
The Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, NBC came into being in April 1957 through an act of parliament No.39 of 1956 and the Director General was Mr J.A.C Knott Obe. In 1978, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation was re-organized to become the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN (http://ww2.radionigeria.gov.ng. April 24,2012. page one).
To Uwakwe (2005:165) the third world countries today is being overwhelmed by the western communication structures. With satellites on the space, the CNN and BBC for instance, continue to invade the third world countries effortlessly.
Therefore broadcasting both radio and television, started simultaneously in Eastern Nigeria, Enugu regional capital on the 1st of October,1960. During the civil war, the Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (ENBC) was known as Radio Biafra.
After the war, it was named the East Central State Broadcasting Service (ECBS) stationed at Enugu. With the creation of old Anambra and Imo states in 1976, it changed to Anambra Broadcasting Service.
With the creation of the new Anambra and Enugu States in 1991 and the subsequent disengagement of the staff on March 16,1992 ,the Anambra Broadcasting Service, Enugu gave birth to Anambra Broadcasting Service (R/TV) Awka and Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. After the state creation, the first movement was to Onitsha- the location of the
AM Station. From Onitsha, the headquarters moved to Awka in January 1993 and ABS latter moved to its permanent site on the Enugu/Onitsha Express Way in Awka in January,2002.
Today ABS Radio transmits on the frequency 88.5 FM with the four stations(2 television and 2 radio) both at Onitsha and Awka,(http://www.absr-tvawka.com April 24, 2012,page one).
Statement of the Problem
The rapid growth of radio stations has raised concerns over whether they are serving the public interest or the interests of advertisers and their profit- minded owners.
On one hand, there are people who argue that radio is a conduit of Western cultural products like music and advertisements, which are suppressing development-oriented local content.
On the other hand, there are those who believe that radio has taken the government and its policies closer to the people than in the days back, and therefore helped to raise the level of awareness among the rural people, on government policies, national and international events, etc.
The fact is that radio, plays significant role in the development of rural areas. Before the advent of digitalization, AM radio (amplified modulation) was the order of the day but today, FM radio (frequency modulation) is in vogue.
As technology takes us to a new stage, new things keep emerging and there is bound to be some changes and new development. In the opinion of Okigbo (1990:343-344) the argument may not end because, the effect of media communication will for a long time remain a controversial issue among scholars in any society.
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