Finding of the study shows that Nigeria mass media perform crucial role in the task of women political empowerment through wide coverage of issues moving women. Although, some factors were is identified as hindrance to media performance useful recommendation.
Finally, some useful recommendation were put forward by the researcher as a guide for further studies
Max Devgon (1971) has observed that in modern countries, there are almost as many media of communication as there are people. There are more television sets that there are families more than two times as many telephones as their are households, and an average of 1.4 million newspapers read per day by adults.
This rise in the mass media and mass communication has been stimulated in various ways by advances in technology and science. The reason for this can be explained by the simple realization that people are curious beings. Their inquisitive mind always seeks to comprehend and interpret the world around them and the occurrences there in. Above all, people are social beings they are communicating creatures.
Importantly the development of the popular newspapers and periodicals broadcasting, motion pictures and television has led to institutional and cultural innovation, thus permitting efficient and rapid communication between a few individuals and large populations. These various media of communication have been responsible for the rise in the social empowerment of citizens of modern societies including women. Additionally, the media have shifted though generally, form the traditional roles to more vocationally relevant objectives interest in embrace the promotion of women’s interest in society, especially in political matters.
Political empowerment can be said to mean the authority or power to exercise political rights or influence or even power, when the mass media of communication focus on Nigeria women and motivates them to participate activity in the political process and engineering they, (the women) are being empowered, political empowerment then refer to a situation whereby according to Hoggart (1957), “ individuals groups of persons are encouraged to exercise their political rights s citizen (1957) also observes that, over the years the mass media have become and important force in society not only as a means for the expression I\of idea but also as a social force to be reckoned with and a vehicle for mobilization.
The need to bring Nigeria women with action participation politics using the mass media as a variable, motivating and mobilizing instrument underline this enterprises. The other side of it is the quest to pin down the various avenues through which the mass media can curry out the function of politically empowering women who have seemed to be much neglected in matters of politics, generally. In corroboration of this view, Alili Man Tripp (1990) observes for the first it ,e in the post independence period greater miner of African women began to aspire to political leadership at the national and local levels. Although their impact was still minimal and the began to be seen and heard. The 19905 was a decade of beginnings for women in politics in Africa and all indication are that we will see even greater pressures for female political representation and participation in the decade ahead.
Certainly, the mass media serve as a powerful instrument of political mobilization and information. They stimulate action and educate people, women inclusive, on the need for proper exercise of their political lights and freedom. It is employed understanding that the mass media are employed in persuading women to join male politicians in contesting for elective positions during political electioneering campaigns. it is the duty of the mass media to make women appreciate what political opportunities they have and the duties and roles they need to play in society, to enhance its al round development and public interaction. Hence, Geibner (1990) is right when he says that the mass media provide the broadcast common currencies of public interaction in a society. Therefore, communication enhanced through the mass media becomes one of the important and basic social processed in any society,. This is simply so because people, as social beings must communicate and by so doing establish credibility and enhance their chances for survival. hence mass communication performs a number of vital functions as a social process, without which society could be in class and in the dark information takes the lead among these functions. By providing information for the people, the mass media, as Lasswell (1948) summarized, do the duty of keeping surveillance on society, correlate the environment and transmit social heritage from one generation to the other, and entertain the public.
The value and importance of the availability of data and their flow from one corner of the world to another cannot be underestimated. Through surveillances, the mass media gather information, news and share our news about events in society where they operate, and beyond .through correction taritics, the mass media attempt to interpret the environment and news events as they related to the public. The news items of information flow through a injured of mass communication activities and channels to individuals, making them aware of what happens around them, the relative importance of these activities, and their significance insignificance. The public require information. According to MacBride et al (1981) this is needed in order to react knowledgeable to personal conditions as well as in a position to take appropriate decisions” through numerous educational programmes, such as quizzes debates and documentaries the public can be consicientized on the need to accord women their proper position on the political horizon.
Ideally ,it is not only goods and services that are advertised, people are also packaged through advertising and by so doing status is conferred on them. so the mass media can be used package enterprising women of substance for sound political relevance winning elections and doing well in public offices .if women political aspirants are given aggressive publicity they will win lections.
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