Okpala Eziamaka C.

Though before the advent of the mass media, communication already existed only within a limited confine. By the dawn of the 19th century, the mass media began to emerge, the face of communication art of passing or disseminating information to a large audience. This goes to say that mass communication makes communicating with a large number people simultaneously possible.

The mass media have exerted enormous power and influence on the people that mass media have become part of their every day life. Some people prefer to listen to radio, watch television or read newspapers, magazines before laying their hands on anything. Imagine how you will fill when you wake up one morning, tune the radio or television or search for a newspaper, but could not get hold of any. How would you know the happenings within, outside and inside your environment without the media? Would you have heard of Obama without the media? How would you know about the policies or programmes of the government of the day without the media or how would have government been relevant to the people without the media?

Thomas Jeferson once said, “I will prefer to run the media without the government than to run the government without the media”. Mass media are those channels or ways through which information are disseminated to a large, heterogeneous, scattered and amorphous audience who receive the message simultaneously. mass media are classified into two parts, print media, which includes; book, newspaper, magazine and electronic or broadcast media which comprise of film, radio, television and internet.

As an element of increasing importance in the political life of every civil society, especially with the increasing democratization of nation’s policy, there is multiplicity of linkage between the mass media, the society and its politics, their activities and influence taking from the pre and post world war period to this present era of communication technology explosion, the mass media have proven to be veritable instruments for political mobilization.

The media now are creating awareness both for immediate environment and outside the world. It is worthy to note that the mass media do not only create awareness as well as serving as a means for expression of ideas but they are social force to be reckoned with and a vehicle for mobilization.

However, the mass media play a watch dog role in any society to keep surveillance on the government.

Infact, it is major tool since the mass media work for good relation between the rulers and the ruled.

The media perform this effective role in a democratic era, for instance, the mass media in 2003 election performed this role starting from the operations, agitations against malpractices in the election by the masses and other political candidates were as a result of information received by the media.

Through this, they get knowledge of the happening in the national assemblies. Different bills pertaining to the election are reported to police, the parliamentary reports also take feedback to the government to affect changes or correction when ever it is necessary.

Nevertheless, no matter how laudable a government considers its policies to be, the relevance of its activities need to be mobilized, gingered up for the achievement of national or societal aims and goals, and this can hardly take place without the mass media.

It therefore suffices to say that the mass media have a special role to play in gender issues and also in promoting or encouraging political participation. The mass media are not only to cover the campaigns and provide unbiased information to the public but they have been assigned the job of interpreting the campaigns and living the political choices at state. The media also promote gender equality among women. They do this through media programmes, organizing seminars and conferences such as, “Today’s women and women in focus. The media do this with the purpose of showcasing the women and showing them a sense of belonging in the society. The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), for instance, presents women discuss their problems in the society and proffer solution to those problems.

The media are equally alarmed and tend to moblize the people against the activities of the self appointed “God fathers” and their estranged political “godsons”. The guardian of April 3, 2005, 8-9, showcased the discordant tunes in the policy especially of the Eastern states. Precisely, between Governor Mbadinuju of Anambra State and one Emeka Offor and that of Governor Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State and Jim Nwobodo. The press indeed had been prophetic in their political sensitization role in informing the people before hand, of the likely show of shame of such unwholesome political union would lead to.

Mass Media perform agenda-setting function, which focus on the idea that people desire media assistance in determining political reality. But not only focusing attention on certain issues but by placing much emphasis on them at the expense of others, the people come to know what to talk and think about.

Eziamaka  is of Anambra State University.