CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The influence of radio on rural enlightenment and socio-economic development programmes cannot be undermined in national development. It is on this basis that radio is used as a medium of communication to the rural dwellers through information dissemination on socioeconomic development programmes, aired by various radio broadcasting stations in Kaduna state. Over the years, government has been battling with the issues of socio-economic problems, faced by rural areas through various programmes in the areas of health, agriculture, politics, sports, culture, economic empowerment, among others, which are key to economic development (Meyer, 2005). From time immemorial, radio has been acknowledged as one of the most important landmarks of information vanguard in human communication. It is on this fact that government uses it to enlighten its citizenry on its policies and socio-economic development programmes that are vital to human development. Radio also plays a tremendous role in serving as the basic element of interaction and information-sharing among the listeners, who pay attention to government development programmes that have immense benefits to them, including those in the rural areas. These socio-economic developmental programmes have brought improvement in various areas of human endeavour, such as health, agricultural practice and products, partisan politics, sport activities, cultural activities and economic empowerment programmes across the state (Dauda, 2011). In Kaduna state, government developmental programmes are aired by four government radio broadcasting stations, in English and Hausa languages, to the listeners on socio-economic development. These government radio broadcasting stations include: Supreme FM 96.1 of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna, Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC) Kaduna, Queen FM 94.1, Tudun wada, Zaria, and the Rockside FM Radio Station, Kafanchan. The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) Kaduna is the pioneer broadcasting organisation in northern Nigeria, with a rich culture of excellence. The station was adjudged to have more audience than any radio station in the black Africa. According to a survey conducted by United Nations by Mullen (1994), “the station was adjudged to have an average listenership of about 40 million audience at any given time”. Supreme FM 96.1 of FRCN, Kaduna has rural enlightenment and development programmes in English and Hausa languages on health. It is known in English as “Our Health” and in Hausa as “Kiwo Lafiya”. This is the programme where health issues, such as Poliomyelitis immunization, Roll-back Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Diarrhoea, Cholera, Measles, and Tuberculosis, among others, are aired to listeners. On agriculture, Supreme FM 96.1 of FRCN, in collaboration with National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) Zaria, has “Animal husbandry” known as „Kiwace- Kiwace” in Hausa and “Agric Panorama” known as “Mu Koma Gona” in Hausa. On politics, there is “Inside Politics” in English and “Demokaradiyya adon kasa” and “Siyasa Rigar Yanci” in Hausa. In the area of Sports, Supreme FM 96.1 of FRCN broadcast sport activities in an English programme known as “Sport Arena”, and in Hausa it has “Wasannin mu a yau”, “Wasannin Tsaki yar mako”, and “Labarin wasanni”. On culture, the programme in English, known as “Pace Setter”, is to enlighten the rural populace on cultural activities. The programme has Hausa version, known as “Arewar Mu”, and “Kallabi Tsakanin Rawuna” (featuring prominent women).