AWARENESS OF MASS MEDIA ROLE IN GENERATING NEWS AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

1.1 Introduction

Mass media in organization aimed at giving news and opinions to a large number of people, retaining these people and building internal and external good will beyond reasonable assumption needed for an organization to remain and prosper in it. Mass media have been a major agent of socialization and tool for social change especially now that people depend on messages from mass media. The potential power of broadcast media helps solve social problems. Television and radio advertising can entice people to buy a wide range of products and services that influence our ideas, values and behaviour. Most media campaigns focused on college students drinking which have been campus-based, using a mix of posters, flyers, electronic mail messages and college newspaper advertisements.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

This research targets the role played by mass media in generating awareness against drug abuse using vanguard and punch newspaper as a case study. Nigeria has big problems, one of which is that of serious social and economic implication for the society. Nigeria youths constitute not just the high risk group but also the bulk of Nigeria's army of drug addicts. Studies indicate that a higher percentage of our youths within the age range of eighteen (18) and twenty eight (28) years have tied out drug on the other. A high percentage of those admitted of mental related problems also come from the same group. The drug epidemic is thus gradually eroding the manpower base and future of Nigeria.

In 1984, the Yaba psychiatric Hospital treated 234 patients and in 1987m, the figure climbed to 12,587 and in 1985, the figure also climbed to 47,725 between January March 1989. It increased to 70,316. But these seem to be just the tip of the iceberg as culling addicts still roam our streets federal by drugs from the various drug joints that now litter our streets.

Drug abuse is one type of deviant behaviour that was previously exclusively associated with the western societies. Before the eighties, this problem has been in existence but today the footage has turned into a frightening reality, a moister that has best ridden our country like a leach and reuse to let go while gradually spreading its tentacles.

Drug abuse is not just about the creative with a vacant look in its fast blinking eyes, a twittering body and an catered mind but its is about the student who cannot read without taking unsweetened coffee, kola nut or pills. It is about the filter lover who turns to the bottle of salvation, the business executive who must smoke to be able to work, the retrenched worker who floods his veins with “smack” to forget his sorrows and adventures party goers who ties a shift to get a kick because others are doing it.

Thus drug abuse is not just about mislaying drugs but the habit involves in the use of any chemical substance that has an effect on the body and they include smack, gbana heroine, cocaine, white girl, call it whatever name you like. Drug abuse is a fatal past time Nigerians have decided to indulge in and does the county have to show for it.

Nigerians have just woken up from the menace of drug abuse which is like a nightmare that refuses to go away. Drug abuse is not a recent phenomenon in Nigeria, it started in the late 1960s where the use of Indian hemp (cannabis) as a stimulant became widespread and what followed was a graded upsurge in the use of hemp by the Nigerians youths. In the eighties Nigerians was just a transit point for hard drug from the golden triangle of Asia the capital of Europe and United States. Soon drug trafficking began to increase at a geometric rate. Nigerians lined by Filthy Lune, they stood to make from the illicit business joined the growing army of drug couriers in droves.

As the menace of drugs grew wide, the government woke up to the dangers of the trade if left unchecked. Nigerians and the people carrying Nigerian passports started getting nodded and the prisons of Brazil, Saudi Arabia, United States, Brittan and Germany became flitted to the brim with Nigerian involved in the business forum. They become a fence to be reckoned within 8500 billion per annum world drug circuit. It is not surprising, then, that prevention advocates would look to the mass media as an important aid in addressing the problem of high-risk drinking in society. Some advocates have pushed for reform or other restrictions on alcohol advertising. Others have sought to influence entertainment producers to end the glorification of high-risk drinking in newspapers, magazines, television and in the movies (Montgomery, 2009).

More recently, prevention advocates have produced a small number of media campaigns designed to change students and youth knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

Most media campaigns focused on college students drinking which have been campus-based, using a mix of posters, flyers, electronic mail messages and college newspaper advertisements. More recently, a few regional, state and national media campaigns have begun to address this issue as well.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to examine the Awareness of Mass Media Role in Generating News Against Drug Abuse.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the government needs to seriously tackle the drug problem, the victims of a retroactive law that prescribed death for drug trafficking. The continuous abuse of these drugs has led to a situation of drug addiction and the addict developing bondage to the drug. The effects of drug abuse are detrimental not only to the individual but to society as a whole. Yet this problem is on the increase especially among those in higher institutions of learning, which is a serious threat to our national sanctity.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to assess the Awareness of Mass Media Role in Generating News Against Drug Abuse. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine whether newspapers mass media educate and enlighten the general public on drug abuse
2. To ascertain the newspapers awareness campaigns on drug abuse have reduced the unlawful use of drugs in our society
3. To examine the problem facing the mass media in creating awareness on drug abuse
4. To examine if print media present adequate information on the effect of drug abuse on the people in society
5. To investigate the contribution of newspapers towards drug abuse through advertisement and alcohol promo.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does newspapers mass media educate and enlighten the general public on drug abuse?
• Has Punch newspaper awareness campaigns on drug abuse reduced the unlawful use of drugs in Lagos and its environs?
• Does punch newspaper face any difficulty in creating awareness on drug abuse?
• Does Punch newspaper promote drug abuse through advertisement and alcohol promo?
• Do print media educate and enlighten the general public on the bad effects of drug abuse?
• To what extent can mass media generate public awareness about drug in Nigeria?
• In what ways can mass media (vanguard and Punch Newspaper) generate public awareness about drug abuse in Nigeria?
• In what ways can the mass media (vanguard and punch newspaper) play the role of generating public awareness on drug abuse?
• What media of mass communication would be most suitable and effective in creating awareness against drug abuse in Nigeria?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: The mass media (vanguard and punch newspaper) does not generate awareness of dangers of drug abuse.
• H1: The mass media (vanguard and punch newspaper) generate awareness of dangers of drug abuse.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: The existence of drug use is not as a result of insufficient effort by the media.
• H2: The existence of drug use is as a result of insufficient effort by the media.

Hypothesis Three

• H0: The awareness of the effects of drug abuse is not due to the impact of the media.
• H3: The awareness of the effects of drug abuse is due to the impact of the media.

Hypothesis Four

• H0: The nature of the media messages reveals that drug abuse is not commonest among youths.
• H4: The nature of the media messages reveals that drug abuse is commonest among youths.

Hypothesis Five

• H0: The mass media cannot control drug abuse in Nigeria.
• H5: The mass media can control drug abuse in Nigeria.

1.7 Significance of Study

The study relevant in the following ways:

1. This research will benefit different people, organizations, governments and other agencies especially the youth.
2. This study has an important contribution to make in the education of drug abuse among our youths and society in general.
3. Drug abuse has lots of effects on the health of the nation. There is a danger of the waste of Nigeria’s next generation if the best Nigerian youth is consumed by an addiction that will leave effects on the economy.
4. The national security implication will be disastrous, hence the need for the media to intensity their role with various organizations like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to combat this scourge in all its ramification.
5. The government through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) will benefit from the study to know the harmful effect of media drama showing lots of drinking and alcoholic programmes, advert and marking on print media to the society.
6. Media practitioners and students of mass communication will equally benefit from the study to understand fully the dangers of drug advertisement.

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Awareness of Mass Media Role in Generating News Against Drug Abuse using Vanguard and Punch Newspaper as a case study.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Definition of Terms

1. Drug

Conceptual: Medicine or material used for making medicines

Operational: An chemical agent other than food stuffs which significantly affect the body structure of function.

2. Abuse

Conceptual: To put to wrong use.

Operational: Use badly to the extent that there are observable effects.

3. Public

Conceptual: Concerning people in general

Operational: Mass of people who use drugs and are reflects in media content.

4. Awareness

Conceptual: Having knowledge or consciousness

Operational: Act of sensitization

5. Role

Conceptual: The part taken by someone in any activity

Operational: A function played by someone in any activity either to create awareness or spread information for people to take corrections or amendments.

6. Generate

Conceptual: Cause to exist

Operational: To circulate or spread ideas, suggestions, solutions to problems at hand.

7. Media

Conceptual: the modern means of giving news and opinions to large number of people.

Operational: A means through which information is being generated or circulated to the public.