Audience Perception Of The Roles Of Sport Journalism In Sport Development In Nigeria

Audience Perception Of The Roles Of Sport Journalism In Sport Development In Nigeria

Chapitre One

Introduction

1.1 General Information

Mass media communications are ones that are intended at a big group of people via an electronic medium and involve the broadcast of information, knowledge, and entertainment to a huge diverse, sometimes homogeneous, but generally heterogeneous audience. The successful conduct of any human society’s internal and external affairs is greatly dependent on the extent to which information is dispersed and exchanged; the demand for knowledge is such that man can hardly operate or determine the course of his or her life without communication (Dickson, 2005). In light of this, the media’s crucial function is encapsulated in its impulsive inclination to steer and redirect the course of altitudinal change and to shape public perception of societal issues. This is a clear sign of how pervasive the media is in society. A substantial body of evidence and common sense support a degree of dependency between the media and the society within which it functions and whose features it frequently acquires; this relationship takes two views. To begin, the mass media are a part of society, and as such, according to McQuail (2006), they are dependent on the economic and power structures of society, and can be controlled or constrained by those who own them. Second, because of their substance, media are thought to have enormous impact and that the specific ideas and values expressed by the media can effect major social change independent of ownership. According to the second media viewpoints, there is a clear indication that there is a strong emphasis on the influence of media production and reception on social elements, implying that media messages operate to alter their immediate physical surroundings. According to Rodney (2009), the media contributes in the social life of society through performing their conventional functions of editorializing, information, correlation, and socializing. Now, let us take a closer look at some of the key concepts upon which this study is built. One of these is journalism, which may not be a foreign term to many, particularly those in the media sphere, but for the purposes of scholarship, it is worthwhile to provide a workable definition of journalism that is in alignment with the topic of this research study. Journalism, according to Sambe (2005:230), is a report of things as they appear at the time of writing, not a definitive examination of the issue. Journalism has also been defined as the activity or product of journalists or others engaged in the presentation of written, visual, or audio materials intended for distribution through public media with reference to factual, ongoing events of public concern, with the goal of informing society about occurrences and uncovering what would otherwise be unknown (i.e. investigative journalism). According to Harcup (2004), journalism comprises developing and directing messages at media consumers, who may be a broad general audience or a more targeted market sector. Sport journalism can thus be viewed from Steve’s (2001) perspective, which he believes is a form of writing that reports on sporting topics, events, and games, and is often regarded as an unserious genre of journalism because the journalists within this concern are concerned with less serious topics covered by the news desk. Sport journalism, on the other hand, has grown in importance as sport itself has expanded in income, power, and influence. According to Steen (2007), sport journalism includes articles and reports about amateur and professional sports. Sport journalism in print provides full previews of future events and post-game commentary, as well as extensive updates of game scores, player data, and team standings. Similarly, broadcast sport journalism provides real-time reporting and commentary on sporting events for transmission on television and radio. Sports are defined as physical activities with well-defined rules and restrictions. Winners emerge from the system of rules, and such winners receive rewards from both the commercial and public sectors. This clearly demonstrates the rising significance of sport (Nwanne, 2010). Sports are organized physical and recreational activities aimed at enabling human and material resources for intrinsic and extrinsic purposes. Sports have become internationally recognized as a viable tool for national and economic development. As a result, nations around the world strive to maximize their sporting potential in order to achieve their respective development goals.

The most significant change in the sport sector is the huge role that the media now plays in the development of sports all over the world. Apart from increasing sports knowledge and spectatorship among people all over the world, the media has also improved money generation, which has enriched the many sports stakeholders. In numerous nations, the media has been a catalyst for the identification and promotion of knowledge, information, and awareness of various sports and sporting talent (Alimi, 2003). According to Acosta (2002), competitive sports would only continue and thrive with the support of the media. As a result, sports must maintain positive relationships with the press, radio, and television. In view of the foregoing, the purpose of this study is to analyze audience perceptions on the role of sport journalism in sport development in Nigeria.

1.2 Problem Description

According to Alimi (2003), sports journalists play critical roles in the continuous efforts to use sports as a tool for social mobilization aimed at constructing a successful society. It is the responsibility of the sports journalist to convey knowledge, information, and comprehension to the public. Effective broadcasters and announcers draw viewers and sports fans to sporting events. Despite the fact that the significance of sports journalism on sports development is well recognized, it is not uncommon to find some cynical detractors inside the industry. If sport is to improve and become more popular, the interaction between sports journalism and the press must be synced.

Furthermore, the media has been chastised for overemphasizing European sporting promotion and culture at the expense of indigenous games and talents in carrying out their social responsibility and development role in sport development in Nigeria, calling for a serious re-evaluation of the roles and obligations of sport journalists and media through self-regulation. However, given the nature of media ownership and the high cost of media production, industry observers agree that practitioners have shifted their focus to profit maximization, which finds a fertile ground in foreign sport portrayal on Nigerian media and the massive ad revenue it generates for the media, rather than local sporting events and activities, which are under-funded, ill-equipped, and lack proper promotion, administration, management, branding, and packaging. Meanwhile, there is a problem with Nigerians’ high taste for foreign input in the media, particularly sports; Nigerians would rather stay at their workplaces with friends and families discussing the outcome of foreign sporting activities or even watching, rather than pay or tune in to see their local athletes or sporting activities. As a result, this study seeks to ascertain audience perceptions of the role of sport journalism in sport development in Nigeria.

1.3 The Study’s Objectives

The overarching goal of this research is to critically investigate audience perceptions of sport journalism’s involvement in sport development in Nigeria. As a result, the research will be focused on the following precise goals:

i. Determine the extent to which the media promotes sports events in Nigeria.

ii. Determine whether sport journalism has an impact on sport development in Nigeria.

iii. Determine whether or whether sport journalism has boosted sports awareness in Nigeria.

iii. Determine whether sport journalism has boosted sports attendance in Nigeria.

v. Determine whether sport journalism has contributed to increased revenue production in Nigeria’s sports business.

1.4 Research Issue

The following questions will lead the research.

i. To what extent does the media promote sporting events in Nigeria?

ii. Does sport journalism influence sport growth in Nigeria?

Is sport journalism increasing sports awareness in Nigeria?

iv. Has sport journalism enhanced sports attendance in Nigeria?

v. Has sport journalism contributed to increased revenue generation in Nigeria’s sports industry?

1.5 Importance of the Research

Sport journalism is a very new and experimental genre of journalism in most developing nations, such as Nigeria, and it may not have all of the prerequisites for success. As a result, this research study would be extremely valuable to the majority of Nigerians who choose to pursue a career in sport journalism or own and operate media outlets dedicated solely to the development of the country’s sports.

Similarly, this research study will seek to determine the roles of sports writers in the growth of sports in Nigeria, with the goal of establishing sports journalism as an essential genre of journalism in light of the growing importance of sports in our society. As a result, it is becoming a more appealing employment option for journalists. Furthermore, the study will be useful to other researchers since it will provide information on the benefits or otherwise of sport journalism and media coverage of athletic events, as well as local talent promotion and exposure through sport in Nigeria.

It will also serve as a guide for our national sport policymakers and future policy inquiries into the fields of sport journalism and sport development, with the potential recommendations made very useful to sport administrators and management of the various sporting associations or bodies in the country, as will be highlighted in some of their operations.

1.6 The Study’s Scope

This study is designed to investigate audience perceptions of sport journalism’s involvement in sport development in Nigeria. The study will, however, determine the extent to which the media promotes sports events in Nigeria, whether sport journalism has any effect on sport development in Nigeria, whether sport journalism has increased sports awareness in Nigeria, whether sport journalism has increased sports spectatorship in Nigeria, and whether sport journalism has helped to increase revenue generation in Nigeria’s sports industry. As a result, the scope of this study would be limited to Lagos State.

1.7 Study Restrictions

The researcher encountered minor obstacles when doing the study, as with any human endeavor. Inadequate funding tend to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information and in the data collection procedure, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited sample size. Furthermore, the researcher conducted this investigation while also working on other academic projects. As a result, the time spent researching will be minimized.

Furthermore, the case study approach used in the study presented several difficulties to the investigator, such as the likelihood of biases and poor judgment of concerns. To address the hurdles, the investigator relied on general procedural concepts such as justice, fairness, objectivity in observation and recording, and evidence weighing.

1.8 Terms Definition

Journalism:

This is the act of gathering, processing, and preparing written, visual, and audio content for distribution via public media.

The Media:

Broadcast communication medium, particularly television, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

Spectatorship:

The act of watching or seeing an event, particularly one involving sports.

Sport:

A game or physical activity that you do for fun or to compete with other people.

Sportscaster:

A sports broadcaster who focuses on reporting on athletic events or games.

Sport Promotion:

All efforts aimed at elevating and improving sport and other sport-related activities or institutions.

Journalism in Sport:

The action of gathering and transmitting to a large audience via mass media news of sporting events such as player data, live score, and so on.