Interactive Broadcast Programmes and Citizens’ Participation in the 2015 General Elections: A Study of Audiences in Rivers State, SouthSouth Nigeria

Abstract

The liberalisation of the broadcast industry and the advancements in technology, especially the telecommunication industry, has thrown up opportunities for broadcast professionals and their audiences to interact in live programmes through phone-ins and social media platforms. During the build up to the 2015 general elections, the broadcast media (Radio and television) were awash with interactive programmes to sensitise their audiences and evoke a sense of responsibility on the voters. This study was, therefore, undertaken to establish the effect of such programmes on voters’ participation in the elections. The study applied the survey research design, using a set of questionnaires to generate data from 384 respondents drawn from Port Harcourt metropolis. The data analysis indicated that majority of the respondents actually participated in the electoral process and that their participation was influenced to a very large extent by the interactive programmes. The study recommended among other things that interactive programmes should be monitored and moderated by the NBC to ensure that they are not used to cause disaffection among members of the society.

Key Words: Interactive Programmes, Broadcast Media, General Elections, Audiences, Citizen’s Participation