The impact of reportorial techniques on reading audience of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation

Chapter
One: Introduction

1.1   
Background
of the study

Information
dissemination is a vital tool for awareness creation and development in every
human society, whether such a society is traditional or modern in nature.
Information is usually disseminated to the members of the public who are
considered as the target audience in form of news broadcasting, which is made
possible by different media organizations comprising of print and electronic
media.

       News broadcasting, as a medium of
information dissemination is made possible, through active involvement of news
writers and reporters who play major roles in different perspectives depending
on the type of event to be reported at that point in time. Reporters ensure
that they adopt and apply effective reportorial techniques to make their
report  accurate, unbiased and timely to
meet the expectations of the members of the public who are the target reading
audience.

       This research will focus on the impact of reportorial   techniques on the reading audience. This
area of study is of interest to me because of my desire to determine the
media-audience relationship by understanding the feelings, impression and
perception, of members of the public who are considered to be the reading
audience.

                Generally, reporting is saddled
with the responsibility of informing, educating and updating the members of the
public who are the target reading audience, about news and events happening
internationally, nationally, and locally. Reports are classified in different
categories based on the situation and event to be reported on. The types of
reports include: science and technology reports, political reports, police and
crime reports, accident and disaster reports, environment reports etc.

Reporters make effective use of different reportorial
techniques in order to report appropriately, based on the categories mentioned
above and this eventually leads to specialization in such area of
reporting.  For reporters to specialize
in specific area of reporting, there must meet one or two requirements, and as
well comply strictly to the reportorial techniques of such type of report.

The duty of the reporter through the guidance of basic
reportorial techniques, is to report the news for newspapers, magazines,
websites, television, and radio. Reporters, spend a lot of time in the field,
conducting interviews and investigating stories to enable them present a
finished information for the consumption of the reading audience. The work of
reporters is often fast paced, with constant demands to meet deadlines and to
be the first reporter to publish a news story on a particular subject in other
to satisfy the expectations of their target reading audience.

        In his opinion, Rogers,(2001) observed
that, for success to be achieved by meeting this huge responsibility that
confronts the reporter, there is need for reporters to identify and adopt
effective reportorial techniques in other to impact tremendously on the reading
audience based on the category of report. 
The way people receive and learn about news varies based on many factors
depending on the type of news, who is presenting the news and how such a
reporter present the news . It depends on what they find most easily accessible
and what they have access to.

        Rogers, (2001), further identified
effective reportorial techniques as basic methods that enables a reporter to be
more effective and thorough in reporting such methods include; getting detail
information relevant to the story, double-checking to ensure accuracy,
avoidance of biasness on controversial subject or the subject of a dispute. Robinson, (2011), further highlighted the following; truthfulness,
accuracy,
objectivity,
impartiality, fairness and public accountability as standards, reporters should
apply to the acquisition of newsworthy information and its subsequent
dissemination to the public. In this study, the researcher, intends to
investigate techniques of reporting and the effect it would have on the reading
audience.

1.2 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of
reportorial techniques on the reading audience. This study will also identify
the basic users of reportorial techniques in different types of reporting.

This research will also indicate how reportorial
techniques will enhance the quality and understanding of reports.

1.3 The scope of the study

The study focuses on the impact of reportorial techniques on
reading audience of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) Uyo, Akwa Ibom
state.  This media organization is chosen
because of ease in accessibility and also being an organization with a wider
coverage of so many viewers with information seeking mind.

 

 

 

 

1.4 
Significance of the study

This study will be of value to the print and electronic
media organizations both public and private. It will help them to determine the
media-audience  relationship. This
measurement can be achieved by understanding the impact of reportorial
techniques on reading audience in  Akwa
Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.. The study will also
arouse both states and Federal government interest to see the need in providing
adequate resources to media organizations and also speed up the process of
information dissemination concerning government policies and programmes. The
study will also provide a platform for management of media organizations
to direct resources appropriately in order to minimize poor reporting of
information due to challenges of resources. The study can also be useful to
researchers for further studies.

1.5 Research design and methodology

This research is library-based and explores extensively
resources such as textbooks, journals, critical reviews and the internet. The
researcher  will also source for vital
information from media houses as well as members of the general public.

1.6 Limitation of the study

The study is limited to media practitioners in the news room
of AKBC, Uyo. the study will not include other reporters from else were in
Nigeria due to lack of funds.

1.7 Definition of terms

For the purpose of clarity, the following terms which are
used in the course of this research are hereby defined; 

1.7.1 Audience:
is a group of people
who participate in a show
or encounter a work of art,
literature in which they are called
readers, theatre,
music
in which they are called listeners(wilkipedia online dictionary).