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The position taken here that the ownership structure is the bane of the media of mass communication in Nigeria may not be supported by statistics and all that but come along nonetheless.
An analysis of the set goals and objectives, as well as the decision making process, which is a reflection of the ownership structure, ought to show why the media continues to fail, first as a business, and secondly, as an agent for social change.
Some of you may recall that some time ago, this writer had taken the position that the calibre of management personnel, which is not well rounded, is largely responsible for the failure of the mass media in Nigeria: That many ace journalists who ended up as media managers don't have a clue of what is expected of them in the executive suites. And, also, that some brilliant penny--pinching professional managers, who had no idea how the media can still remain an art form, even if it must be run as a profit-making business, did not help matters either.
Therefore the lack of nexus between these two orientations, as stated in the previous submission, causes the failure of many media houses in Nigeria. This new position that ownership structure contributes to the failure of the media in Nigeria is an extension, and not a contradiction of that position.
This critique will start with the electronic media: If you would trace the ownership structure of the Nigerian electronic media, which, by the way, has not fared better than the print media, you will observe that government federal and regional, then statewas the progenitor. The electronic media, traditionally owned by government, have survived because of the availability of funds provided by the Nigerian tax payers, and not necessarily by the dexterity of the managers. Their staffs journalists, production crew, technicians, artistes, accountants and administratorsare civil servants, and are treated as such. Today, some Chief Executives in some government owned electronic media bear the title of permanent secretaries, a reflection of their civil service orientation. Their remuneration did not depend on their output. Indeed the bottom line did not manner at all. They are simply government propaganda machines. The organizations are non-profit, are operated as non profit, and so are not driven by the profit motive. That explains their boring and humdrum programmes. Some of them provide inane and uninspiring programme that make you want to puke.
Until the advent of Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce to the executive suites of Nigerian Television Authority, only the NTA Network News, Newsline and the Danladi Bako-inspired Morning Ride were the only programmes going for. Add the now rested Village Headmaster and the Masquerade. As soon as Mr. Murray-Bruce left NTA, programming excellence dropped. But the competition from the private electronic media is compelling NTA to strive for better performance these days.
Ownership of private electronic media is largely in the hands of individuals as varied as few media professionals such as John Momoh of Channels TV and Larry Izamoje of Brilla FM, entertainment impresarios such as Ben Murray-Bruce of STV/ Rhythm FM, starry eyed evangelists such as Erastus Akingbola of Inspiration FM, profit-oriented entrepreneurs such as Raymond Dokpesi of AIT/ Ray Power and Alhaji Gbadeyanka of MITV/ Star FM, and hugely ambitious politicians in the mould of Bola Ahmed Tinubu of TV Continental/ Radio Continental)
Lately, the idea of community radio, as exemplified by UNILAG FM, also a not for profit organization, has emerged onto the Nigerian media landscape. Because the staff wages is usually the largest element of the overhead cost of the electronic media, the major responsibility of these new fangled media owners is how to find the required funds. But compared to the print media, the staff complement of the electronic is usually not very large, except, of course, where the proprietor wants to absorb some sinecure flab.
The cost of programming, apart from staff wages, include cost of gathering news, other overhead s like electricity, stationery and consumables. Generally, the in-house operational cost is almost negligible because the media houses found a lazy approach to running their outfits: Apart from news, sports and in-house talk shows, the media houses hardly spend money to produce programmes. They'd rather slot in video or musical CDs of American reruns, which they obtained at next to nothing. They sometimes just sell their air time to independent programme producers, who pay before going on air. The independent producers do not operate the way independent producers, say in America and Western Europe, traditionally do it-- which is to obtain good scripts, employ an army of writers, producers, directors, presenters, actors, technicians, production crews, administrators and several others, and produce in their own studios, and then sell the rights to air them to the electronic media houses.
Rather, they bring their script into the studios of the electronic media, and attempt to act out their programmes, using the facilities and personnel of the media houses. That explains why the fare from the so-called independent producers lack quality, and are mere time fillers at best. With this halfway house method, the media owners abdicate the responsibility to ride herd on their staff to produce excellent programmes that will attract advert Naira. In any case, the purpose for which most of the money bag proprietors of Nigerian electronic media put the media is largely egotistical.
The management of a vibrant electronic media must evolve programmes that would attract listeners and viewers, sell air time and harvest advertising revenue. An electronic media that is not financially vibrant will have to depend on the paymaster to pay its bills. This way, government- owned media will reflect government view, but the privately-owned electronic media usually do not stand for anythingapart from massaging the ego of the owner.
They will not be able to fund earth shattering investigative journalism that would expose evil in society. They only provide boring programmes that turn off viewers. Thus, this very powerful media -- radio and electronicbecomes unavailable for use either in mobilizing the people for social development, or to promote the political rights of the people. It is instructive to note however, that in addition to largely successful sports programmes, the current upswing of local production of high grade pop music, local musical videos and (not so high grade) soap operas is causing potential listeners and viewers to migrate to the electronic media. This is without prejudice to the inroad of the foreign satellite television stations --like CNN, Al Jazera, MNET, etc. with their high octane television programming.
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