BROADCAST MEDIA AS DRIVERS OF CIVIC AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION: A STUDY OF CALABAR METROPOLIS

This study examined the influence of broadcast media as drivers of civic awareness and participation in Calabar Metropolis. Civic participation is the involvement of individual communities in any national activities such as voting, political activism or community engagement. It is the participation of people in government and democratic processes as it supports the free exercise of human rights. To achieve this, the study employed the survey research method. The sampling technique employed in this study was the simple random sampling method. Taro Yamane Statistical formula was used to obtaining the sample size. Questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. 400 copies of questionnaire were administered but 388 was retrieved, hence it was used for the analysis. This work was anchored on Agenda setting theory and Democratic-Participant Media theory which appeared most appropriate in analyzing the study. Based on the result of the findings, it was revealed that broadcast media really played a role in promoting civic awareness during the 2023 elections in Calabar Metropolis since they youths were able to know the election activities through broadcast media. It also shows that broadcast media is an effective tool in political participation and has helped in creating awareness in rural communities. The study recommends that civic awareness and participation programmes should be included in all broadcasting corporations. It also recommended that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and other moderating bodies review the nation’s communication policy to reflect current realities and global expectations. '