ASSESSMENT OF THE BROADCAST MEDIA IN THE PROMOTION OF CULTURE ANDSOCIAL VALUES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI.

ABSTRACT The media plays a vital role in several spheres of human existence. This study was conducted to assess the broadcast media in the promotion of culture and social values among undergraduate students of Benue State University,Makurdi. The specific objectives of the study were; to identify the most commonly used broadcast media in promoting culture and social values among undergraduate students of Benue State University, Makurdi, establish the role played by broadcast media in promoting culture andsocial values among undergraduate, determine the ways in which broadcast media affects the acceptance of culture and social values among undergraduate students and assess the effectiveness of broadcast media in the promotion of culture and social values among undergraduate students of Benue State University, Makurdi. The study was hinged on the Magic Bullet Theory. Survey research method was utilized to collect data from respondents using well-structured questionnaire as instrument of data collection. The results were analysed and presented in tables. Findings from the research showed that broadcast media plays the major role of giving youths a model to follow in terms of knowledge on culture. The most commonly used broadcast programme promoting culture and social values among undergraduate students are those relating to entertainment and music. It revealed that broadcast media determines the type of behaviour exhibited by students, their attitude towards life in general as influenced by media and shows them the role of media in promoting acceptable cultural and social values. Furthermore, it shows them aspects of culture and social values influenced by media and it helps them to understand the consequence of non-compliance to moral and societal standards. The study also found that students are not certain of the role played by the broadcast media in terms of promotion of culture and social values and as such, its effectiveness was described as being passive. The study concluded that culture and social values which to a great extent are about the wellbeing of an individual is greatly influenced by the broadcast media. The study recomnmended that broadcast media should contain programmes that enlighten the youths on the need to uphold and promote cultural and social standards, heritage and speech and to do away with all forms of deviations from the acceptable patterns of cultual and social behaviour that might mar their reputations and set them at risk of bad image and other social vices.