CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
A common feature of developing countries, ir respective of differences in their social and political structures, is their urgent need for development in every aspect of the lives of their peoples. Although development in every aspect of the lives of their peoples. Although development can mean different things to different people, it has become generally agreed that three are definite features, which should characterize any process of development. For instance:
Development should bring changes; this change should be for the better; the change should be for the benefit of the majority of the people; the process should be participatory; that is, involve the people as closely as possible.
Contemporary development communication scholars can identify these elements or features of development in various definitions of development. Once such definition sees development as “a change for the better in both the human, cultural, socio -economic and political condition of the individual, and consequently, of society†( Moemeka, 1989â€4). Development has also been defined “ as the process of change which aims at achieving self-reliance and improved living conditions for the under privileged majority of the population†(Linden, 1989:36).
In a third world country like ours, the underprivileged majority who need development or improvement in their conditions of living, are found mainly in rural areas. It is common knowledge that in most Third World countries, 70080% of the populations, national development in most Third World countries more or less means the same things as rural development. Rural development is defined as a process that “involves extending the benefits of development to the poorest among those seeking a livelihood in the rural areas†(Dixon, 1990:57).
In Nigeria, it is correct to say that rural development is synonumous with national development Edeani (1993:31) makes this point when he says that :rural development holds the key to national developmentâ€. He gives the f ollowing why this is so:
Because of the economous size of the rural population as compared to the small percentage living in cited. Because of the very large shape of the country’s natural resources: and because of the disproportionate role which the rura l population plays in the economics, social and political life of the nation
Although there are people in urban areas whose quality of life is also very poor, especially in the slums and shanty towns of major cities all over Nigeria, improving the qualit y of the poor rural majority should form the center point of our national development. This means that emphasis in such government initiatives like the poverty Alleviation programme should focused on the rural areas.
In the light of the foregoing introduct ory look at related literature on the subject of this research, a more detailed assessment of similar research works and finding will now be undertaken.
First and foremost, it is noteworthy that among the many works of scholars on the role of communication in development, that by Harold Lasswell (1948) is outstanding. It states that the mass media are indispensable in every system considering the fact they serve the purpose of s cholars on the role of communication in development, that by Harold Lasswell (19 48) is outstanding. It states that the mass media are indispensable in every system considering the fact they serve the purpose of surveillance, correlation and education.
Meanwhile, Wilbur Schramm (1973) cited the newspaper as a channel for informing, mot ivating, persuading, instructing and providing a means of collective participation in government. On the need to carry development to the grassroots, a former president of Tanzania, Late Dr. J ulius Nyerere write,
“While others try to reach the moon, we are trying the villagesâ€.
In his assessment of the role of the coverage of rural news in development. Prof. J erry Gana (1988) pinpointed that the government recognizes the crucial role the electronic and print media can play in the crusade for social order.
Moreover, B.S Greenberg’s study (1964) of Editors and Readers. Perception of community press†state that community press facilitates individual and group assignment in the community structure serving the welfare and progress of the local areas.
In his work on “Modernization Among Peasants. The impact of communication,: Rogers Everett (1969) sees the newspapers as a veritable tools for the coverage of rural development problems.
Writing on the “Role of Modern Media an d Newspapers in Development communication,†Patricia L. Sharp (1988) put forward the following questions: could the traditional subsistence farmer be persuaded or trained to produce surpluses? Could be or she be willing to apply them? Could you change the changeless bedrock of traditional culture? She assert that the print media have mush to do in achieving rural development, noting hat well -trained reporters and editors can gather the information that the rural population needs.
Commenting on the crucial r ole of the newspapers in development, former United states’ president, Thomas J efferson (1776) once asseverated “were it left to mme to decide whether we would have a government without newspapers or newspapers without government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latterâ€.
Relevant to this research is the study on “The uses of mass communication†by Elihu Katz and J .G. Blumlar (1974) where they strongly affirmed that there ios no development without effective communication.
Similarly, Remsherg (1975), in his own contention, maintains that it is not exposure to mass media of information, but the content of the message that can influence knowledge gained.
On the place of the print media in development, Dele (1941) affirmed that the newspap ers, the most recognized within the family of the print media are credited with such roles as providing out lets for news, information, education and entertainment.
Meanwhile, in his observation, Okorie (1986) states that effective rural development is necessarily predicated upon understanding the rural; agencies of which newspaper is one. The way the newspapers discharge these functions determines what contributions they make towards national development.
Echoing the views of other researchers Oton (1973) contends that everywhere in the rural areas, a lot of
