The Youth, Reality TV Show Sponsorship and Brand Patronage: Any Nexus?

With increasing apathy to advertising by audience, especially the youth, and the need for orgnisations to look for way of positioning their products and services to attract new and retain old customers, organisations are turning to reality TV shows sponsorship. Reality TV shows have become one of the most popular shows on television this days. Reality TV programmes is define as programme that film real people as they live out events in their lives, contrived or otherwise, as they occur. With students of Redeemer’s university as its study population, the study adopts survey design, using questionnaire as data collection instrument. A sample of 240 respondents was randomly selected from the population and test instrument administered on them, only 235 pieces of questionnaire were returned and analysed, putting the response rate at 97.9%. The findings showed that brand sponsorship of reality shows does not have any influence on brand patronage. 56.5% of respondents indicated that the effect of brand sponsorship of reality shows on their patronage of the product is neither positive nor negative; rather, it is neutral or inconsequential. This finding showed that the sponsorship of reality TV shows is not solely responsible for the increased patronage of the sponsored brand. However, brand sponsorship of reality TV programmes contributes positively to image of the brand, which might ultimately lead to increase patronage. The researcher concludes that sponsorship of reality shows by major brands and organizations might influence people’s perception of the brand positively, but does not necessarily make them patronize the brand. In view of the research findings, it was recommended that organizations should not use sponsorship of reality shows as a strategy for  the purpose of increasing patronage, but use it if their aim is to boost their  brand image image. Key words: Reality TV, Sponsorship, Patronage, Brand, Positionin

Book Promotion Efforts in Select Nigerian Newspapers

This study on the book promotion efforts in select Nigerian newspapers was guided by the functionalist theory which emphasizes that the media help to co-ordinate various parts of the society by gathering and disseminating valuable information. It examined how book publishers used the newspaper medium to promote their books by content analyzing 164 entries on book promotion in three national newspapers. This was for a four-year period between 2010 and 2013 and the newspapers are The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation. Observable patterns in the promotional efforts of the publishers indicate a high propensity towards the use of photographs and illustrations with a percentage rate of 37% and 27% respectively. Of the three newspapers, The Nation had a leading position of 45%, while The Guardian and The Punch followed with 33% and 22% respectively. Further findings in the study revealed that product adverts (5%) and corporate adverts (4%) that can position a book and the publishers in the marketplace were the least explored areas. On the basis of this, the study recommends that publishers should see the need to vigorously use the newspaper to embark on both product and corporate adverts. This has the potential of motivating people to buy and read books especially if they are effectively and consistently placed in the newspapers. Keywords: Book promotion; Book publishing; Product promotion; Returns-on-investmen

Rise of social media in the digital age: Whatsapp a threat to effective communication

Social media platforms have revolutionised the way individuals interact, communicate, and share information. These platforms "have been taken up around the globe at an unprecedented speed, revealing the extraordinary nature of the social media phenomenon" as traditional media's power declines. With their ease of accessibility and user-friendly interfaces, these social media platforms facilitate instant communication, information sharing, and networking opportunities. Little attention has been paid to the rise of social media in the digital age as a threat to effective communication. Therefore, the overarching problem to be addressed in this research is to examine how the rise of social media in the digital age poses a significant threat to effective communication. Technological determinism theory formed the basis for the study and focus group discussion was used for data gathering, with thirty (30) participants selected purposively from each department in the eight faculties to serve the purpose of this study. Also, eight (8) focus group interviews were conducted at Redeemer's University. Findings revealed that WhatsApp is a good primary mode of communication and using WhatsApp daily often gives room for both personal and professional communication. Further findings shows that WhatsApp is integral to daily interactions, allowing respondents to connect with friends from different parts of the world effortlessly. Hence, this study concluded that WhatsApp undoubtedly offers unparalleled convenience and connectivity in the digital age, yet its widespread usage raises pertinent concerns regarding effective communicatio

Audience Perception of Foreign Music within Indigenous Radio Programmes among Listeners in Lagos, Nigeria

Music is the life blood of every radio station. Ordinarily, the listeners should be the focus of every radio programme and their perception should influence radio station programming. However, the continuous use of foreign music in indigenous programming points to a contrary indication. This situation is today a source of concern to culture activists and debates among academics. This study therefore examined how audience perceive the use of foreign music within local radio programmes. To do this, the study adopted the quantitative research method with survey design. A sample of 200 respondents was taken from Lagos metropolis and a specially designed questionnaire was administered on 20 radio presenters purposively selected. Specifically, the study attempted to answer four research questions and the findings revealed that many radio listeners prefer local music, and viewed the act of playing foreign music as unpatriotic and a way of killing local culture. The paper concludes that a continuous airplay of foreign music within local programmes will debase indigenous culture and existence of a nation. Keywords: foreign music, perception, cultural imperialism, Indigenous programme

Social media and youth mobilisation during the End SARS protest

Social media has become a significant medium of communication for youth mobilisation in Nigeria.It gives a platform for young people to interact, share knowledge, and organise around social and political issues. This research investigated the role of social media in youth mobilisation in Nigeria. It focused on how young people have utilised social media to effect social and political change. The study was hinged on the technological determinism theory which was propounded by Marshall McLuhan in 1964. The paper adopted the quantitative research approach, employing the use of questionnaire, and a case study of the ENDSARS social campaign. The study highlighted the ways in which social media has enabled young people to challenge and contest established power structures and to amplify their voices in public discourse. The study also identified some of the challenges and risks associated with social media mobilisation, such as network problems, threat to personal safety, unprofessional and unethical conduct, to mention few. Overall, the paper established that, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for youth mobilisation in Nigeria, providing a platform for the young to connect, organise and demand change. In conclusion, the paperrecommended that social media should be used with caution, and that the youthsmust be mindful of the dangers and challenges associated with online activism

Imperatives of Internet and Social Media on Broadcast Journalism in Nigeria

The development of radio and later television brought a new dimension to news and events coverage in Nigeria. In 1993 the monopoly of government was broken to allow private participation.  This gave the broadcast audience multiple choices of media. The advanced technology in the broadcast media and the development of internet and social media networks further exposed the society to alternative mediums of information. The pervasiveness of these websites in our everyday lives is today changing the face of broadcasting globally and in particular the Nigerian broadcast industry. This paper therefore examines the implication of Internet and social media on broadcast journalism in Nigeria. Keywords: Imperative, Internet, social media, broadcast Journalism, Nigeri

AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF ADVERTISING ON PRODUCT POSITIONING AND BRAND LOYALTY IN THE NIGERIAN GSM MARKET

ABSTRACT Every company wants to adopt the right marketing communications technique intended to present its product to the different members of the public that constitute its target market. The company chooses a message to disseminate through the right channel that can lead to a created need in the target market. This is the scenario in the Nigerian telecommunication market. To ascertain the role advertising plays in product positioning and consumer choice of brand, the study focused on the two leading GSM providers -MTN and Globacom. The study adopted the survey method with questionnaire as the instrument of gathering data from 143 respondents in Lagos. The data revealed that advertising can affect the way consumers rank a brand's attributes, such as color, taste, smell, and texture and that it can make consumers to be more informed about the brand and more generally favorable disposed to it. On the basis of this, the study concluded that since advertising and quality of product are two major influences on consumer preferences, GSM network service providers must ensure that product quality and effective service delivery are fused with effective promotions in order to influence the target market. However to achieve these the study recommended that advertisers must try to understand the different behavioural levels that customers pass through. It is only when they do that they can create a message that will meet all requirements

ADAPTING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR FORMAL LEARNING IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

ABSTRACT Educationist and communication experts have in the past advocated for a flexible learning aimed at meeting individual needs, while at the same time providing both the learner and the instructor the opportunity to interactively relate outside the structured environment. Thus when social media started out as a fun way to connect with friends and families, experts saw it as a powerful tool for education beyond their uses as avenue to socialize. Today, many students and educationists are using sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, MySpace, Flicker, Netlog, Slideshare and tools such as Skype, Ovoo, and Yahoo messenger to connect students to learning opportunities in new and exciting ways. As part of the growing influence for enhancing education, the Osun state government recently gave out smart phone dubbed "opon imo" (tablet of knowledge) to all secondary pupils in the state loaded with several learning materials. Using the exploratory method, the authors explore ways in which social media can be used to enhance formal learning by identifying opportunities and challenges inherent thereof. The authors concluded that social media provide better opportunities to help student take their learning experience outside the classroom to wherever they are but noted that cost of acquisition and sustenance could pose as challenge for those in the lower income bracket of the society

Expanding the boundaries of vaccine discourse: impact of visual illustrations communication intervention on intention towards COVID-19 vaccination among victims of insecurity in Nigeria

Research on how to promote vaccination among victims of conflict is scarce. In this study, we conducted an experiment to determine how an artistic illustration communication intervention delivered alongside counseling will influence the behavior intention toward COVID-19 vaccination. The study involved 470 respondents (n = 235 control) and (n = 235 treatment). Variables from social cognitive theory and theory of planned behavior were used to develop the study hypotheses. The result of the study showed that victims of conflict who are exposed to visual messages on COVID-19 vaccination reported greater self-efficacy than those who are not. Also, victims of conflict who are exposed to visual messages on COVID-19 vaccination reported greater task efficacy than those who are not. Furthermore, victims of conflict who are exposed to visual arts on COVID-19 vaccination reported more positive outcome expectancy from the vaccine than those who are not. Finally, the result showed that victims of conflict who are exposed to visual messages on COVID-19 vaccination reported intention to make themselves available for vaccination than those who are not. We discussed these findings and highlighted the nexus between insecurity and health promotion

SMARTSPHONES AND COMMUNICATION PATTERN AMONG STUDENTS IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS

Abstract Communication is at the heart of human existence and technology has always determined the nature of and nurture how man communicates. The introduction of mobile telephone and most importantly smartphones has altered the way youths communicate, yet there is little or no empirical research on the influence of this technology on the communication pattern of youth especially students in higher institutions. The survey research design was adopted with questionnaire as the instrument of gathering data from 500 respondents chosen from the Redeemer's University, Osun State and the University of Lagos, Lagos State. Study revealed that smartphone usage among students in higher institutions has positive influence on their communication pattern. The study further showed that majority of the respondents used their smartphone for social activities and related functions. On the strength of these findings, the researchers recommended that more researches should be conducted to know more about this growing technology. Also, it was recommended that marketing communication professionals should be interested in the opportunities provided by this technology to reach out to their target audience