ABSTRACT

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of radio advertisement of family planning programmes on residents of Abak Local Government Area. The study used survey research design method and questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection. The sample size for the study was two hundred (200). The findings of this study revealed that the residents of the Abak local government are exposed to radio advertisement on family planning, Radio advertisement on family planning affect the child bearing behaviour of residents in Abak Local Government Area. Radio advertisement influence the residents of Abak L.G.A to a large extent in adopting family planning. Radio is proved to be a tool of communicating the importance of family planning to its audience though advertisements aired on the radio. The researcher recommends that it is pertinent that such programmes like this should be made a participatory programme, because it will make the officials to know that some people understand it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 Title page    –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgement           –         –         –         –         iv

Table of contents   –         –         –         –         –         v

List of Tables         –         –         –         –         –         viii

Abstract       –         –         –         –         –         –         ix      

                              INTRODUCTION

1.1                         Background of the study  –         –         –         –         1

1.2                         Statement of the Problem          –         –         –         4

1.3                         Objectives of the Study   –         –         –         –         5

1.4                         Research Questions         –         –         –         –         6

1.5                         Scope of the Study           –         –         –         –         7

1.6                         Significance of the study –         –         –         –         7

1.7                         Limitation of the Study              –         –         –         9

1.8                         Definition of Terms         –         –         –         –         9

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1                         The Concept of Family Planning               –   –         11

2.2                         Birth Control Methods               –         –         –         14

2.3                          Radio Broadcasting         –         –         –         –         16

2.4                          Types of Radio Broadcasting     –         –         –         17

2.4.1                       Amplitude Modulation  – –         –         –         –         18

2.4.2                       Frequency Modulation     –         –         –         –         19

2.5                           Overview of Radio Operation in Nigeria       –         22

2.6                         Radio as a Medium of Advertising      –         –         26

2.7                         Radio as a Means of Development

Communication     –         –         –         –         –         27

2.8                         Theoretical Framework   –         –         –         –         38

2.9                         Empirical Review  –         –         –         –         –         40

2.10                       Summary of Literature Review  –         –         –         42

RESEARCH METHODOLODY

3.1                         Research Design    –         –         –         –         –         44

3.2                         Population of the Study   –         –         –         –         44

3.3                         Sample and Sampling Procedure         –         –         45

3.4                         Instrument of Data Collection    –         –         –         46

3.5                         Validity and Reliability of Instrument           –         47

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND  DISCUSSION

4.1                         Data Presentation and Analysis           –         –         48

4.2                         Discussion of Findings    –         –         –         –         55

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1                         Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         59

5.2                         Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         60

5.3                         Recommendations –         –         –         –         –         60

References

Appendix

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Age Distribution of Respondents     –         –         –         –         40

Table 2: Gender Distribution of Respondents          –         –         –         41

Table 3: Educational Qualification of Respondents –         –         –         41

Table 4: Do you listen to radio advertising on family planning   –               42

Table 5: How often do you listen to radio advertisement

on family planning?        –         –         –         –         –         –         –          43

Table 6: How do you perceive radio advertisement on

family planning?    –                   –         –         –         –         –         –         43

Table 7: Has the radio advertisement on family planning affected your child bearing behaviour? –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –          44

Table 8: What are the factors influencing your reception of the radio advertisement on family planning?      –         –         –         –         –         45

Table 9: To what extent does the radio advertisement influence you in adopting family planning?         –         –         –         –         –         –          46

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Advertising can be traced down to the origin of man. Therefore, it is a phenomenon that has been with the society for a very long time. Although advertising is so popular, it is difficult to come up with a single and an all embracing definition. However, some scholars have proffered some definitions, which will be highlighted in this study.

According to academic’s dictionary of mass communication, compiled by Michael Hoffmann (2007, p.9). “Advertising is a paid, medicated, form of communication from an identifiable source, designed to persuade the receiver to take some action, now or in the future”.

Throwing more light on this, the dictionary of business and finance captures it as any form of paid public announcement or presentation, which is aimed at the promotion of the sake of goods and services, or at gaining acceptance for any idea or point of view.

No wonder Okunna (2002, P.99) says in their more recent and widely accepted definition states thus that, “advertising is the non – personal communication of information, usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products (goods and services) or ideas by identified sponsors through various media”. From the above running background, it is obvious that advertising from all indication is usually the easiest means to reach the target consumer directly. Therefore, advertising enables sponsor to reach a substantial segment of their target audience through various media especially print and electronic.

But before casting our research searchlight on the effectiveness of radio advertisement as one of the media on family planning programme advertisement, it is pertinent that we focus this research search light on the history of family planning programme because a people without a history is like a people without a past.

On the other hand, the historical development of man’s desire to control his reproduction is as old as humanity. WHO’s (World Health Organization) definition of family planning states that it is a way of thinking and living that is adopted voluntarily based on the knowledge, attitudes and responsible decisions by individuals and couples in order to promotes health and welfare of the family group and thus; contribute effectively to the social development of the country. Egyptians as early as 1850 BC described various methods of birth control in scrolls. Aristotle, A Greek Philosopher in the 4th century B.C stated that the state’s best interest would be served by keeping the population stable.

In the early history of African culture, the mother and the infant were separated from the father for prolonged periods of time following childbirths; consequently, this practice ensured a good nutritional period for the infant and abstinence for the mother. The above underscores the fact that family planning is as old as history itself.

In 1797, Jeremy Bentham advocated birth control in England. Giving credence to what Bentham advocated for, Francis place whose dissertation (Hoffmann, 2007, p.9), “Illustrations and proofs of the Principles of Population” published in 1882 made a remarkable impact which proposed contraception to reproduction. Subsequent theories by Thomas Malthins, an Englishman who wrote “An Essay of the Principle of population” in 1798 which stated that poverty was unavoidable because the means of production could not increase as quickly as the population also made an impact.

It is under the above influence that Dr. Aletta Jacobs, in 1881 began the first systematic work in contraception in Holland. She and her medical colleagues gave professional assistance to birth control advocates in other countries. Consequently, their effort saw the light of the day when the first birth control clinic was opened in England by Marie Stopes and society for constructive Birth Control in 1921. Margaret Sanger in her little way in 1916 opened the first family planning clinic, which was closed down 9 days later by the authorities, who were against the consequently was imprisoned. As a result of that, she went on hunger strike for 103 hours. This led the U.S women to demonstrate and make an appeal to the government. These actions led to her release and allowed to carry on with her pioneering work in family planning (Hoffmann, 2007).

It is from the above background that family planning is defined as; “the control of reckless breeding of children” by Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN). The questions that are still begging for answer is, has the adequate awareness of family planning been made? If yes, to what extent and how has this awareness affected the life of the public in view? Consequently, the above question cannot be adequately addressed without looking into how this awareness is done. This invites us to stand out and cast a look on resident of Abak L.GA. as well as the effectiveness of radio advertisement of family planning programmes among them.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Family planning programs play a crucial role in shaping the health and well-being of communities by providing individuals with information and access to contraceptive methods. In the pursuit of enhancing the reach and impact of these programs, various communication channels are employed, including radio advertisements. Despite the widespread use of radio as a medium for disseminating information, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of radio advertisements specifically in the context of family planning programs. The following problems underscore the necessity of this research:

1. Limited Assessment of Audience Reach: The effectiveness of radio advertisements in reaching the target audience for family planning programs remains underexplored. Understanding the demographic and geographic reach of these advertisements is essential for optimizing communication strategies.
2. Impact on Knowledge and Awareness: The extent to which radio advertisements contribute to increased knowledge and awareness about family planning methods and services is not well-documented. Assessing the impact on the audience’s understanding of available options is crucial for program success.
3. Attitudes and Perceptions: There is a lack of comprehensive research on how radio advertisements influence attitudes and perceptions related to family planning. Investigating the role of radio in shaping societal norms and individual attitudes can provide insights into the effectiveness of the medium.
4. Behavioral Outcomes: While increased knowledge and positive attitudes are important, the ultimate goal of family planning programs is to influence behavior. Examining the correlation between exposure to radio advertisements and the adoption of family planning practices is critical for evaluating program success.
5. Communication Strategies and Content: Understanding the elements of effective communication in radio advertisements for family planning is vital. Analyzing the impact of various message formats, tones, and content on audience engagement and retention can inform future campaign design.

Addressing these problems through empirical research will contribute valuable insights to the field of public health communication, facilitating the refinement and improvement of family planning programs delivered through radio advertisements.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study are as follows;

1. To ascertain if residents of Abak L.G.A are expose to radio advertisement on family planning
2. Assess the frequency of their exposure to radio advertisement on family planning
3. Ascertain their perception of the radio advertisement on family planning
4. Ascertain if the radio advertisement on family planning has affected their child bearing behaviour
5. Assess factors influencing their reception of the radio advertisement on family planning
6. Assess the extent advertisements on radio influences the public in adopting family planning.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated in order to achieve the objectives of this study

1. Are the residents of Abak L.G.A exposed to radio advertisement on family planning?
2. What is the frequency of their exposure to radio advertisement on family planning?
3. What is the perception of residents of Abak L.G.A of radio advertisement on family planning?
4. Has the radio advertisement on family planning affected their child bearing behaviour?
5. What are the factors influencing their reception of the radio advertisement on family planning?

1. To what extent do advertisements on radio influence the public in adopting family planning?

1.5     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study on evaluation of the effectiveness of radio advertisement of family planning programmes focused on the residents of Abak local government area, the respondents are mainly married couples in the Local Government.

1.6     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research study is prompted by many factors. Some of these are the continuing interest in and awareness of family planning by Nigerians and also the establishment of more family planning units by the government. The study will also help to determine the extent of knowledge of family planning among radio audience and likewise their attitude towards this programme.

Also the research should help to ascertain the importance of electronic media especially the radio as a media of bringing about people’s awareness of innovations. It will give indications of which medium is most effective in carrying out the advertisement messages. The research will also determine the various social, economic and cultural factors which may influence people’s attitudes towards family planning.

As a result of this study, the researcher hopes to enlighten the Nigerian public more on the benefits one stands to gain from a well planned family. Such benefits includes: increase in standard of living of the whole family; safeguarding of the good health of mother and child and limiting the size of the family to the one they can conveniently cater for. It will assist the government to find possible ways of improving on the family planning policy. This work will also serve as reference materials to other researchers and students in this field

1.7     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

In the course of conducting this research some hindrances were encountered. The first problem was finance. Since radio audience are scattered across the country the researcher had to go from place to place in order to get different views and opinions. The traveling was capital intensive.

Some of the audience were conservatives and did want to talk about family planning saying that children are not mean to be countered. Also, some were too busy to grant the researcher audience and fill out the questionnaires.

But despite these problems, the researcher still managed to gathers the required data and analyzed them accordingly without altering the authenticity of the information and quality of the research work.

1.8     OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Agency: Establishments that serve advertisers through the production and placement of advertisements in the media.

Audience: Radio listeners

Family Planning: The use of contraception to control how many children you have and when you have them.

Media:         Advertising channels such as TV, Radio, Newspapers and Magazines.

Mortality: The number of deaths within a particular society and within a particular period of time.

Population: The totality of items or persons from whom data necessary to study are collected.