Electronic Media And The African Child

Electronic media is a means of communication as well as agent of socialization. As a means of communication, radio and television stations relay news and vital information to its audience. They serve as the bridge between government and the governed, prospective employees and employers, Producers and Consumers as well as supply and demand. They keep people abreast of happening around the world. Electronic media as agent socialization plays a vital role in the development of a child. Through electronic media, a child learns the culture of his environment. He also picks role models and inculcates certain behavior from Television celebrities, which will have great influence on his relationship with people around him. Due to this, every country have regulatory body that monitors and controls what these media aired in other to protect the interest of the viewers especially the minors; films and cinemas are censored and graded accordingly before releasing it the public.

Over the years Africa countries have been able to preserve her culture as well as inculcating foreign culture that agree with her own value through electronic media. Any deviation from social norms would be openly criticized, with the culprit brought to book. However, things began to take a new dimension with the advent of satellite TV {pay TV) in Africa. The entrance of this pay TV gave the audience a substitute to local stations and value for money and time. At the beginning people were skeptical about the revolution, perhaps due to poverty as the price was out of reach of common man. But as economic situation of Africa countries improve, people began to see the reason and the need of getting instant information from CNN, BBC and other foreign media which can only be guaranteed on satellite TV’s. The operators knowing the needs of people slashed the price making it affordable to average man on the street. This open a new vista for Africa to be part of global village; News, new discovery, documentary, sports, movies, music with undiluted entertainment was at the doorstep of Africa viewers.

Just like satellite TV, internet also crept into the consciousness of Africa man, with less than one US Dollar (1USD) anybody can work into cyber café and bring the whole world into his rented computer for 60 minutes. This opportunity gave the masses that cannot afford pay TV to access news, communicate, play games, make friends, transact business and seek for more knowledge through internet.