Busisiwe “Mabusana” Shibambo

Media Research Blog
Public service broadcasting now and in the future-audience attitudes
Unique No: 857075
Entry Blog No 5

 

1.    INTRODUCTION

Lloyd, L et al (2010) defines Public broadcasting service (PSB) as a broadcaster that serves the public as a whole and is accountable to the public as a whole. However in most instances what is referred to as a public broadcaster is in fact a state broadcaster for example South African Broadcasting Corporation is controlled by the state. The PSB is expected to be a public broadcaster that will be accountable to the audience and not entirely to government. PSB is normally funded by the state and the audience pays licence fee to keep it running, however the state the advantage that since it pays large portion of amount it therefore has some powers over PSB.

 

2.    REASONS FOR STUDYING AUDIENCE ATTITUDE TOWARDS PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICES

Lloyd, L et al (2010) reports that the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa adopted by the African Union’s Commission on Human and Peoples Rights in 2002, proclaim that the state monopoly over broadcasting is not compatible with the right to “freedom of expression”. Demands that “state and government have control on broadcasters should be transformed into public service broadcasters that will be accountable to the public”. The recent saga on the announcement to ban visuals and reporting of local protest and destruction of public property by former Chief Operation Officer Mr Motsoeneng Hlaudi clearly shows that public broadcaster is under the control of the state and the is no consideration on public opinion. This has shown lack of freedom of expression by the reporters or journalist. The public broadcaster needs to comply with their own mandate and constitution of broadcasting act which amongst others is to inform, educate and entertain its audience by giving factual information.

 

3.    THE FUTURE OF AUDIENCE ATTITUDE IN BROADCASTING

The title has been clearly stated as public service broadcasting now and in the future. The purpose of the research project was informed by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to investigate the audience attitudes towards public service broadcasting (PSB) and plurality. It is a second review on audience attitudes towards PSB that seeks to respond to Ofcom’s submission to help inform BBC. The study probed how important audiences felt about ITV1, Channel 4 and 5 to continue to be required to deliver public service programming in the future and whether given the likely costs involved, they should receive investment of public funding to support this. Though there was much less backing both in the deliberative and quantitative work for the notion that public money should be used to support the future public service commitment of these broadcasters.

Lloyd, L et al (2010) report that over the past few years the South African Broadcasting Corporation has been experiencing a number of crises due to various causes and explored more fully in this report. These developments have served to open up the debate on the public broadcaster generally and created the chance for a thorough review of the entire public broadcasting legislation as well as the organisational structures of the SABC. Civil society organisations, in particular the broad-based Save Our SABC (SOS) Coalition have taken up the challenge and started developing concrete policy papers for broadcasting reform from 2008.

12.1. The research problem on audience attitude towards PBS

The human capital media strategy and research (2008) states that research problem constitute of audience attitude towards PSB and plurality. The research investigated the attitudes towards the aims and characteristics of public service programming and the views on the different programming genres.

 

12.2. The research question  

According to human capital media and strategy research (2008) it states that the objective of the survey is to assess whether and to what extent the various forms of broadcasting on our continent can do in order to create free public space with special attention given to the services which call themselves public. The research is the second review on the attitude of audience towards public broadcasting services.  Human Capital media strategy and research (2008) states that the audiences show continuing strong support for the aims and characteristics of public service broadcasting. The audience rely more on PSB than ITV, channel 4 and 5 as the services serve their needs more, it covers local content and in the medium language hence support continues to be strong. Most participants in deliberative workshops thought that PSB is needed as much as ever to provide continuing quality content.

 

12.3. The research approach and data collection  

The research comprised of six deliberative workshops consisting of a number of 126 participants and a quantitative survey of 4,577 respondents. All quantitative fieldwork was carried out by Ipsos MORI, based on questionnaires. The deliberative workshops ran for four hours per session. Six workshops were conducted, each comprising 20-22 participants, with the sample across all six workshops totalling 126. The workshops took place in Carmarthen, Coventry, Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Tiverton over January and February 2008.

Participants were recruited with the aim of achieving, across the whole sample and as far as possible within each workshop, representation on the following key dimensions: age, gender, socio-economic grade amount of TV watched, TV platform, internet access, ethnicity and attitude towards the BBC. The quantitative study comprised of face-to-face and an online questionnaire survey, both using the same questions, conducted over the period 2-28 May 2008. The data from the two methods was merged to form a dataset comprising 4,577 16+ adults from across the UK, with 2,068 face-to-face and 2,509 online respondents.

 

12.4. The design of research and sampling issues

The research design used for this research is in two phases. The first phase is qualitative research in a form of deliberative workshops. The second phase is survey research design in a form of quantitative research. The first phase explored in- depth attitudes held on a broad range of issues relating to public service broadcasting and plurality. It also seeks to understand the reasons underpinning the stated views. The second phase took forward the key issues with a view to generate statistically robust findings from a large-scale and quantitative survey of a nationally representative sample.

The research provides logical explanation of the whole research which is to perceive the importance of public service broadcasting and the perceived performance of broadcasters in delivering on its mandate. The research demonstrate coherence of design in using survey research approach as it seeks to investigate the attitude of audience towards public broadcasting compared to ITV1, channel 4 and five that is related to its aims.

The sampling method was consistent with six workshops conducted, each comprising of 20-22 participants, with the sample across all six workshops totalling 126. The workshop was spread across the following cities, Carmarthen, Coventry, Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Tiverton. Yet in quantitative survey a number of 4,577 responded to questionnaire that was carried out through the use of Ipsos MORI. Participants were recruited with the aim of achieving, across the whole sample and as far as possible within each workshop, representation on the following key dimensions were considered age, gender, socio-economic grade amount of TV watched, TV platform, internet access, ethnicity and attitude towards the BBC.

The data collection from the two methods was merged to form a dataset comprising 4,577 16+ adults from across the UK, with 2,068 face-to-face and 2,509 online respondents. All quantitative fieldwork was carried out by Ipsos MORI, based on a questionnaire. The methods used were suitable in order to gain in-depth information about the participant’s attitude in the role that broadcasting play in their lives.

4.    ANALYSIS

The analysis was concrete each participant completed a questionnaire in stages over the course of the workshop. Completion of the questionnaire was interspersed with discussion of the relevant themes. Initially, participants filled in two sections on personal information and broad media consumption and ownership.

Human capital (2008) asserts that the quantitative study comprised of face-to-face and an online questionnaire survey, both using the same questions conducted over the period of one month. The data from the two methods was merged to form a dataset comprising 4,577 16+ adults from across the UK with 2,068 who had completed the survey face-to-face and 2,509 who answered it online. The quantitative fieldwork was carried out by Ipsos MORI, based on a questionnaire. However where quantitative data was not available data was collected in the deliberative workshops that has been included the deliberative research. This has been used primarily to shed light on why people hold certain views. Human capital (2008) illustrate that due to relatively small deliberative sample size, data from the deliberative workshops has been shown in banded frequency charts that show the number of participants scoring within each band rather than percentages.

In an analysis of the quantitative survey data, the main observations in relation to demographic subgroups included those with internet and broadband access generally placed greater importance on the aims than those without. The research instrument is well structured and attached, there are questionnaires used for both open ended and closed questions to allow participants to provide enough information and those who don’t have enough time answer on the closed ended questionnaire.

The results does explain the theoretical framework, this was not the first time research it is based on the initial research that was conducted by human resource to respond to Ofcom second review on the attitude of audience towards BPS. The research question was clearly outline in order to assess whether and to what extent the various forms of broadcasting on our continent can do in order to create free public space with special attention given to the services which call themselves public. This research is very significant to media studies as it study the media institution and preference of media audience on what the public broadcasting services provides.

Lloyd, L et al (2009) state that the number of countries is currently undertaking public broadcast media reforms that aim to improve service delivery and accountability to citizens. Such reforms are draw from evolving African and global standards regarding media and broadcast media in particular. The survey instrument that was developed in consultation with African media experts and others from other parts of the world is largely based on agreements, conventions, charters and declarations regarding media that have been developed at regional and continental levels in Africa.

 

5.    CONCLUSION:

Lloyd, L et al reports that the role of a public broadcaster as a vehicle through which objective information and diverse perspectives are transmitted into the public domain cannot be overstated. Yet number of countries is currently undertaking public broadcast media reforms that aim to improve service delivery and accountability to citizens. Hence it is recommended that due to the new media coming into the space it is crucial to continuously investigate on the attitude of audience now and the future towards public broadcasting services and the internet, you-tube and so forth.

 

 

 

LIST OF SOURCE CONSULTED

Human Capital. 2008. Public service broadcasting now and in the future — audience attitudes. A report plus research appendix by Human Capital. [O]. available http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/insidethebbc/howwework/reports/pdf/now_ future.pdf

Accessed 2017/07/20

Lloyd, L, Duncan, J, Minnie, J, & Bussiek, H. 2010. Public broadcasting in Africa. A survey. South Africa country report. [O]. available

http://www.mediamonitoringafrica.org/images/uploads/Annexure_D Afrimap Research.pdf

Accessed 2017/07/24