MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF PRIVATE OWNED MEDIA HOUSES. A CASE STUDY OF AIT PORTHARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Media is the means of communicating to a large segment of people, such as television, radio and newspapers. Public media are quite different form the private media houses because the public media is owned and financed by the public or government while the Private media is privately owned and they have to finance themselves through advertisements. Since the public is not paying the station, they are freer and can broadcast much more than the public broadcasting media but they must generate enough funds through advertisements to maintain the operations of the station. Private media seeks for volumes of transactions which will augment revenue from advertisement to enhance the profitability of the station. Hence private Medias are commercial station. Therefore, the extents to which they can generate revenue determine the growth and stability of the station. The launch of private Medias has brought stiffer competition in the industry and as well promote quality broadcasting. The study seeks to appraise management challenges of private owned media houses. A case study of AIT Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The success of every private media depends greatly on its management. The growth and expansion of private media constitute a further challenge to operators of private media houses. Consequently, the drive to promote excellent services is faced with the need to install and maintain modern communication equipments, professional level human resources as well as provide adequate funding through advertisement for the operating and maintaining the media station. The media are usually owned by individuals, government, group of individuals, etc. Therefore, the act of owning the station is referred to as paternity which may be partial or total financing of a medium either by an individual, an organization or a government (Raufu, 2003).   The challenges which exist therefore is that the private media can be used to serve a particular interest. For example, the private media can be used to achieve political goals.  It can also be used to achieve economic goals. Some private media houses owned by politician have become agents of propaganda. The problem confronting the study is to appraise management challenges of private owned media houses. A case study of AIT Portharcourt Rivers state.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The Main Objective of the study is to appraise management challenges of private owned media houses. A case study of AIT port Harcourt, Rivers state. The specific objectives include:

  1. To find out the prevalence of management challenges in AIT, Port Harcourt.
  2. To investigate the management challenges in AIT Port-Harcourt.
  3. To identify the possible solutions to the problems faced by private media houses in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

    i.        What is the prevalence of management challenges in AIT, Port Harcourt?

   ii.        What are the management challenges in AIT Port-Harcourt?

 iii.        What are the possible solutions to the problems faced by private media houses in Nigeria?

1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

Ho1: There is no significant solution to the management challenges of private owned media houses in Nigeria.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study appraises the management challenges of private owned media houses. A case study of AIT portharcourt rivers state. The study shall therefore serve as veritable source of information to stakeholders to proffer interventions which will address the problem.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study focuses on the appraisal of management challenges of private owned media houses. A case study of AIT Port Harcourt rivers state.

 1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study was confronted with logistics and geographical factors.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

PRIVATE MEDIA DEFINED

Private media is privately owned and they have to finance themselves through advertisements.

MEDIA   DEFINED

The Media is the means of communicating to a large segment of people, such as television, radio and newspapers.