Uses And Gratification Theory And The Optimization Of The Media In The Privatization Of State Owned Enterprises In Nigeria

Abstract

The study was on the uses and gratification theory in the media landscape and environment in Nigeria with focus on the optimization of the media in the privatization and commercialization of state owned enterprises in Nigeria. The objectives were to determine Public Relations application of the principles and practices and concepts inherent in the uses and gratification, how communication messages were couched, decisions to choose a particular medium for communication with their audiences, the audiences active roles and dispositions in deciding which medium to be exposed to based or not on uses and gratification. A survey design was used and a population of 60 media houses while primary and secondary data were collected, analysed and presented. The findings were that no pattern for placing news, no target audience but general publications believing varieties of the publics read the papers. The recommendations were to have the need for Newspapers to subscribe to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, NIPR to monitor members on professional practices, and organizations to key into ICT and effectively deploy it to the services of the customer and general public.

Keywords: Gratification Theory, Optimization, Media, Privatisation, Nigeria