Radio Campaigns on Covid-19 and Bayelsa State Residents Compliance to Safety Protocols

Radio Campaigns on Covid-19 and Bayelsa State Residents Compliance to Safety Protocols

Umunnah, Blessing Onyinyechukwu PhD¹, Ochia, Stevenson Enemuwa (Doctorial Student)², Bobmanuel, Karibi Benson PhD³

¹Lecturer, Department of English Language and Communication Studies, Federal University, Otuoke Bayelsa State, Nigeria

²Faculty of Communication & Media Studies, Rivers State University Port Harcourt, Nigeria

³Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State, Nigeria

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.7011088

Received: 28 December 2022; Accepted: 02 November 2023; Published: 12 December 2023

ABSTRACT

This research examined Radio Campaigns on Covid-19 and Bayelsa State Resident’s Compliance to the Safety Protocols. Based on the misinformation, some residents believe that Corona-virus was a ‘white-man’s diseases. Hence, the study ascertains the level of resident’s awareness, exposures; knowledge gained, compliance and constraints to compliance.   Findings show that there was a high level of awareness by residents and were regularly exposed to radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols such as; the use of nose mask, social distancing etc. However, the level of knowledge gained by the residents on Covid-19 safety protocols was insignificant; the level of compliance was low and that religion, culture and language stood as constraint to effective compliance. The study concludes that radio campaigns performed inadequately to enhance knowledge and herald compliance to the covid-19 safety protocols among Bayelsa state residents and recommended that the media employ experts with proven track records in Behavioral Change Communication (BCC), use variety of communication strategies and combination of media channels to frame issues on health by designing and disseminating also, pictorial and audio-video messages on Covid-19 safety protocols as well as using language(s) well understood by the residents and also, that religious and opinion leaders be targeted to properly educate their members on the dangers of non-compliance to Covid-19 safety protocols.

Keywords: Covid 19, Bayelsa State Residents, Compliance, Safety Protocol

INTRODUCTION

The mass media, specifically the broadcast or electronic media (television, radio and internet or social media) through their numerous functions, have metamorphosed into a powerful and effective platform for transference of news, information, education, promotion of culture, socialization, motivation and mobilization, advertising and have the capacity to frame issue(s) of societal interest, thereby pulling opinions from members of the society. The media have the power to keep the society in chaos or at peace depending on the message, understanding and feedback from the target audience. The broadcast media involves the use of transmitter which generates waves that carry voice transmission s or messages which make up radio and television programmes. In the words of Okunna and Omenugha (2012), this waves travels through the air, carrying the programmes to homes and other locations where they are received. The traditional radio has the reach of large and scattered audience and the capacity to reach its audience 24/7 and 365 days as long as the station is operational and receivers have the device.

Mass media campaigns are important primary steps in raising awareness about ‘issues such as diseases (pandemics, epidemics etc) as well as other societal issues of interest and geared towards development and good state of the society. The world in 2019 experience a global pandemic (Coronavirus or also known as Covid-19, the awareness spread like wild fire as result of the messages disseminated through the mass media sponsored by the government, agents of development and private/individual members of the society. The media were able to disseminate messages on covid-19 safety protocols using different means such as jingles, campaigns. Efforts to generate and promote these messages starts with well-coordinated public education, awareness, to sensitize and persuade the members of the society to think along, accept, proffer solutions, and are persuaded to comply with stated solutions. The effectiveness of media campaigns i.e the impact evaluation is assessed through measures of proximal effects in population, these measures include: Campaign and messages, understanding and attitude towards the new pandemic activity message.

While contributing to this discourse, Clark (2017), noted that commercial, public and community radio broadcasters are found supplying audio contents to the public hour of each day. For the certain segment of the population, radio is the primary or only means of information and entertainment. In Nigeria, radio has been in use since the colonial era to enlighten citizens or people about government programmes and also by missionaries to serve as a means of propagating the ‘good-news’. Clark (2017), also added that listeners of each type of radio broadcasting, either listen actively or passively. Music formats are best for passive listening, often to help pass the time while working, driving or engaged in other activities. Talk radio and educational programmes require the attention of the listener and that he stays intellectually engaged. Both listening styles can be considered important to the listener and may be used at different times (p.3).

The outbreak of the deadly and contagious Coronavirus has continued to be a very serious public health concern all over the world. Citizens of both the developed and developing nations, people of different socio-economic status, gender as well as the young and old are all vulnerable to the infectious of virus. The Coronavirus, which is also referred to as Covid-19, has continued to infect people all over the world; leading to the demise of lots of people. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that the level of infections and deaths occasioned by Covid-19 has put many families in difficult situations in many parts of the world and has compelled the World Health Organization to declare it as a global pandemic in 2020.Nigeria is not an exemption among nations affected by the ravaging and devastating effects of Covid-19. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported that there have been a lot of Coronavirus infections and deaths in Nigeria. In addition to infections and deaths, the virus has negatively impacted on the socio-economic and political structures of Nigeria.

The covid-19 that started out as an epidemic in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and ended up as a pandemic (affecting the whole world) has thrown the world into a war-like situation. Thousands of deaths have been recorded cumulatively for all countries across the world. Health systems in most countries are overwhelmed by the seriously sick patients in hospitals, many of whom are on ventilators and nursed in intensive care units (ICU). Global and local economies stand at their worst in decades; the world economy is now declared to be in recession by the World Bank and IMF, and could eventually lead to the deepest depression (Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, 2020 cited in Msughter and Philips, 2020).

The covid-19 pandemic has imposed a critical situation on public health all over the world. Efforts have been directed towards ensuring appropriate levels of preparedness and response to combat the disease effectively and efficiently and to manage the challenges associated with the outbreak. As a result, many governments have given utmost priority to that aspect through adopting different community-based strategies such as launching wide-rangingcovid-19 awareness campaigns, quarantine protocols and mandating lockdown measures including schools and workplace closures (World Health Organization, 2020; McBride, Murphy and Shevlin, 2020; Buheji and Buheji, 2020; cited in Eprahim, Saif, Buheji, AlBasri, Al-Husaini, and Jahrami, 2020).

Events of public concern such as health issues definitely attract media attentions. This can take the form of print, electronic, internet or social media attention; in most cases, a combination of all. Whichever form it takes, what matters most is the level or impact of media intervention in health crisis, especially disease outbreak. Mass media cannot cure virus but can help in curtailing the spread (Adelakun &Adnan, 2016). This statement explicitly underscores the role of mass media in health reporting, especially in curbing the spread of the outbreak of an infectious disease. Therefore, the role of mass media in health promotion and intervention goes beyond just creating awareness on a particular health issue or disease outbreak; it also entails placing emphasis on the angle or direction of reportage of such issue or outbreak. These media angles of presenting health issues take the form of media framing to influence public perception and induce attitudinal response, leading to positive behavioral changes (Nwakpu, Ezema &Ogbodo, 2020).

To keep the public informed, the media just like healthcare officers have been working hard to ensure that covid-19 is combated. Journalists have also been on the frontline reporting the cases, the death toll and the measures masses should take to avoid contracting the virus. From informing the people about the pandemic, the media also strives to shape public opinion about the spread and the precautionary measures that can help to mitigate it (flatten the curve). The media play crucial roles in shaping public opinion and perception of issues such as the outbreak of the virus. The way the media frame the pandemic will determine how the public responds to it and whether to take a precautionary measure or not. Although research focus has been on the outbreak of the pandemic, literature search indicates the need for more current empirical studies that focused essentially on the media campaigns on the outbreak and how this influences audience perception and response (Nwakpu, et al, 2020).

One of the fundamental strategies deployed in the fight against Covid-19 in Nigeria including Bayelsa State is the dissemination of messages for awareness and mobilization of the public through different communication platforms which are in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020). This is in a bid to ensure adequate knowledge of the virus as well as herald appropriate compliance to the preventive measures. Confirming the above assertion, Olujimi &Adekunle, (2010, p.229) assert that “lack of information/awareness constituted the root cause of the high rate of spread of viruses among people.”

In compliance with WHO’s recommendation regarding the massive dissemination of relevant covid-19 information to members of the public, establishments such as the United Nations Children Education Fund(UNICEF), Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Health Ministries of various States including the Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and numerous Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have continued to disseminate  relevant information on covid-19 through radio and other communication channels to raise public awareness of the preventive protocols  and ensuring compliance to such safety measures.

In Bayelsa State, the various media, especially radio have continued to design and implement different campaigns on Covid-19 to nudge compliance with the safety directives by residents of the State. Campaigns such as “Use Facemask” “Don’t get too close” ‘sanitize your hands’ ‘social distance is necessary’ “wash your hands with soap and clean water” etc were very frequent covid-19 messages transmitted by various radio stations in the State. The radio stations are Radio Bayelsa, Raypower, Royal FM, Creek FM and Rhythm FM. The radio campaigns were transmitted in English and the major indigenous languages in the State. This implies that the radio campaigns covered both the literate and illiterate. There is therefore, the need to ascertain the response of the Bayelsa State residents to the radio messages.

1.1 Statement of the Problem

The broadcast media especially the radio has been at the top deck of their duties since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, several radio campaigns have been done to enhance the knowledge of covid-19 among residents of Bayelsa State and ensure the necessary precautionary measures are taken so as to curb the spread of the virus. However, the effect of the radio campaign messages on the level of awareness, exposure and compliance on preventive measures stands a challenge as residents are burdened with misinformation on the pandemic. The media apart from disseminating the preventive measures of virus and diseases are saddled with huge task as the ‘watch-dog’ of the society of its domain.

The assumption according to Olapegba et al, (2020), has been that Corona-virus (Covid-19) was ‘a biological designed weapon by the Chinese government‘, a white-man’s (western world) diseases and cannot be contracted by the black race, claiming that the protocols were all geared at destroying developing countries especially countries like Nigeria and other African counties through some of the safety protocols and the anti-virus and as such, the radio has to be employed to design and disseminate every information about the virus and its safety protocols. Bayelsa state is a multi-lingual state with different languages that cannot be covered by the media except experts, opinion leaders and those with behavioral change communication should be involved for better interpretations the messages.

A good number of researchers examined media’s influence on exposure to message on Covid-19 and compliance in South Africa, Indonesian and Malaysian. Ufuophu and Bebenimibo (2021) explored the relationship between exposure to media messages among resident of Delta state and they realized that there was a significant relationship between to media messages on Covid-19 and compliance with preventive measures. Mu’azu and Moses (2021) analysed the framing of the Nigerian Government’s Covid-19 lockdown in the Daily Trust and the Punch Newspapers and concluded that the print media devoted more media space in the coverage of the Covid-19 preventive measures and issues of Covid-19 palliatives. While Pepple et al, (2021) did an assessment of the use of the traditional news media for Covid-19 enlightenment campaigns in Bonny L.G.A of Rivers state and concluded that the traditional news man should be exposed to trainings to improve on how to sensitize, mobilize and enlighten the rural populace.

To the researcher’s knowledge, none seems to have specific focus on Bayelsa state residents. It is against this backdrop that it is necessary to examine the ‘radio campaigns on Covid-19 and Bayelsa state residents’ compliance to Covid-19 safety protocols’.

1.2 Objectives of the study

The aim of this research is to investigate radio campaigns and Bayelsa State residents’ response to the covid-19 safety directives. The specific objectives were to:

1. find out the level of exposure of Bayelsa State residents to the radio campaigns on Covid-19 preventive measures;
2. ascertain Bayelsa State residents’ awareness of radio messages on Covid-19;
3. find out the knowledge gained by Bayelsa State residents through radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols;
4. determine the compliance of Bayelsa State residents to the radio messages on the Covid-19 Safety protocols;

1.3 Research Questions

In line with the objectives of the study, the following research questions were addressed;

What is the level of exposure of Bayelsa State residents to the radio messages on Covid-19?

1. To what extent are Bayelsa State residents aware of radio messages on Covid-19?
2. What is the level of knowledge gained by Bayelsa state residents through radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols?
3. To what extent do Bayelsa state residents comply with radio messages on the Covid-19 Safety protocols?
4. What are Bayelsa state residents’ major constraints to the effective compliance with radio messages on the Covid-19 safety protocols?

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 A Discourse on the Media and COVID-19

The media are often, in liberal theory, referred to as the “Fourth Estate of the Realm” and the “watchdog of the society”. This means that the media exist as an organ of information sourcing and dissemination, educational promotion, surveillance, social enlightenment, and mobilization. These functions set the media apart as an important link or factor in the relationship between the government and the governed and make them a sine-qua-non to societal growth and development (Msughter & Philips, 2020).

The role of the mass media including television, radio, print and social media has proved indispensable in teaming and eradicating diseases through their various disseminations. Information on positive public health practices such as social distancing, hand-washing with soap and running water, wearing of nose-masks for respiratory hygiene and government policies in handling disease outbreaks has often been disseminated through these media (Collinson…et al, 2015).

One significant role of the media during a disease outbreak is to influence the public’s attitude, perception and behavior to adopt the right measure to prevent them from contracting the disease and preventing the spread of the disease (Ufuophu-Biri & Bebenimibo, 2021). The frequent media reportage of the pandemic made it one of the major news items in the mainstream media and social media. This also implies that the media is no doubt critical in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, people had regular exposure to media report on the pandemic (Nwakpu et al, 2020). Again, one significant role of the media during a disease outbreak is to influence the public attitudes, perceptions, and behavior to adopt the right measure to prevent them from contracting the disease and preventing the spread of the disease.

Covid-19 creates a public worry and forces the general public to seek help from the most accessible ways available to them. For most people, it is the media, which includes print, as well as broadcast options. In an epidemic or pandemic, controlling the spread of disease is a basic requirement. It requires early recognition of symptomatology, prompt diagnostic measures, effective home and hospice management, and appropriate preventive steps. This in turn, requires the role of varying departments ranging from government to healthcare, to the media, to the general public itself. Whenever a new virus or bacterial disease emerges, it goes through localized transmission, amplification in the spread, and finally, the remission with successful measures. The controlling measures are taken at each step of the chain. They include anticipation about the likely widespread infection, early detection, effective containment, control and mitigation measures, and lastly, eradication. According to WHO, it involves the coordination of responders, proper health information system, and managing communication risks (Anwar et al, 2020).

To keep the public informed, the media just like healthcare officers have been working hard to ensure that Covid-19 is combated. Journalists have also been on the frontline reporting the cases, the death toll and the measures masses should take to avoid contracting the virus. From informing the people about the pandemic, the media also strives to shape public opinion about the spread and the precautionary measures that can help to mitigate it (flatten the curve) (Nwakpu…et al, 2020). Since the outbreak of the virus, international and local news networks have promoted awareness and decreased anxiety among the public through live coverage of news briefings, press conferences, and town halls. Health officials and many others posted and explained health guidelines and governmental instructions on websites, in journals, magazines, and on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (Mheidly & Fares, 2020).

The exposure to Covid-19 information in media inevitably affects the public’s responses to the pandemic, since media serves as the main information source during the quarantine period. Dissemination of accurate and credible information about Covid-19, particularly the prevention measures, could effectively slow down virus spreading and mitigated disease-associated apprehension across the population. There are different findings from previous research concerning the effect of media exposure on anxiety during the outbreak of a pandemic (Liu…etal 2020).

The news of Covid-19 outbreak spread worldwide within days due to the rapid advancements in technology, which has turned the whole world into a global village. Global traveling can transform epidemics to pandemics within the blink of an eye. In the present era, the media has become a powerful resource that affects and controls the disease outcomes in several ways. The method of news reporting modifies, the behavior of people and their attitudes. This was studied in the H1N1 influenza epidemic in the Shaanxi province of China in 2009. In a study published in 2016, Yan Q et al (2015) showed how people’s response can change with media reports and, hence, can affect emerging disease control. Media reports of the disease spread during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 raised fear and awareness among people. On the one hand, it helped people to adopt essential protective measures. On the other hand, some people started stigmatizing diseased persons from inappropriate articles published in some newspapers. This is an example that indicates that the interaction between media awareness and disease control is a two directional approach (Anwar, Malik, Raees, Anwar, 2020).

The media-disseminated information has played a crucial role in affecting the risk perception and anxiety of the public during a pandemic (Brug…, 2004). At the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, the public were not quite concerned about the severity of this novel Coronavirus, because they were misguided by the information that “there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission” released by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission (Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, 2020), and such information was then widely circulated on both mass media and at social networking site. The public awareness about the seriousness of Covid-19 changed when Zhongnanshan, the head of the National Health Commission’s team, appeared in the state-owned media and confirmed the human-to-human transmission of this novel Coronavirus on January 20th, 2020. Thereafter, Covid-19 quickly became a national health emergency, and the viral infection spread to every province in less than two weeks. Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel Coronavirus outbreak with the official population of over 11 million, was shut down on January 23rd, 2020, marking the biggest government intervention to stop Covid-19 spreading. Soon after that, nearly all the Chinese people were quarantined at home. During the Covid-19 outbreak, the Chinese people received tons of information about Covid-19 through various outlets (Liu, Zhang and Huang 2020).

2.2 Media and the Dissemination of Health Messages

It is well recognized that the media plays an enormously influential role in public responses to health issues. The mass media – print, television, radio and internet – has an unparalleled reach as a communication mechanism (Gunther, 1998). It has substantial power in setting agendas, that is, what we should be concerned about and take action on, and framing issues, that is, how we should think about them (McCombs and Shaw, 1972). Public health professionals have always been sensitive to the persuasive power of the mass media cited in (Leask… etal, 2010).

Populations worldwide have incurred significant losses from infectious disease outbreaks since the second century, both in terms of morbidity and mortality as well as social and economic costs. As a result, a wide range of tools, including mass media, have been deployed in the effort to control and eliminate epidemic diseases. Information spreading in a population even though complex has a great number of applications. Mass media (television, radio, newspapers, billboards, and booklets) have been used as a way of delivering preventive health messages as they have the potential to influence people’s behaviour, and deter them from engaging in risky health behaviors’ and spur them into taking precautionary measures in relation to a disease outbreak, as concurrent presentation of objective information about the diseases can mitigate its severity. There is a causal relationship between the mass media health education campaign and the increase in the demand for health services during a disease outbreak. It has been posited that mass media can enable people to demand direct TB smear tests and increase case finding (Tchuenche and Bauch, 2012, p.1). Citing Grilli et al, (2002), Tchuenche and Bauch, (2012, p.1) note that those engaged in promoting a better uptake of research information in clinical practice should consider mass media as one of the tools that may encourage the use of effective services and discourage those of unproved effectiveness.

There is widespread use of mass media campaigns to inform the general public about health messages; ranging from discouraging smoking in young people to the promotion of sun protection. A recent survey found 75% of respondents rely on media coverage when making health care decisions. Few other options exist apart from the use of mass media with potential to alter and influence social attitudes and norms, although altering awareness and beliefs within the population may not automatically lead to changes in health care behavior. A systematic review concluded that mass media interventions have an important role in influencing the use of health care services and in providing health care information to the public (Grilli etal, 2009, p.2) cited in (Barker etal, 2006, p.7).

Over the past few decades, media campaigns have been used in an attempt to affect various health behaviors in mass populations. Such campaigns have most notably been aimed at tobacco use, heart-disease prevention, alcohol and illicit drug use, cancer screening and prevention, sex-related behaviors, child survival, and many other health-related issues. Typical campaigns have placed messages in media that reach large audiences, most frequently via television or radio, but also outdoor media, such as billboards and posters, and print media, such as magazines and newspapers. Some campaigns incorporate new technologies such as the internet, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (Wakefield etal, 2010, p.1261).

Media campaigns can be of short duration or may extend over long periods. They may stand alone or be linked to other organized programme components, such as clinical or institutional outreach and easy access to newly available or existing products or services, or may complement policy changes. Multiple methods of dissemination might be used if health campaigns are part of broader social marketing programmes. The great promise of mass media campaigns lies in their ability to disseminate well-defined, behaviorally focused messages to large audiences repeatedly, over time, in an incidental manner, and at a low cost per head (Wakefield etal, 2010, p.1261).

Mass media play an important role in promoting public health (Abroms and Maibach 2008, Atkin and Wallack 1990, Viswanath…etal, 2009). As Wallack (2000, p.338) argued, media “can be a delivery mechanism for getting the right information to the right people in the right way at the right time to promote personal change” and that “they can be a vehicle for increasing participation in civic and political life and social capital to promote social change”. In like manner, Osakue and Umunnah (2020, p.112), added that “the chief of objectives of media in Nigeria is that they are used as tools for education, entertainment, information and socialization”. In today’s media rich landscape, and especially with the advancements of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), increasing efforts are underway to incorporate mass media strategies into health education, promotion, and disease prevention practices (Melanie…etal, 2010, Parker and Thorson 2009, Viswanath, 2009). At the same time, scholars have documented mass media’s reach to select audiences and specific, limited, and moderate effects in influencing health knowledge, attitude, and behavior (Atkin 2001, Rice and Atkin 2009, Atkin and Salmon 2010, Salmon and Atkin 2003).

2.3 Theoretical Framework

The Media Framing and Attitude-Change theories were used to explain the study.

The Media Framing Theory

The concept of media framing is akin to the agenda setting theory. According to Arde (2015), the Framing Theory has experienced a rapid growth since the mid-1970s when it emerged into the field of Sociology. Initially, Framing Theory was developed in the 1970s by Cognitive Psychologists, later the theory was improved in the field of Sociology by Ering Goffman in 1974. It was because of this improved sociological perspective that the theory was adopted in communication studies. Sadab-Garraza (2001), stated that the theoretical foundations that enables the development of the Framing Theory was located in Interpretive Sociology, which considers that people’s interpretation of reality and everyday life depends fundamentally on interaction and definition of situations. This definition of situation is mediated by inter-subjective process. In other words, people’s approach to reality depends on the contributions of others.

McCombs and Shaw (1972), contends that the ability to affect public perception and knowledge among individuals is one of the most important aspect of the power of mass media. According to Gladys and Kurt (1983), cited in Ikenna (2011, p. 86) “…the media clearly lack powers to suppress concern. But they can do more than stimulate interest. By directing attention to these concerns they provide, a context that influence how people will talk about these matters… the media more than direct attention to a problem; they influence how people will think about it”.

Attitude-Change Theory

The Attitude Change Theory was developed from propaganda theories in the 1930s during World War II (Baran&Davis 2012: 175).  The theory explains that there are pre-existing attitudes, whether biological or psychological which have to be changed if selected messages must have any effect on the target audience. Again, it explains that these pre-existing attitudes are core and therefore stand as barriers to effective penetration of messages for desired change. Thus an intellectual and emotional strategy of communication will influence change if properly channeled to do so. Change in evaluations and perceptions of an individual’s predispositions will take place if the required modification favours his expectations, if it is tied to someone he admires, or if it is bound to be beneficial to him (Wood, 2000, p.539). This theory is relevant to this research with regards to the media’s ability to enforce changes on the attitudes, beliefs, perception and the opinions of the masses through their contents(videos, audios, pictorial etc). For instance, the media was able to create behavioral change through consistent dissemination of the causes of covid-19 and as well as persuade the masses to adhere to the safety protocols in order to reduce the spread of the virus in Nigeria and the entire globe.

This theory explains three bases for attitude change, which include compliance, identification, and internalization. These three processes demonstrate the different levels of attitude change (Wood, 2000, p.539).

Compliance refers to a change in behavior based on consequences, such as an individual’s hopes to gain rewards or avoid punishment from another group or person. The individual does not necessarily experience changes in beliefs or evaluation towards an attitude object, but he resorts to a change in behavior due to the results he intends to get out of his adoption of a new cognition. There is also awareness that he or she is being urged to respond in a certain way perceived as positive (Wood, 2000, p.539).

Identification explains one’s change of beliefs and actions in order to be similar to the one he admires. In this case, the individual changes not because of what he intends to get from the attitude but because it is associated with an admired one. This seems like reinforcement theory where significant others have an influence in people’s behaviour.

Internalization refers to adoption of an attitude due to the content of the perceived attitude. At these levels of attitude change the individual’s evaluation towards a perceived attitude changes when he finds the content of the attitude to be intrinsically rewarding. The new attitude or behaviour is consistent with the individual’s value system, and tends to be merged with the individual’s existing values and beliefs. Therefore, behaviour towards some object is a function of an individual’s intent, which is a function of one’s overall attitude towards the action. The Expectancy-value theory is based on internalization of attitude change (Wood, 2000).The theory also identifies that existing attitudes or mental predispositions need to be changed or channeled to a particular cause through an intellectually and emotionally binding strategy (Baranand Davis, 2012).

In the campaign against Coronavirus, possible barriers to knowledge acquisition, positive attitude and practice of campaign messages may include psychological, emotional and physical. Psychological when the people find it difficult to open up when they detect or observe some symptoms, due to shyness, stigmatization or cultural beliefs. Physical, when screening and treatment facilities are not reachable or available, or medical specialists are limited. Emotional, when the fear of being diagnosed of the virus overrides the need for early detection. For the coronavirus media campaign messages to effectively enhance knowledge, herald positive attitude and ultimately engender the desired behaviour towards the virus, the media messages must therefore be structured in such manner that these obstacles to effective communication are surmounted which will consequently herald the desired change among the people.

METHOD OF STUDY

The survey research design was used in the gathering, analysis and interpretation of data with questionnaire as the instrument. The populations of this study are Bayelsa State residents with a population figure of 2,486,138 at the 2006 National Population Census (NPC). The sampling procedure adopted for this study was Multi-stage cluster sampling technique. This method is used to collect data from a large, geographically group of people. Taro Yamane model is used to determine the sample size:

n =

where n = sample size

N = population size

e = marginal error chosen as 0.05

N = 3,171,000

n = = 398.74 2 ≅ 400

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

A thousand, two hundred (1,200) copies of the questionnaire were administered for this study and returned, thus,

4.1 Analysis of the Retrieved Questionnaire by LGA

Table 4.1: Summary of Retrieved Questionnaire across the selected LGA’s in Bayelsa State (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

As can be seen in Table 4.1 of the 1200 questionnaires administered only 884 copies of questionnaire were returned in good condition. 400 questionnaires were sent to each of the three selected LGA’s, only 884 were returned. 204 copies representing (23.08%) of retuned questionnaire from Kolo-kuma/Okpokuma, 357 copies representing (40.38%) were returned in good condition from Ekeremor and 323 copies representing (36.54%) were returned from Ogbia. Out of the 884 returned copies of the Distributed Questionnaires, only 796 copies were valid. The distribution of the valid copies and the percentage valid copies are shown in Table 4.1

Table 4.2: Questionnaire Distributed and retrieval by Gender (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

As can be seen in table 4.2 a total of 1,200 copies of questionnaires were administered and only 884 copies were returned. The male respondents returned 458 copies representing (38.16%) of total returned questionnaires, while female respondents returned 426 copies representing (35.51%) of total returned questionnaires. For further illustrated in Figure 4.2

Figure 4.2: Graphical representation of retrieved Questionnaire by Gender across the LGA’s in Bayelsa (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

4.2 Analysis of the Retrieved Questionnaire by Respondent’s Ages

Respondents were asked to indicate their age brackets. The retrieved copies of questionnaire by respondent’s ages are summarized in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3: Respondents Age Distribution (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.3 illustrates the ages of the respondents. Respondents’ ages range from 18 to above 57 years. The Respondent’s age between 26 to 35 responded more with 205 respondents giving a 23.19% of the responses. This is followed by 183 Respondents representing the ages between 18-25, this fall within this category accounting for 20.70% of the respondents. Respondents within the age bracket of 36-45 are181 accounting for 20.48% of the respondents. Also, respondents within the ages of 57 and above are 175 accounting for 19.8% while respondents between the ages of 46 to 56 are 140 accounting for 15.84%.

Table 4.4: Respondents Educational Qualification (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.4 illustrates the respondents’ Educational Qualification. 118 Respondents representing 13.35% are Artisans, 136 Respondents representing 15.39% are WASC holders, 149 Respondents representing 16.86% are OND/NCE, 230 Respondents representing 26.02% are HND/B.Sc. holders, 165 Respondents representing 18.67% are M.Sc. holders and 86 Respondents representing 9.73% are Ph.D. holders.

Table 4.5 illustrates the respondents’ Employment Category.  294 Respondents representing 34.9% are Government Employed, 205 Respondents representing 24.5% are Private Employed, 203 Respondents representing 24.1% are Self-Employed and 140 Respondents representing 16.5% are Unemployed.

Table 4.5: Respondent Employment Category (n = 884)

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.5 illustrates the respondents’ Employment Category.  204 Respondents representing 34.44% are Government Employed, 215 Respondents representing 24.32% are Private Employed, 213 Respondents representing 24.1% are Self-Employed and 150 Respondents representing 16.97% are Unemployed.

Table 4.6: The level of exposure of Bayelsa State Residents to the Radio Campaign on Covid-19 preventive measures

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.6 illustrates the level of exposure of Bayelsa State residents to the Radio Campaign on Covid-19 preventive measures, 648 Respondents representing 81.41% are exposed to Radio Campaign daily, while 131 of the Respondents representing 16.46% are exposed to Radio Campaign weekly, and 17 of the Respondents representing 2.14%, are not exposed at all.

Table 4.7: Ascertain Bayelsa State Residents awareness of Radio Messages on Covid-19

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.7 illustrates Bayelsa State Residents awareness of Radio Messages on Covid-19. 744 Respondents representing 93.47% are aware of the Radio Messages on Covid-19 while 52 Respondents representing 6.53% are not aware of the Radio Messages on Covid-19.

Table 4.8: Knowledge gained by Bayelsa State Residents through Radio Messages on Covid-19 safety protocols

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.8 illustrates knowledge gained by Bayelsa State Residents through Radio Messages on Covid-19 safety protocols. 119 Respondents representing 14.63% gained knowledge on Covid-19 safety protocols through radio messages while 677 Respondents representing 85.37% did not gained knowledge on Covid-19 safety protocols through radio messages.

Table 4.9: Compliance of Bayelsa State Residents to Radio Messages on Covid-19 safety protocols

Source: Field Survey, (2021)

Table 4.9 illustrates Compliance of Bayelsa State Residents to Radio Messages on Covid-19 safety protocols. 146 Respondents representing 18.34% complied with radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols while 650 Respondents representing 81.66% did not comply with radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

The analyzed data revealed that majority of the respondents (93.47%) were aware of the radio messages on Covid-19 safety protocols in Bayelsa State. Furthermore, 81.41% of the residents are exposed to Radio Campaign on Covid-19 preventing measures daily. The level of knowledge gained among majority of the respondents on the Covid-19 safety protocols is insignificant. More importantly, the level of compliance with the Covid-19 safety protocols among majority of the respondents is low. Base on the findings, it can be deduced that the objectives of the radio campaign messages put forward by relevant government agencies did not get its desired objectives.

CONCLUSION

Revelations from this study have therefore propelled the researchers to conclude that the radio campaign messages did not perform adequately in helping to enhance knowledge and herald compliance to the Covid-19 safety protocols among Bayelsa State residents. This is based on the poor level of knowledge gained, as well as, the abysmal level of compliance among them. Interestingly, among all the Covid-19 safety protocols, they were able to significantly comply with only hand washing with soap and clean water while neglecting the rest safety protocols.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made;

1. Experts with proven track records in Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) and other media professionals / consultants should be fully engaged to help in the process of designing and disseminating messages on Covid-19 safety protocols. This will help in packaging messages that would enhance the audience knowledge on the virus.
2. Religious leaders should be targeted to properly educate them on the dangers of the virus and the need to get their members and followers to comply with the safety protocols as most residents believed the pandemic is ‘white-man’s’ diseases.
3. Again, health workers, the government, NGOs and the media should realize that health issues are process oriented and not event oriented. Therefore, there is need for sustained media campaigns long after the containment of Covid-19.
4. Further studies in this area should go beyond the scope covered in this study by including other States in Nigeria for wider research and results. Also, Focus Group Discussions should be employed to conduct further studies in this area of knowledge

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