PIA 811 - INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

PIA 811 - INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS

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  1 UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS FACULTYOF SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS COURSE TITLE: PIA 811 – INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSIGNMENT QUESTION: “Using some of the theories discussed in this course, critically examine the assertion that the emergence of Nollywood confirms and/or discredits some of the theories of international communications”. SUBMITTED BY OBANYA ONYEKACHUKWU SERENA MATRIC NO: 159088088 COURSE LECTURER: DR. I. IBRAHEEM
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  2 INTRODUCTION As the newmillennium dawned, global television tracked the rise of the sun across the world, with images broadcast live via 300 satellite channels to audiences in each of the world's 24 time zones. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, millions of people can communicate with each other in real time, across national boundaries and time zones, through voice, text and pictures, and, increasingly, a combination of all three In a digitally linked globe, the flow of data across borders has grown exponentially, boosting international commerce, more and more of which is being conducted through new technologies. Defined as 'communication that occurs across international borders’ (Fortner,1993:6), the analysis of international communication has been traditionally concerned with government- to-government information exchanges, in which a few powerful states dictated the communication agenda. International communication as a phenomenon is probably as old as human society itself and has occurred ever since people have organised themselves in communities and began to exchange ideas and products (Mowlana 1996; Schoonraad, Bornman and Lesame 2001). Global communications are profoundly changing how information and culture function in international relations. The Media over which information travels – telephone, films, magazines, radio and so on shapes the way ideas take form and spread one place to another. According to Wikipedia, Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures which reflects those culture and in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular method for educating or indoctrinating citizens. The visual elements of cinema give motion pictures a universal power of communication. Films are the most influential medium in the society today. Without a word of dialogue, images rendered on a screen can evoke many different emotional responses. The thrust of this write is to critically examine that the emergence of Nollywood confirms or discredits some of the theories of International Communications. Before delving into the critical examinations, it is of great importance to give a brief history of the emergence of Nollywood: EMERGENCE OF NOLLYWOOD The emergence of the Nigerian Movie Industry (NOLLYWOOD) marked the phenomenal rise of the industry as a major player in the Nigerian economy and a major stakeholder in the Nigerian culture industry. Before this era, Nollywood did not really exist. The dramas aired by the government-owned television stations then were drab and uninspiring. So, the industry lacked support from stakeholders who have heavily invested in the sector today (Ekeanyanwu, 2009). Okoroji (2006), who was at this point the Chairman of Performing and Mechanical Rights Society (PMRS), observes that before the recent explosion in the production of cinematograph films in Nigeria, which films are presented on various video formats, different Nigerians had engaged in movie making with different levels of commercial success. He adds that it is difficult to forget the pioneering role of the likes of the great Hubert Ogunde who in the 1970s began the transformation of the Yoruba traveling theatre into the building blocks of
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  3 a Nigerian movieindustry. The true birth of Nollywood is traceable to the phenomenal success of ‘Living in Bondage’ produced by Kenneth Nnebue. THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION The below are some important theories of International Communication: 1. Authoritarian Theory; 2. Social Responsibility Theory; 3. Modernisation Theory; 4. Dependency Theory Authoritarian Theory This is a normative theory of International communication where the Media is influenced and overpowered by power and authority of the nation. Government exert direct control over the mass media thereby prevent the media from undermining government authority. By this, the Media cannot work independently and their works are susceptible to censorship. This theory can be related to the Nigerian Movie Industry, it should be noted that there is rarely any movies by Nollywood that constructively criticise the government of the day. The Nigeria movie industry seem to be under a gag as they always dance to the tune of the government of the day through praise-singing during campaign periods, endorsements and so on. Social Responsibility Theory This theory states that the Media play a vital role in informing citizens, total freedom of the media that is regulated according to social responsibilities and external controls. By this, content is filtered through public obligation and interference. The media must provide:  analysis,  explanation  Interpretation At present, Nollywood cannot boast of practising this theory as its content are solely decided by the Directors, Producers, Script Writers and Film Makers. This is so unlike its Western counterparts who seek public opinion about their movies and the public is given the opportunity to suggest how the movie should go via opinion polls (especially their seasonal movies and TV series). Modernisation Theory Modernisation theory emerged during a period when it was very important for the West to bring the newly independent nations of Asia, the Middle East and Africa into the sphere of capitalism (Ayish 2005; Thussu 2000). The paradigm is founded on the notion that international mass communication should become the vehicle for spreading the message of modernity, transferring Western economic and political models and transforming and modernising traditional societies. “Modernisation” or “development theory” as this pro- media bias is called, has been highly influential and research based on the paradigm not only served to shape university communication programmes and research centres, but have also been generously supported by UNESCO and other international organisations.
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  4 Form this theory,it can be said that the emergence of Nollywood have helped in a way to modernise Nigeria as a nation. The advent of Nollywood has helped a whole lot in promoting globalisation in Nigeria through its films, soap operas, drama and stages performances. Dependency Theory With an origin in Latin America during the 1960s, the dependency theorists believe that the world should be analysed in terms of a “centre” –mainly Western countries such as the USA and Western Europe – and the “periphery” which encompasses the poor countries of the world such as those from Africa who have recently emerged from colonialism, but remain “dependent” in various ways on the rich Western countries. The lack of development of the periphery is ascribed to historical and current forms of colonialism and exploitation through institutions and companies – especially Transnational Companies (TNCs) – in the centre. This theory is essentially relevant to the emergence of Nollywood as The Nigeria Movie Industry is entirely dependent on the Western Countries and have been trying to imitate the style of filming and movie shoots. This, I think it is a welcome idea but there should be a balance in between. The Nigerian Movie Industry (Nollywood) is still far behind technology wise and are completely reliant on the western technology. However, in my opinion, Nollywood should try as much as possible to preserve the Nigerian cultural values, norms, and belief system by filming more movies such as “OCTOBER 1”, “FIGURINE’’ and so on.. CONCLUSION From the foregoing, it can be stated that Nigeria’s image abroad is that of corruption, crime, electoral manipulations and abject poverty. Our movies more often than not portrays ritual killings, African Magic and Voodoos and this portrays us more in a bad light in the international setting. We need to re-evaluate our movies and check the way we showcase our value system in our films. We must be clear and certain in what we say or do and in what we support or do not support. Projecting a good national image through cultural diplomacy will eventually enhance our acceptability in the international arena, fast-track our vision and progress as a nation and add immense value to our Society. The Nigerian Movie Industry should promote and make movies such as ‘Twelve years a Slave’; ‘Blood Diamond’; ‘Hotel Rwanda’ e.t.c. A movie on the Bring Back Our Girls can be done not the whacked typical Nollywood movie but something with advanced technological innovation We can use our films to talk to the world citizens and explain the true position of things, even to our fellow Nigerians in diaspora who are afraid to come back home to visit or to come and invest in the economy. Through our movies, intending tourist will learn to disregard ‘Travel Advisories’ pasted in their airports warning them about travelling to Nigeria. REFERENCES Daya Thussu, (2000), International Communication: Continuity and Change Developmental Imperatives PDF International Communication: Shifting paradigms, theories and foci of interest, PDF
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  5 Nollywood and Nigeria'sIndigenous Cultural Values: The www.naijastories.com